Telling time in French pronunciation

Essential Vocabulary for Time in French

Understanding the basics of time involves familiarizing yourself with key vocabulary. These terms form the foundation for telling time, discussing dates, and planning events in French.

Hours, Minutes, and Seconds

• Heure (hour): Used to denote hours.
• Minute (minute): Indicates minutes.
• Seconde (second): Refers to seconds.

Parts of the Day

• Matin (morning): The time from sunrise until noon.
• Après-midi (afternoon): The time from noon until the early evening.
• Soir (evening): The time from the late afternoon until nightfall.
• Nuit (night): The period from sunset to sunrise.

Days, Weeks, and Months

Understanding how to discuss days and months is also crucial. Here are some basic terms:

• Jour (day), Semaine (week), Mois (month), Année (year)
• Days of the week (Lundi to Dimanche) and months of the year (Janvier to Décembre) follow similar pronunciation rules to English but have unique French spellings and sounds.

Asking for the Time

When you want to know the time in French, the question to ask is, "Quelle heure est-il?" This translates to "What time is it?" It's a straightforward question that will be understood in any French-speaking context.

Telling the Time

To tell the time in French, start with the hour followed by the minutes. However, the construction changes slightly depending on the exact time.

• For the full hour: Say "Il est" followed by the number of the hour and "heure." For example, "Il est deux heures" means "It's two o'clock."
• For the half-hour: Use "et demie" after stating the hour. For instance, "Il est trois heures et demie" translates to "It's three thirty."
• For quarter past and quarter to: Use "et quart" for quarter past and "moins le quart" for quarter to. For example, "Il est quatre heures et quart" (It's four fifteen) and "Il est cinq heures moins le quart" (It's four forty-five).

Using 24-Hour Time

In formal contexts or for clarity, French speakers often use the 24-hour clock. This system is straightforward: hours from 13 to 23 are simply continued from the 12-hour clock. For example, 15h00 (3 PM) is "quinze heures."

Basic Expressions for Telling Time in French

Telling time in French involves a combination of numbers and specific phrases. Below is a straightforward table to help you understand and practice the basic expressions for telling time, from the full hour to more specific minutes within the hour.

How to Ask for the Time in French

Initiating a conversation about time is straightforward. Here are key phrases to remember when you need to ask someone what time it is:

• What time is it? - Quelle heure est-il?
• Do you have the time, please? - Est-ce que vous avez l'heure, s'il vous plaît?

If you're inquiring about the timing of an event, such as a concert, you might ask:

• What time is the concert? - À quelle heure est le concert? And the answer could be:
• The concert is at eight o'clock in the evening. - Le concert est à huit heures du soir.

Periods of Time in French

Learning to talk about durations—from the briefest moment to spanning ages—is essential for discussing history, plans, or experiences. Below is a table that categorizes these periods of time in French, providing a comprehensive list for beginners to familiarize themselves with.

English Term	French Equivalent
a second	une seconde
a minute	une minute
an hour	une heure
a day / a whole day	un jour, une journée
a week	une semaine
a month	un mois
a year / a whole year	un an, une année
a decade	une décennie
a century	un siècle
a millennium	un millénaire

Points in Time in French

Describing specific moments of the day can add depth to your storytelling or daily conversations. Whether it’s the tranquility of dawn or the social buzz of an evening, knowing these terms allows you to articulate your experiences or plans more vividly. Here’s a guide to the key points in a day, presented in French.

English Term	French Equivalent
sunrise	le lever de soleil
dawn	l'aube (f)
morning	le matin
afternoon	l'après-midi
noon	midi
evening	le soir
dusk	le crépuscule, entre chien et loup
sunset	le coucher de soleil
night	la nuit
midnight	le minuit

Temporal Prepositions in French

Temporal prepositions are brief words that help pinpoint when something happens. They're essential for constructing sentences that are clear about timing. Here's a table of common temporal prepositions you'll find indispensable.

English	French
since	depuis
during	pendant
at	à
in (months, years)	en
in (a place)	dans
for	pour

Relative Time Vocabulary in French

Relative time vocabulary refers to words that describe time in relation to other moments—like yesterday, today, and tomorrow. These terms are crucial for discussing past, present, and future events. Familiarize yourself with the table below to enhance your conversational skills.

English Term	French Equivalent
yesterday	hier
today	aujourd'hui
now	maintenant
tomorrow	demain
the day before yesterday	avant-hier
the day after tomorrow	l'après-demain
the day before, the eve of	la veille de
the day after, the next day	le lendemain
last week	la semaine passée/dernière
the final week	la dernière semaine
next week	la semaine prochaine
days of the week	les jours de la semaine
months of the year	les mois de l'année
the calendar	le calendrier
the four seasons	les quatre saisons
early/late (seasons)	fut précoce / tardif
last (season)	dernier (season)
next (season)	prochain (season)
a little while ago/in a little while	tout à l'heure
right away	tout de suite
within a week	d'ici une semaine
for, since	depuis
ago (depuis vs. il y a)	il y a
on time	à l'heure
in time	à temps
at that time	à l'époque
early	en avance
late	en retard

Temporal Adverbs in French

Temporal adverbs refine the timing of an action, offering a clearer picture of when something takes place. Incorporate these adverbs into your French to convey timing more precisely.

English	French
currently	actuellement
then	alors
after	après
today	aujourd'hui
previously, beforehand	auparavant
before	avant
soon	bientôt
meanwhile	cependant
afterwards, meanwhile	ensuite
for a long time	longtemps
now	maintenant
anytime	n'importe quand
then	puis
recently	récemment
late	tard
all of a sudden, suddenly	tout à coup
in a little while, a little while ago	tout à l'heure

Expressions of Frequency in French

Talking about how often something occurs is just as important as stating when it happens. These expressions help you describe the regularity of events, from one-time occurrences to daily habits.

English	French
once	une fois
once a week	une fois par semaine
daily	quotidien
every day	tous les jours
every other day	tous les deux jours
weekly	hebdomadaire
every week	toutes les semaines
monthly	mensuel
yearly	annuel

Adverbs of Frequency in French

Adverbs of frequency help describe how often an action occurs. These are essential for everyday conversation, giving clarity on the regularity of events.

English	French
again	encore
one more time	encore une fois
never, ever	jamais
sometimes	parfois
sometimes	quelquefois
rarely	rarement
often	souvent
always	toujours

Exploring "Le Temps" in French

"Le temps" can refer to the weather or time itself, stretching from specific moments to indefinite periods. Its versatility has given rise to numerous idiomatic expressions.

Key Phrases Involving Time

• Moments and Duration
  • "il y a peu de temps" (a little while ago)
  • "dans un moment, dans quelque temps" (in a little while)
  • "en même temps" (at the same time)
  • "au même temps que" (at the same time as)
• Work and Leisure
  • "un temps partiel" (a part-time job)
  • "un temps plein" or "plein temps" (a full-time job)
  • "travailler à temps partiel" (to work part-time)
  • "travailler à plein temps" or "à temps plein" (to work full-time)
  • "faire un trois quarts (de) temps" (to work 30 hours per week)
  • "avoir du temps libre" (to have some spare time / free time)
  • "à temps perdu" (in one's spare time)
• Philosophical and Idiomatic Uses
  • "le temps de la réflexion" (time to think)
  • "au temps jadis" (in times past, in the old days)
  • "avec le temps" (with the passing of time)
  • "tout le temps" (all the time, always)
  • "temps fort" (in music, a strong beat; figuratively, a highlight)
  • "temps mort" (in sports, a time-out; figuratively, a lull)