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Lesson 27 of 240

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What time is it in French

Sam is at Café des Tilleuls and needs the time. Odile is at the counter, and Gaspard is still on his café crème.

You'll ask what time it is, then say the hour, half past, one o'clock, noon, and seven in the morning.

Odile will give you midi. Gaspard's crème looks as new as when he sat down.

By the end of this lesson

Ask and tell the time on the hour and the half hour.

  • Quelle heure est-il ?What time is it?
  • Il est deux heures.It's two o'clock.
  • Il est cinq heures et demie.It's half past five.
  • Il est une heure.It's one o'clock.
  • Il est midi.It's noon.
  • Il est sept heures du matin.It's seven in the morning.

Scene — the crème is still full

It is the middle of the day on rue des Tilleuls. Sam steps up to the zinc counter. Odile has a cloth in her hand.

Gaspard sits at the table next to the window table on two chairs. His café crème is still full. The blank brass sign stays on the empty window table.

A wide midday café interior with Sam at the zinc counter, Odile holding a cloth, and Gaspard on two chairs beside an empty window table.

Learn — the hour and half past

Six short lines cover the time question, two o'clock, half past five, one o'clock, noon, and seven in the morning.

  1. Sam stands at the zinc counter and looks from a blank wristwatch toward the bar.

    Quelle heure est-il ?

    What time is it?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need the time right now.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask the time.

    Say it: The t in est links into il.

  2. Over Sam's shoulder, Odile holds a cloth behind the zinc and glances at a blank wall clock.

    Il est deux heures.

    It's two o'clock.

    When to use it: Say this when the clock shows two.

    Learn it as one piece for two o'clock.

    Say it: The s at the end of heures is silent.

  3. Gaspard sits in profile on two chairs by the window with an untouched café crème and studies a blank pocket watch.

    Il est cinq heures et demie.

    It's half past five.

    When to use it: Say this at five thirty, not on the hour.

    Learn it as one piece for half past five.

    Say it: The final k in cinq is pronounced before heures.

  4. Odile's hands wipe the zinc with a cloth while Odile looks up at a blank wall clock.

    Il est une heure.

    It's one o'clock.

    When to use it: Say this when the clock shows one.

    Learn it as one piece for one o'clock.

    Say it: The h in heure is silent.

  5. From above, Odile turns toward the bright midday windows with a cloth at her side.

    Il est midi.

    It's noon.

    When to use it: Say this at twelve in the day.

    Learn it as one piece for noon.

  6. From below near the door, Odile stands at the far end of the bar with a cloth and gestures toward the entrance.

    Il est sept heures du matin.

    It's seven in the morning.

    When to use it: Say this at seven before noon.

    Learn it as one piece for seven in the morning.

    Say it: The final t in sept is pronounced before heures.

Story — she says noon

Watch Sam ask Odile the time at the café counter. She knows, and Gaspard is still on his first sip.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The café is quiet at midday. Odile looks up from the counter.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour. Quelle heure est-il ?Hello. What time is it?
  4. OdileIl est midi.It's noon.
  5. Gaspard looks at his unfinished crème as if he has just sat down.
  6. GaspardIl est sept heures du matin.It's seven in the morning.
  7. OdileNon. Il est midi.No. It's noon.
  8. GaspardIl est deux heures.It's two o'clock.
  9. SamIl est une heure.It's one o'clock.
  10. OdileNon. Il est midi.No. It's noon.
  11. GaspardIl est cinq heures et demie.It's half past five.
  12. He does not sit at the window table. The crème is still full.
  13. OdileIl est midi.It's noon.
  14. SamMerci.Thank you.

Practice — hour or half past

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Il est deux heures.Drop the English here
    Il est une heure.Drop the English here
    Il est midi.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You walk into Café des Tilleuls at noon. Odile looks up and waits.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's two o'clock.

    Il est ____ heures.

  5. What does it mean?

    Il est midi.

  6. What do you say?

    You are at the counter and you need the time right now.

  7. Build the line

    It's half past five.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    It is seven in the morning. Tell Odile the time.

    Il est ____ heures du matin.

  9. Put the chat in order

    1. SamWhat comes first?
    2. Odile…
    3. Sam…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  10. True or false?

    This means it is one o'clock.

  11. What do you say?

    Odile just told you it is noon. Thank her.

Say it — tell the time

Now you're Sam at the café. First ask the time at midday, then answer in a few later pictured moments.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Ask her what time it is.

    Quelle heure est-il ?

    What time is it?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Quelle heure est-il ?What time is it?
Il est deux heures.It's two o'clock.
Il est cinq heures et demie.It's half past five.
Il est une heure.It's one o'clock.
Il est midi.It's noon.
Il est sept heures du matin.It's seven in the morning.
Next: lesson 28Days of the week

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these times handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the hour ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards