Here are some extra French phrases for you to take note of. Additional French phrases related to time Some variations in expression between regular French and 'street' or French slang.Ħ.To say 'half past' you add et demie to the end of the time phrase.įor example: Neuf heures et demie (or half past nine)įor example: I l est minuit.When using the specific number of minutes, there is no need to use “et”. “et” can only be used when saying quarter past or half past.“moins” is the blanket term used to say “minutes before” an hour.įor example: it's ten to eleven il est onze heures moins dix (It is eleven hours minus ten).It's a quarter to five: il est cinq heures moins le quart (Or literally: It is five hours minus quarter) Here are a couple of examples on how to say it: The terms “moins” (which literally means minus), and “et” (which means and) are being used. Just like in English, expressions such as “quarter to.” or “quarter past.” are also used in French.The common expressions used in telling time If you are going to write down minutes only, use mn.ĥ. In English, we use a colon ( : ) to separate hours from minutes, such as 11:45. Note: une heure is without s because of its singular form. This format applies to both 12-hour clock and 24-hour clock. The format goes like this: Il est (insert number of hours) heure(s) (insert number of minutes). Say: Quelle heure est-il? It is pronounced as kell eurh eh teel? Meaning, what's the time? Or what time is it? Here are the important things you need to know. So let's dive to the nitty-gritty right away. Whether you are simply learning the language so you could use it on your upcoming travel to a French-speaking country, or you're planning to learn it all the way, telling the time in French helps you avoid confusion in setting up meetings, appointments, or in keeping track of the time. Knowing how to properly ask for and tell the time in French is one of the most basic things you need to know. If not, you can brush up on your French numbers by checking this link - The Easy Guide to French Numbers. These are all just a big challenge though, and we're going to breeze through it all with simplified rules and easy steps by using this guide.īefore we proceed to tell how to say time in French, make sure you are already familiar with French numbers and how they work. Third, expressions are heavily used which could also add to the complexity. The word “heure” which is used in telling time is pronounced in one smooth flow with the letter before it, spoken in the same breath as the number it follows. Second, the “liaisons” in the French intonation or that flowing pronunciation make it all sound so confusing. In English, the 12-hour clock is more often used, and the military time is usually reserved for, well, the military. So okay, who am I kidding? It's actually A LOT more complicated, in fact.įirst, French uses military time or the 24-hour clock for public use or official purposes, while the 12-hour clock is mostly used for personal consumption. Telling time in French could be a tad bit more complicated than in English.
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