Telling the time is an important life skill to learn. Now you can do it in French!
The 1-2-3 challenge
Join Scottish pupils as they give French a go!
Listen and guess what they are saying before trying yourself.
GIRL : Quelle heure est-il?
BOY 1: Il est midi.
BOY 2: Il est quinze heures vingt.
BOY 3: Il est six heures moins le quart.
Tip: This video can be used as an interactive introduction to this topic or as a recap on key vocabulary and phrases already learnt.
Remember!
It doesn't matter if your pronunciation isn't perfect. Try your best and have fun!
Asking the time
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - What time is it?
Saying the time
To answer, you use the phrase Il est + number + heures
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - It's … o'clock
(All times apart from une heure (1 o’clock) use Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. with an 's', which is the plural form)
Example:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - It's 5 o'clock
Quarter past, half past and quarter to
When it’s quarter past, half past and quarter to, you say:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | quarter past |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | half past |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | quarter to |
Examples:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - It is quarter past eleven (am)
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - It is half past eight (am)
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - It is quarter to seven (am)
The 24-hour clock
Most people use the 24-hour clock in France.
This means that all of the times after 12.00 (midday) are told using the 24 hour numbers.
Examples:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - it's 13:00 (1:00pm).
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - it's 18:00 (6:00pm).
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - it's 20:00 (8:00pm).
Did you know?
You don't use et quart, et demie or moins le quart with times after midday.
Use the number of minutes instead. For example, for 13:30 say Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. not et demie. It is the same as saying "It is twelve thirty".
Numbers
Use the vocabulary link below to remind yourself of the numbers you will need to tell the time:
More on Talking topics
Find out more by working through a topic
- count9 of 12
- count10 of 12
- count11 of 12
- count12 of 12
