Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn to tell time in French with expressions like "Il est huit heures (pile)", "et quart", and "moins dix," covering both 12- and 24-hour formats for everyday use.
  1. We use "Il est" followed by "midi" (noon), "minuit" (midnight), or a specific time.
Former l'heure  (Telling the time)Exemple (Example)
Il est + heure (+ pile)Il est huit heures (pile). (It is eight o'clock (sharp).)
Heure + minutesIl est sept heures cinq. (It is seven oh five.)
Heure + moins + minutesIl est treize heures moins dix. (It is ten to one.)
Heure + et demieIl est dix heures et demie. (It is half past ten.)
Heure + et quartIl est treize heure et quart. (It is quarter past one.)

Exceptions!

  1. Another way to say et demi is trente; for example, 15h30 is written and said as "fifteen hours thirty".
  2. In France, the 24-hour clock is often used in formal situations (such as train timetables), but in informal conversations, the 12-hour clock is preferred.

Exercise 1: Comment lire l'heure ?

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

quatre, minuit quatre, cinq, quinze, seize, midi moins le quart, cinquante cinq, moins vingt, et quart, vingt., dix sept heures (pile), neuf

1. 15h20:
Il est ... heures ....
(It is twenty past three.)
2. 00h04:
Il est ....
(It is twelve oh four.)
3. 11h45:
Il est ....
(It is a quarter to twelve.)
4. 4h15:
Il est ... heures ....
(It is quarter past four.)
5. 15h40:
Il est ... heure ....
(It is twenty to four.)
6. 9h05:
Il est ... heures ....
(It is five past nine.)
7. 5h55:
Il est ... heures ....
(It is five fifty-five.)
8. 17h00:
Il est ....
(It is five o'clock (sharp).)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je travaille ___ neuf heures ce matin.

(I have been working ___ nine o'clock this morning.)

2. La réunion dure ___ dix-huit heures.

(The meeting lasts ___ six o'clock.)

3. Nous parlons ___ dix minutes.

(We speak ___ ten minutes.)

4. Il est ___ dix-neuf heures trente.

(It is ___ seven thirty.)

5. Il est midi ___ demi.

(It is twelve ___ thirty.)

6. Quelle heure est-il ? Il est sept heures ___ quart.

(What time is it? It is seven ___ quarter.)

Understanding How to Tell Time in French

This lesson teaches you the basics of reading and expressing time in French. You will learn the main structures used, how to say exact hours, minutes past the hour, and minutes before the hour, as well as common expressions for half past and quarter past the hour.

Key Structures for Telling Time

  • Il est + [hour] (+ pile): used to state an exact hour, e.g. Il est huit heures (pile).
  • [hour] + [minutes]: expressing how many minutes past the hour, e.g. Il est sept heures cinq.
  • [hour] + moins + [minutes]: indicating minutes to the next hour, e.g. Il est treize heures moins dix.
  • [hour] + et demie: to say half past the hour, e.g. Il est dix heures et demie.
  • [hour] + et quart: used to say quarter past the hour, e.g. Il est treize heure et quart.

Additional Notes on Time Expressions

To say time formally, the 24-hour clock is often used in France, especially for schedules such as trains. However, in everyday conversations, the 12-hour format is quite common.

The phrase "et demi(e)" (and a half) can also be replaced by saying the minutes directly: 15h30 can be expressed as "quinze heures trente" (fifteen hours thirty minutes).

Practical Words and Phrases

  • Il est midi — it is noon
  • Il est minuit — it is midnight
  • pile — exactly (on the dot)
  • moins — minus (used to say minutes before the hour)
  • et quart — and a quarter (quarter past)
  • et demie — and a half (half past)

Differences and Useful Tips for English Speakers

Unlike English, French often uses the 24-hour clock in formal settings, which might be unfamiliar at first. In casual speech, you can use the 12-hour clock but without am or pm; the context usually makes it clear.

French structures time with the verb "Il est" (It is), directly followed by the hour and minutes, whereas in English you say "It is" plus the time but also include a.m. or p.m.

Remember to use "midi" for noon and "minuit" for midnight, which do not use numbers as in English.

Examples:
Il est treize heures moins dix. = It is 12:50 (ten minutes to one).
Il est dix heures et demie. = It is 10:30.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Azéline Perrin

Bachelor Degree in Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 12:54