Telling Time in French

Written by: R. H. • Edited by: Rebecca Scudder
Updated Aug 11, 2011 • Related Guides: Vocabulary Words

Whether you want to ask for the time, or you want to plan a get-together with a friend sometime in the future, it is vital to know how to tell time. There are a few cultural notes, some simple formulas, and some vocabulary words and phrases that will make it simple for you to tell time in French.

Next up: The Basics ►

Cultural Notes

Slide 1 of 4

Before you learn to tell time in French, it's helpful to look at how the French tell time, culturally. First, you should be aware that the French do not always use the twelve-hour clock we are familiar with in the United States. Instead, especially for public events, the French often use the twenty-four hour official clock. There is a quick equation you can use to quickly figure out the time if you are not used to the twenty-four hour clock. When you hear the time, if it is a number greater than twelve, simply subtract twelve from the total time given and you will know what time it is on a twelve-hour clock. For example, if you hear 16h, subtract twelve and you will have the time: 4:00 p.m.

There is another cultural aspect in France that is good to know when telling time. The French are not always as time-oriented as Americans are. While an American may make a date with a friend and expect it to begin exactly on time, the French, on the other hand, are not always such sticklers about time; there is a little more flexibility as to when things begin.

The Basics

Slide 2 of 4

Suppose you want to ask someone the time in French. You can ask what time it is - Quelle heure est-il? Or you can inquire if they have the time - Vous avez l'heuere?/Tu as l'heuere? English-speakers use these same questions to ask for the time.

To tell the time, you begin by saying Il est... (it is...). Then you insert the number of the hour plus the word heure(s). For example, if it is three o' clock, you will say Il est trois heures. If it is three fifteen, add quinze or et quart after heures. If it is three thirty, add trente or et demie after heures. If it is three forty-five, there are two different ways to tell the time: by still looking forward from 3:00 - Il est trois heures quarante-cinq, or by looking backward from 4:00 - Il est quatre heures moins le quart or Il est quatre heures moins quinze.

To ask someone what time an event is at, ask Á quelle heure...? At what time...? If you want to know specifically when something occurs, especially habitually, ask Quand...? When...?

To explain that an event happens between certain hours, use the formula entre ___ et ____ or de ___ (jusqu')à.

Writing

Slide 3 of 4

It is important to learn how to read and write the time with the French system; it's really very simple.

6:15 a.m. would be written 6h15.
6:00 a.m. would be written 6h.
6:00 p.m. would be written 18h.

To read and write the time in French, you just need to keep two basic things in mind:

Insert "h" where you would usually insert ":"
Think on a 24-hour clock rather than a 12-hour clock.

Important Vocabulary

Slide 4 of 4

If you want to be able to tell time, it is helpful to know not only the basic time telling words, but also words that identify different periods of time, especially times of the day. That way, you can tell a friend, "Meet me at dawn" or an accomplice, "Meet me at dusk."

Basic Time-Telling Vocabulary:

Á quelle heure? - when?/ at what time?
Vous avez l'heure? tu as l'heure? - Do you have the time?
Quelle heure est-il? - what time is it?
Il est une heure - it is one o' clock.
Il est deux heures - it is two o' clock.
Il est deux heures et quart - it is two fifteen.
Il est deux heures et demie - it is two thirty.
Il est trois heures moins vingt - it is twenty to three (or two forty).
Il est midi - it is noon.
Il est minuit. it is midnight.
Viens me rencontrer l'aube. meet me at dawn.

Times of Day:

l'aube (f) - dawn
le lever de soleil - sunrise
le matin - morning
midi - noon
l'après-midi - afternoon
le soir - evening
le crépuscule - dusk
le coucher de soleil - sunset
la nuit - night

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Albertina lopes Feb 2, 2012 6:36 PM

RE: Telling Time in French

Before you can telll the time in french you have to look at it and try and prunounce it. the easier way of learning it is in school or going in a french game or even go on youtube and there wull be someone telling you the time and making you prunounce the word and it tells you how to write it to. but you have to make sure its all about time and no other thing. At first you don't understand about how to say the time but then u get the hang of it and you start to say the time in french. Learing french is not that difficult but if it is you ahev to try again and again because as you learn it it starts to become easier.

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Telling Time in French

Cultural Notes

The Basics

Writing

Important Vocabulary

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