Learning how to tell time in French is an important part of everyday communication. Time expressions are used when discussing schedules, appointments, travel plans, and daily routines.
French time is typically written using numbers just like English, but when spoken it follows specific patterns.
Example:
7:37
Il est sept heures trente-sept
This page explains how to read, write, and say time in French.
Asking the Time in French
To ask what time it is in French, you can say:
Quelle heure est-il ?
This literally means “What hour is it?”
Example response:
Il est trois heures.
Meaning:
It is three o'clock.
Full Hours in French
When telling the time exactly on the hour, French uses the structure:
Il est + number + heure(s)
Examples:
| Time | French |
|---|---|
| 1:00 | Il est une heure |
| 2:00 | Il est deux heures |
| 3:00 | Il est trois heures |
| 4:00 | Il est quatre heures |
| 5:00 | Il est cinq heures |
Note that une heure is used instead of un heure because heure is feminine.
Minutes Past the Hour
To express minutes past the hour, simply add the minutes after heures.
Examples:
3:10
Il est trois heures dix
5:25
Il est cinq heures vingt-cinq
7:37
Il est sept heures trente-sept
This hour + minutes structure is the most common way to express time in French.
Quarter Past and Half Past
French also uses special expressions for 15 minutes and 30 minutes.
Examples:
3:15
Il est trois heures et quart
3:30
Il est trois heures et demie
Quarter to the Hour
When there are 15 minutes before the next hour, French uses moins le quart.
Example:
3:45
Il est quatre heures moins le quart
This literally means “four hours minus a quarter.”
Midnight and Noon
Two special expressions are used in French.
| Time | French |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | minuit |
| 12:00 PM | midi |
Examples:
Il est midi.
Il est minuit.
Writing Time in French
French time can be written using the same numeric format as English.
Examples:
7:00
12:30
18:45
However, French commonly uses the 24-hour clock, especially in schedules and transportation.
Examples:
| Time | Spoken |
|---|---|
| 14:00 | quatorze heures |
| 18:30 | dix-huit heures trente |
Practice Times in French
You can practice telling time in French using the interactive tools below.
French Times Translate Tool
Test Your Knowledge. Take the French Numbers Quiz
Related French Pages
You can continue learning with these pages.
Further reference: Académie française on cardinal numerals.