Unit 5 · Lesson 3

Telling Time

Ask what time it is, say what time something happens, and use the French time expressions you'll hear every day.

Il est + [hour] + heure(s)

Il est une heure. (1:00)

Il est deux heures. (2:00)

Il est midi. (noon)

Il est minuit. (midnight)

Minutes: + "et quart" (quarter past), "et demie" (half past), "moins le quart" (quarter to)

Il est quatre heures et demie. (4:30)

The 24-hour clock (l'heure officielle)

France and Francophone Canada use the 24-hour clock in timetables, schedules, and official contexts. Subtract 12 to convert to PM.

13h00 (treize heures)1 PM

15h30 (quinze heures trente)3:30 PM

18h15 (dix-huit heures quinze)6:15 PM

20h45 (vingt heures quarante-cinq)8:45 PM

00h00 (zéro heure / minuit)Midnight

12h00 (midi)Noon

Key difference:In everyday speech, use 12-hour + du matin/de l'après-midi/du soir. In written schedules, announcements, and timetables, use 24-hour.

Time vocabulary

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French

Quelle heure est-il?

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English

What time is it?

The standard question for asking the time.

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What time is it?

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Click a French word, then click its English match.

Say the time

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Hint: half past: et demie

Il est six heures. (6:30)

It is 6:30.

Telling time quiz

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How do you say 'It is 3:30' in French?