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If you are learning French, telling the time is definitely an important skill you should have. Here we provide you with these eight simple rules to tell time in French.

1^st Rule – Know the Numbers

To begin with, you have to be familiar with numbers in French – at least from one to 59.

 

2^nd Rule – Asking the Time

For asking the time, use the phrase:

Quelle heure est-il?

What time is it?

 

3^rd Rule – Telling the Time

When someone asks you, “Quelle heure est-il?”, you can respond with:

Structure: Il est + [number] + heure(s)

 

Examples:

Il est une heure.

It is one o’clock.

1h00

 

Il est deux heures.

It is two o’clock.

2h00

 

Il est trois heures.

It is three o’clock.

3h00

 

and so on.

 

Here are a few notes to take before you continue:

1. As one is singular, we use heure. Except one, we use heures – they are plural.
2. Use une instead of un for expressing 1 o’clock – the word heure is feminine.
3. In a casual conversation, you can omit the il est (it is), but not the heure(s) [hour(s)]. Well, this rule does not apply for midi (noon) and minuit (midnight) though – you do not use the word heure behind midi (noon) and minuit (midnight).
4. We do not use the colon (:) to separate hour and minutes in French. Instead, substitute the colon with the letter ‘h’ [for heure(s)].

 

4^th Rule – Add the Minutes after Heure(s)

If the time is not exactly number + o’clock, add the minutes after heure(s). That’s it.

Structure: Il est + [number] + heure(s) + [number]

 

Examples:

Il est six heures dix.

It is six past ten.

6h10

 

Il est huit heures quarante.

It is eight past forty.

8h40

 

5^th Rule – Quarter, Half, and To

For expressing ‘quarter past’, use et quart, which literally translated as ‘and a quarter’.

Il est cinq heures et quart

It is quarter past five.

5h15

 

And for ‘quarter to’ add moins le quart, which literally translated as ‘minus a quarter’.

Il est sept heures moins le quart.

It is quarter to six.

5h45

 

The same rule applies for ‘[number] minutes to’ – add moins [number].

Il est sept heures moins cinq.

It is five to six.

5h55

 

If you want to say ‘half’ or ‘past 30 minutes’, say et demie, which literally translated as ‘and a half’.

Il est quartre heures et demie.

It is half past four.

4h30

 

6^th Rule – 24-hour System

Rather than getting around using a.m. or p.m. time, it is more common to use the 24-hour system.

Therefore:

Il est quatorze heures.

It is two p.m.

14h00

 

Il est vingt heures.

It is eight p.m.

20h00

 

With the 24-hour system, you only need to use the actual number for the minutes. Leave out the et quart, moins le quart, moins [numbers] and et demie.

Thus:

Il est quinze heures quarante-cinq.

It is quarter to four p.m. (3:45 p.m.)

15h45

 

7^th Rule – 12-hour System

It is still acceptable to use the 12-hour system though. However, you need to differentiate whether it is nine a.m. or nine p.m. While there is no direct translation of a.m. and p.m. in French, du matin (morning), de l’après-midi (afternoon), and du soir (evening/night) are here to help!

Thus:

Il est neuf heures du matin.

It is nine a.m.

9h00

 

Il est neuf heures du soir.

It is nine p.m.

21h00

 

By using the 12-hour system, use the complete et quart, moins le quart, moins [numbers] and et demie; along with du matin, de l’après-midi and du soir.

Examples:

Il est onze heures moins le quart du matin.

It is quarter to eleven a.m (10:45 a.m.)

10h45

 

Il est une heure moins cinq de l’après-midi.

It is five to one p.m (12:55 p.m).

12h55

 

8^th Rule – Noon and Midnight

Instead of saying “Il est douze heures” for noon and midnight, we use midi and minuit, respectively.

Thus:

Il est midi.

It is noon.

12h00

 

Il est minuit.

It is midnight.

00h00

 

You can also add minutes behind midi or minuit.

Thus:

Il est midi quinze.

It is quarter past noon.

12h15

 

If you want to add half (30 minutes) behind midi or minuit, use et demi (without the letter ‘e’).

Therefore:

Il est minuit et demi.

It is half past midnight.

00h30

 

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