Telling Time in French

Lesson 9

Telling time in French involves using specific vocabulary and structures. Here’s a comprehensive guide to expressing time in French, including the different ways to ask and respond to questions about the time.

Basic Vocabulary:

1. Heures (Hours):
   • 1: une heure
   • 2: deux heures
   • 3: trois heures
   • …
   • 12: douze heures
2. Minutes:
   • To express minutes, you use the word “minutes.”
     • 1 minute: une minute
     • 2 minutes: deux minutes
     • …
     • 15 minutes: quinze minutes
     • 30 minutes: trente minutes
     • 45 minutes: quarante-cinq minutes

Types of Time Expressions:

1. Telling the Exact Time:
   • To express the exact time, combine the hour and minutes.
     • Il est une heure. (It’s one o’clock.)
     • Il est deux heures quinze. (It’s two fifteen.)
     • Il est trois heures trente. (It’s three thirty.)
2. Using “et” (and):
   • When telling time with minutes past the hour, you can use “et” (and).
     • Il est cinq heures et quart. (It’s five fifteen.)
     • Il est neuf heures et demie. (It’s nine thirty.)
3. Quarter Hours:
   • To express quarter hours, use “et quart” (and a quarter) or “et demie” (and a half).
     • Il est sept heures et quart. (It’s seven fifteen.)
     • Il est dix heures et demie. (It’s ten thirty.)
4. Saying “du matin” and “du soir”:
   • To specify whether it’s morning or evening, use “du matin” (in the morning) or “du soir” (in the evening).
     • Il est huit heures du matin. (It’s eight in the morning.)
     • Il est huit heures du soir. (It’s eight in the evening.)
5. Using “moins” (minus):
   • When expressing minutes before the hour, use “moins” (minus).
     • Il est quatre heures moins dix. (It’s ten to four.)
     • Il est onze heures moins vingt. (It’s twenty to eleven.)

Additional Phrases:

1. Formal Expression:
   • In more formal settings, you might use “Il est” (It is) before stating the time.
     • Il est midi. (It’s noon.)
     • Il est minuit. (It’s midnight.)
2. Informal Expression:
   • In casual conversations, especially when asking about the time, you can use “Quelle heure est-il ?” (What time is it?).
     • Quelle heure est-il ? (What time is it?)

Examples in Context:

• Quelle heure est-il ? (What time is it?)
• Il est deux heures. (It’s two o’clock.)
• Il est cinq heures et quart. (It’s five fifteen.)
• Il est neuf heures et demie. (It’s nine thirty.)
• Il est midi. (It’s noon.)
• Il est minuit. (It’s midnight.)

Remember that when it comes to expressing time, practice is key. Regularly using and hearing time expressions in context will help reinforce your understanding and fluency.