Quelle heure est-il? (What Time Is It?)
Tell the time in French. Il est une heure, il est deux heures et demie, moins le quart. 24-hour clock used in official contexts.
A lesson of French A1 — Beginner, in Numbers & Time, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will ask for the time and give the time in French using both 12-hour and 24-hour conventions.
Asking the Time
| French | English | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Quelle heure est-il? | What time is it? | Universal |
| Il est quelle heure? | What time is it? | Informal |
| Vous avez l'heure? | Do you have the time? | Polite |
| Tu as l'heure? | Do you have the time? | Informal |
Saying the Time: The Formula
Il est + [number] + heure(s)
Heure = hour/o'clock. It takes an -s (plural) for any number above one.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Il est une heure. | It is one o'clock. |
| Il est deux heures. | It is two o'clock. |
| Il est cinq heures. | It is five o'clock. |
| Il est midi. | It is noon. (not douze heures) |
| Il est minuit. | It is midnight. |
Adding Minutes
Minutes past the hour
Just add the minutes after heures:
Il est trois heures vingt. — It is 3:20. Il est dix heures quarante. — It is 10:40.
Quarter and half
| French | English |
|---|---|
| et quart | quarter past |
| et demie | half past |
| moins le quart | quarter to |
Il est deux heures et quart. — It is 2:15. Il est sept heures et demie. — It is 7:30. Il est neuf heures moins le quart. — It is 8:45 (quarter to nine).
Minutes before the hour (moins)
For times past the half hour, subtract from the next hour using moins (minus):
— It is 7:50 (ten to eight). — It is 5:55 (five to six).