All the pieces You Want To Know About Telling Time in French


Whether or not you’re catching a practice or assembly a good friend for apéro (aperitif), telling time in French is a vital a part of every day life. What that you must learn about time and discussing it’s simpler than many different French grammar guidelines, and if you realize your French numbers already, even higher! 

When you’ve realized among the time phrases and their grammar guidelines, observe utilizing them recurrently. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition will even offer you real-time suggestions that can assist you sound like a local speaker very quickly!

The best way to categorical the time in French

Earlier than attending to saying what time it truly is, it’s useful to know the way to say the phrase(s) for “time” in French. There are just a few choices, based mostly on the context.

Heure (“hour”)

When asking about or telling time, l’heure (pronounced lair) is probably the most applicable phrase. The French phrase heure actually interprets to “hour.” L’heure is most frequently used to imply “the time,” as within the precise time it’s or the time it’s to do one thing.

  • Avez-vous l’heure ? = Do you could have the time?
  • C’est l’heure d’aller à l’école. = It’s time to go to high school.
  • Est-ce que c’est l’heure d’aller au lit ? = Is it time to go to mattress?

Le temps (basic “time”)

When talking extra usually, le temps (luh tuhn) is used. 

  • Il n’y a pas beaucoup de temps. = There isn’t a lot time.
  • Quand auras-tu le temps ? = When will you could have time?

Le second (particular second in time)

When talking a couple of particular second in time or asking if it’s a superb time for one thing, use le second (luh momuhn), which accurately interprets to “the second.” However, usually talking, it’s used to imply a selected time. 

  • Est-ce un bon second ? = Is that this a superb time?
  • Non, ce n’est pas le bon second. = No, this isn’t a superb time.

The best way to ask for the time in French

When asking for the particular time of day, there are alternatives, relying on the knowledge you’re inquiring about.

The best way to ask for the present time

In case you are at a practice station, in a restaurant, or at another public place with strangers, try to be as well mannered as potential if that you must ask for the time. As modeled above, you should use this formal query:

  • Avez-vous l’heure ? = Do you could have the time?

In much less formal conditions, like speaking with mates, you should use one of many following inquiries to ask what time it’s:

  • Quelle heure est-il ? (Kell air ay teel)
  • Il est quelle heure ? (Eel ay kell air)

Whereas each of those imply “What time is it?” utilizing the previous is a little more formal, because it makes use of the French inversion

The best way to ask ‘At what time…?’

If you wish to know what time one thing begins or ends, that you must use the query phrase à quelle heure (ah kell air). 

In English, it’s commonplace to place the phrase “at” on the finish of a sentence or to drop it altogether. In French, nevertheless, it’s essential to hold the phrase à quelle heure collectively, whether or not it’s positioned at the start or finish of the sentence.

  • À quelle heure notre cours start ? = What time does our class begin (at)?
  • Le live performance se termine à quelle heure ? = What time does the live performance finish (at)?

Essential phrases for telling time in French

Typically talking, telling time within the French language is just not that a lot completely different from English. Earlier than studying to inform time in French, nevertheless, that you must be sure to’ve mastered your French numbers (no less than 0-60).

The best way to write and say the hour and minutes

The best option to say the time in French is through the use of hours and minutes, together with the phrase il est (“it’s”). The phrase heure(s) on this context means “o’clock” (actually “hour”)—it’s a female noun, so “one o’clock” makes use of the female une. Additionally be aware that the phrase heure is pluralized from two o’clock onward.

FrenchPronunciationEnglish
Il est une heure.Eel ay oon air.It’s one o’clock.
Il est deux heures.Eel ay duh zair.It’s two o’clock.
Il est trois heures.Eel ay twahz air.It’s three o’clock.
Il est quatre heures.Eel ay kaht-rair.It’s 4 o’clock.
Il est cinq heures.Eel ay sank air.It’s 5 o’clock.
Il est six heures.Eel ay seez air.It’s six o’clock.
Il est sept heures.Eel ay set air.It’s seven o’clock.
Il est huit heures.Eel ay weet air.It’s eight o’clock.
Il est neuf heures.Eel ay nuh vair.It’s 9 o’clock.
Il est dix heures.Eel ay deez air.It’s ten o’clock.
Il est onze heures.Eel ay ohnz air.It’s eleven o’clock.
Il est douze heures.Eel ay dooz air.It’s twelve o’clock.

When the quantity previous the phrase heures ends in “s” or “x,” the liaison “z” sound is made. When it’s 9 o’clock (neuf heures), the “f” is pronounced like a “v.”

So as to add minutes, merely add the quantity after heures. There is no such thing as a phrase for “and” required.

FrenchPronunciationEnglish
Il est cinq heures cinq.Eel ay sank air sank.It’s five-oh-five.
Il est dix heures quarante.Eel ay deez air car-ahnt.It’s ten forty.

You need to use the phrase douze heures (twelve o’clock) or midi (mee-dee) to say “midday.” Whether it is midnight, use the phrase minuit (mee-nuee). Each of those observe the identical guidelines as above with minutes following.

The best way to say quarter and half hours in French

It’s pretty widespread in French to divide hours into quarters and halves. Even when you select to not use these, it’s useful to know what they imply if somebody says them to you.

As in English, when utilizing “quarter to,” it’s essential to spherical as much as the subsequent hour.

FrenchPronunciationEnglish
et quartay karquarter previous
et demieay demeehalf previous
moins le quartmoo-ahn luh karquarter to

Utilizing moins when telling time in French

As with moins le quart (quarter to), you may select to spherical as much as the subsequent hour for minutes from  :31 to :59.

  • Il est six heures moins dix. = It’s ten to six.
  • Il est minuit moins vingt. = It’s twenty to midnight.

Similar to in English, it’s most typical to make use of multiples of 5 when utilizing moins, however it technically can be utilized for any time between :31 and :59.

12-hour vs. 24-hour time

Most French-speaking international locations use 24-hour time, often known as navy time in English. And whereas Canada is likely one of the international locations that makes use of 12-hour time, Quebec does use the 24-hour clock.

It’s most typical for French audio system to make use of the 12-hour clock when talking, so it’s nonetheless essential to know the way to use each 12-hour and 24-hour time. There aren’t any direct translations for the phrases a.m. and p.m. As an alternative, the next occasions of day are used:

FrenchPronunciationEnglish
du matindoo mah-tahnwithin the morning
de l’après-mididuh lah-pray-mee-deewithin the afternoon
du soirdoo swarwithin the night

Use the chart beneath to have the ability to seamlessly change between 12- and 24-hour time. Word that earlier than midday, the occasions are the identical. You’ve gotten the choice to make use of du matin to precise “a.m.”

12-hour Time in French24-hour Time in FrenchEnglish
six heures du matinsix heuressix o’clock (a.m.)
une heure de l’après-miditreize heuresone o’clock (p.m.)
huit heures du soirvingt heureseight o’clock (p.m.)

Most French-speaking international locations use 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. to modify from afternoon to night. That is additionally once they change from utilizing bonjour to bonsoir as a greeting.

Study French very quickly with Rosetta Stone

With the ability to inform time in French is a superb instrument for quite a lot of conditions from scheduling journeys, to remembering birthdays, making reservations, and a lot extra! As you begin to study primary French phrases, make certain that numbers and time phrases are included in your classes.

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