Language/French/Grammar/Clock-time

Clock Time in French Grammar

In French, clock time is expressed using the 24-hour clock system. In this lesson, we will explore how to express clock time in French.

Basic Time Expressions

The basic way to express time in French is to use the phrase "Il est" (it is), followed by the hour and minute. For example:

• Il est deux heures. (It is two o'clock.)
• Il est trois heures et quart. (It is quarter past three.)
• Il est sept heures et demie. (It is half past seven.)
• Il est neuf heures moins le quart. (It is quarter to nine.)

Note that when the hour is one o'clock, you use the singular form "une heure." For example:

• Il est une heure. (It is one o'clock.)

Using "et" (and)

When expressing time in French, the word "et" (and) is used to separate the hour and minute. For example:

• Il est six heures et dix minutes. (It is six ten.)
• Il est neuf heures et vingt-cinq minutes. (It is nine twenty-five.)

Using "du matin" and "du soir"

To indicate whether it is morning or evening, you can use the expressions "du matin" (in the morning) and "du soir" (in the evening) after the hour. For example:

• Il est six heures du matin. (It is six in the morning.)
• Il est neuf heures du soir. (It is nine in the evening.)

Using "de l'après-midi"

To indicate the afternoon, you can use the expression "de l'après-midi" (in the afternoon) after the hour. For example:

• Il est deux heures de l'après-midi. (It is two in the afternoon.)

Conclusion

Knowing how to express clock time in French is an important part of mastering the language. By understanding the basic time expressions, using "et" to separate the hour and minute, and using the appropriate expressions to indicate morning, afternoon, and evening, you can improve your French language skills and communicate more effectively with native speakers.