French Phrase
Ils sont en appel en ce moment.
Meaning
The sentence states that a group of people (they) are currently engaged in a phone or video call. It emphasizes the present moment, often used when you need to explain why they cannot be reached elsewhere.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to tell someone that a group is busy on a call right now—e.g., in a workplace, during a meeting, or when coordinating schedules.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilssontenappelencemoment
Pronoun + être
"Ils" is the third‑person plural subject pronoun; it pairs with the present tense of "être" (sont) to describe a state.
En appel
"En appel" is an idiomatic expression meaning “on a call” (phone or video). The preposition "en" introduces the activity.
En ce moment
A fixed temporal phrase meaning “right now, at this moment”. It follows the main clause and adds immediacy.
Agreement
All elements agree in number: "Ils" (plural) → "sont" (plural). No adjective follows, so no extra agreement is needed.
🗨In Conversation
Est‑ce que je peux parler à Pierre ?
Can I speak to Pierre?
Désolé, ils sont en appel en ce moment. Je les rappelle dès qu’ils ont fini.
Sorry, they’re on a call right now. I’ll call them back as soon as they’re done.
✕Common Mistakes
Ils sont à appel en ce moment.
The preposition for this idiom is "en", not "à".
Ils sont en appel maintenant.
"En ce moment" sounds more natural than "maintenant" when paired with "en appel".
Ils sont en appelant en ce moment.
"En appelant" would be a gerund meaning "while calling", not the state of being on a call.
↔Alternatives
Ils sont en conversation téléphonique en ce moment.
They are in a telephone conversation right now.
Ils sont en train d’appeler maintenant.
They are in the middle of calling right now.
Ils sont occupés en appel.
They are busy on a call.
Cultural Tip
In French business environments, "être en appel" is the go‑to way to say someone is on a call, especially with the rise of remote work and video conferences. Avoid using "au téléphone" for groups; it sounds more informal and is usually reserved for a single person. Adding "en ce moment" signals immediacy and is preferred over the simple "maintenant" in formal contexts.