How to Tell Time in French: A Simple Guide

Learning to tell time in French is a vital skill. It helps in daily activities like catching a train, setting appointments, and making plans with friends. This guide makes learning easy by covering essential vocabulary, common phrases, and practical tips. Start mastering French time-telling today!

Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time in French

Essential Terms

Here are some basic terms you need to know for telling time in French:

How to Ask for the Time in French

Common Phrases

In this section, we will look at common phrases used to ask for the time in French. Knowing these phrases will help you navigate everyday situations, whether you are at a café, on public transport, or talking with friends. Here are some essential phrases to get you started:

Telling Time on the Hour

Here’s how to say each hour of the day in French, using both the 12-hour and 24-hour formats. Note the difference in singular and plural usage for “heure.”

Note: “Heure” is singular when referring to 1:00 (e.g., “une heure”) and plural for all other hours (e.g., “deux heures”).

Half Past, Quarter Past, and Quarter To

To express “half past,” “quarter past,” and “quarter to” in French, use the following phrases:

Grammatical Notes:

• Use “et demie” for half past, except for “midi” (noon) and “minuit” (midnight), where it’s just “et demi” (without the extra ‘e’).
• Use “et quart” for quarter past, and “moins le quart” for quarter to.
• The 24-hour clock format is commonly used in formal or written contexts, whereas the 12-hour format is more common in spoken French.

Telling the Exact Time

Minutes Past and To

When telling the exact time in French, it’s important to include “heure” in each expression. Here are examples of how to specify time down to the minute:

Grammatical Notes:

• For times past the hour, use “heure” followed by the number of minutes (e.g., “une heure cinq” for 1:05).
• For times to the hour, use “heure moins” followed by the number of minutes (e.g., “huit heures moins vingt-cinq” for 7:35).
• Use “et quart” for quarter past and “moins le quart” for quarter to.

Time of Day Phrases

General Time Expressions

Here are some common phrases related to different times of day, along with their usages:

Military Time in French

Understanding 24-Hour Clock

The 24-hour clock system, also known as military time, is used in French to avoid confusion between AM and PM. Here are some examples: 

Other Time-Related Vocabulary

Here are additional useful time-related terms and phrases:

Conclusion

This guide covered essential vocabulary, common phrases, and practical tips for telling time in French. Practice and use these skills in real-life situations to improve. For more learning, explore additional resources at La Forêt French Class. Happy learning!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you say 17:45 in French?

Ans: In French, 17:45 is expressed as “dix-sept heures quarante-cinq” in the 24-hour format. Alternatively, you can say “six heures moins le quart” for 5:45 PM in the 12-hour format. 

Q: How do you say 8:30 in French?

Ans: In French, 8:30 is expressed as “huit heures trente” in the 24-hour format. In the 12-hour format, you would say “huit heures et demie.” To further improve your French language skills, explore resources at La Forêt French Class.