Build Your French Vocabulary: How to Tell Time in French

February 14, 2023

For our last French vocabulary lesson, tutor Carol Beth L. taught us numbers, counting, and basic math. Now, it’s time to put that knowledge to work with this lesson on telling time in French…

In order to build your French vocabulary, you need to know how to tell time in French.

Learning this vocabulary in French may seem like a daunting task, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to do it like a pro! In this blog post, we’ll go over the different ways to say the time in French, as well as some common phrases and French vocabulary words you can use.

So, let’s get started!

What Are Some French Vocabulary Words?

If you want to know how to tell time in French, you will need to familiarize yourself with these French vocabulary words:

Heure hour
Il est minuit moins le quart. (It’s a quarter to midnight.
L’heure the time
Quelle heure est-il? What time is it?

Keep reading to discover a more comprehensive French vocabulary list for telling time, and be sure to sign up for French lessons, too. You’ll learn everything you need to know about the essential French vocabulary for telling time, along with concepts you see outlined in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd8r8FYe4U0

Learn French Vocabulary for Telling Time

So, are you confident with your numbers in French yet? Telling time is a wonderful way to practice – and is very helpful in everyday life! Let’s start with a few basic words and phrases:

Heure hour
L’heure the time
Quelle heure est-il? What time is it?
(Say: Kel Ur [like the city] ay-teel)
Il est ______ heures. It is ___ o’clock.
Midi noon (12pm)
Minuit [say: mee noo ee] midnight (12am)

In the question “Quelle heure est-il,” for the purposes of pronunciation, it is helpful to be aware of the concept of the liaison in French. When one word begins with a vowel sound, but the preceding word ends with a silent consonant, that consonant is pronounced almost as if it were the first letter of the next word. This is why the “t” in “est” is pronounced the way it is – but the “s,” which is also normally silent, is not.

Let’s look at a few examples:

Susie: Quelle heure est-il? What time is it?
Alain: Il est 9 (neuf) heures. It is 9 o’clock.

Alain: Quelle heure est-il? What time is it?
Susie: Il est midi. Allons manger! It is noon. Let’s go eat!

In France, it is important to realize that the people you are speaking to will measure time on the 24-hour clock, often referred to as military time in the United States. So for any hour in the afternoon or evening, you will need to add 12 to the number we usually use for the hour in the United States:

13:00 = 1pm
14:00 = 2pm
15:00 = 3pm
16:00 = 4pm
17:00 = 5pm
18:00 = 6pm
19:00 = 7pm
20:00 = 8pm
21:00 = 9pm
22:00 = 10pm
23:00 = 11pm

How to Learn French Vocabulary in Context

Here are a few examples of how this would be used in context:

Il est 13 (treize) heures. (It is 1:00 in the afternoon. Literally: It is 13 o’clock.)
Il est 18 (dix-huit) heures. (It is 6:00 in the evening. Literally: It is 18 o’clock.)

So what about the times in between? Here, a little more vocabulary will help us out:

______ heures et quart a quarter past ______
______ heures et demie half past ______
______ heures moins le quart a quarter to ______

Again, let’s see this in context:

1) Il est minuit moins le quart. (It’s a quarter to midnight. Or equivalently: It’s 11:45pm.)
2) Il est 15 (quinze) heures et demie. (It’s a quarter past three in the afternoon. Or equivalently: It’s 3:15pm.)
3) Il est 7 (sept) heures et quart. (It’s a quarter past seven in the morning. Or equivalently: It’s 7:15am.)

Note that in the French version, “in the morning” or “in the afternoon” (indicated in the English translation) is implied because they use the 24-hour clock. These three vocabulary terms – “et quart,” “et demie,” and “moins le quart” – often require more practice for American students than the style that comes next, but they are used relatively often.

You may wish to focus on practicing telling time using this format until it feels natural to you before moving on. Try looking at a clock at random times throughout the day and telling the time according to the nearest quarter-hour. Or if you have a “will return at” sign with a moveable clock on it, have a friend show you random times of their choosing, and give them the time (again, to the nearest quarter-hour) in French. You or a friend can also draw clocks with desirable times on them.

Honing in on the Details

So what if you need to be more precise than telling time to the quarter-hour? In English, we might say “It’s ten-oh-three,” or “It’s eleven fifty-seven.” In French, you can do almost the same thing:

Il est dix heures trois. (It’s 10:03 am.)
Il est onze heures cinquante-sept. (It’s 11:57 am.)
Il est dix-sept heures vingt-neuf. (It’s 5:29 pm.)
Il est midi quarante-deux. (It’s 12:42 pm.)

In these and similar cases, be sure to include the word “heures” in your sentence between the hour and the minutes. We do not include it in English, but it is important in French.

List of French Vocabularly Words for Telling Time

Now that you have the explanations down pat, here’s a list of all the French vocabulary words you need to know:

To ask what time it is: Quelle heure est-il?
To say that it is one o’clock: Il est une heure.
To say that it is two o’clock: Il est deux heures.
To say that it is a quarter past two: Il est deux heures et un quart.
To say that it is a half past two: Il est deux heures et demie.
To say that it is a quarter to three: Il est trois heures mo
l’heure: hour
la minute: minute
le seconde: second
le matin: morning
l’après-midi: afternoon
le soir: evening
la nuit: night
minuit: midnight
midi: noon

Learning how to tell time in French is a handy skill to have whether you’re traveling to a French-speaking country or trying to improve your language skills. With a little practice, you’ll be telling time like a native in no time!

How to Learn French Vocabulary for Telling Time

Telling time in French can be a little tricky, especially if you’re not used to speaking the language. But with a little bit of practice, you’ll be able to tell time like a pro! In this post, we’ll go over some of the most important vocabulary words for telling time in French.

So whether you’re planning on taking a trip to Paris or just want to be able to converse with your French-speaking friends, keep reading for all the information you need to know. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)

French Websites

If you’re looking for a fun and interactive way to learn how to tell time in French, look no further than these websites. With games, activities, and quizzes, they make learning how to tell time in French easy and enjoyable. Plus, they’re completely free to use.

Apps

There are a number of apps that can be used to learn how to tell time in French. One option is French Clock by Busuu, which is available for both iOS and Android. The app provides interactive exercises to help users learn how to read and write French numbers and clock times. It also includes a quiz mode to test users’ knowledge.

Another option is Telling Time in French by Nemo Apps, which is available for iOS only. This app features audio recordings of native French speakers pronouncing different times, as well as visual aids to help users understand how to form the numbers.

There is also a quiz function to test users’ understanding. Whichever app you choose, with a little practice you’ll be telling time in French like a pro in no time!

French Vocabulary Flashcards

There are a few different ways to express time in French, and using vocabulary flashcards is a great way to learn the correct usage.

For example, the word “heure” can be used to refer to both an hour of the day and the clock itself. The word “minute” can be used to refer to both minutes and seconds. To indicate a specific time, you would use the article “le” followed by the number of the hour.

For example, if you wanted to say “It is 3:15,” you would say “Il est trois heures et quart.” If you were telling someone that an event would take place at 3:30, you would say “L’événement aura lieu à trois heures et demie.” By using vocabulary flashcards, you can quickly learn the different ways to tell time in French.

Find a Native Speaker

To practice, find a native French speaker and ask them to help you. They can help you learn how to say common phrases like “What time is it?” and “It’s 2:00.” With some practice, you’ll be able to tell time in French like a native speaker!

Plan a Trip

If you’re looking to brush up on your French skills, there’s no better way to learn than by immersing yourself in the language and culture. And what better place to do that than in France itself?

By planning a trip to a French-speaking country, you’ll be able to pick up vital language skills while also enjoying all that the country has to offer. While there, make sure to pay close attention to how the locals tell time. You’ll quickly notice that the French have a different way of expressing time than we do in English.

For example, instead of saying “it’s 3:00pm,” a Frenchman would say “il est trois heures.” By learning how to tell time in French in its proper context, you’ll be one step closer to becoming fluent in the language. Bon voyage!

Basic French Vocabulary for Telling Time

Now, you have several ways of telling time in French. If you recently learned to count in French, it is also an excellent way to practice your numbers. Practice your French vocabulary consistently and telling time – and numbers – will become second nature.

For more help learning to speak French, why not try studying with a private tutor? Whether you’re preparing to travel abroad or just need help getting your grades up, your French tutor can give you the one-on-one attention you need to reach your goals.

In this post, we’ve introduced you to French time words. We hope that these tips will help you build your vocabulary and improve your fluency. If you have any questions or need more practice, be sure to check out our other posts on the subject. And don’t forget to consider using a tutor to perfect your skills!

Search for a tutor now!

Carol

Carol Beth L. teaches French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009. Learn more about Carol Beth here!