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Lesson 69 of 240

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My work schedule in French

Claire wants Sam's hours in plain words, not a story about his morning. She points at nine and six on the office clock.

You'll say when you start, when you finish, and when you stay late.

You'll also name a day off, ask to leave early, and book a day of leave.

Dix-huit heures is 6 p.m. De repos is the usual way to say you are off.

By the end of this lesson

Say your hours, when you start and finish, and when you take time off.

  • Je commence à neuf heures.I start at nine.
  • Je finis à dix-huit heures.I finish at six p.m.
  • Je travaille tard aujourd'hui.I'm working late today.
  • Je suis de repos le mercredi.I'm off on Wednesday.
  • Est-ce que je peux partir plus tôt aujourd'hui ?Can I leave early today?
  • Je pose un jour de congé.I'm taking a day off.

Scene — the office clock

Sam is at the office, two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Claire sits at her desk with a laptop and a round clock on the wall.

She wants his hours in plain words. Sam starts a story about his morning. She points at nine, then at six.

Wide office view of Sam standing by Claire at her desk, a blank laptop open and a blank round clock on the wall.

Learn — hours and days off

Six lines cover start time, finish time, staying late, a day off, leaving early, and booking leave.

Watch the clock: neuf is nine, and dix-huit heures is six in the evening.

  1. Medium side shot of Sam sitting down at a desk and opening a blank laptop as if starting work.

    Je commence à neuf heures.

    I start at nine.

    When to use it: Say this to tell someone when your workday starts.

    Use à plus the hour for the time something starts.

    Say it: In neuf heures, the f sounds like v.

  2. Close-up of Sam shutting a laptop and stacking blank papers as if the workday is over.

    Je finis à dix-huit heures.

    I finish at six p.m.

    When to use it: Say this to tell someone when you stop work.

    Dix-huit heures is six in the evening, on the 24-hour clock.

    Say it: In dix-huit, the x sounds like z.

  3. Wide doorway view of Sam still bent over a blank laptop in an otherwise empty office.

    Je travaille tard aujourd'hui.

    I'm working late today.

    When to use it: Say this when you will stay later than usual today.

    Tard means late, after the time you normally finish.

    Say it: The d at the end of tard is silent.

  4. Medium frontal shot of Sam leaning back from the desk in a relaxed off-duty pose.

    Je suis de repos le mercredi.

    I'm off on Wednesday.

    When to use it: Name the weekday when you do not work.

    De repos is the usual phrase for a day you do not work.

  5. Over Claire’s shoulder, Sam leans toward her with open palms in a polite request to leave.

    Est-ce que je peux partir plus tôt aujourd'hui ?

    Can I leave early today?

    When to use it: Ask your manager if you may leave before your usual time.

    Est-ce que turns the next words into a yes-no question.

    Say it: The s in plus tôt is silent.

  6. Three-quarter side close-up of Sam setting a blank sheet on the desk toward Claire.

    Je pose un jour de congé.

    I'm taking a day off.

    When to use it: Tell your manager you are booking a day of leave.

    Pose here means you put in a request for the day off.

    Say it: The s in pose sounds like z.

Story — plain words

Watch Sam try to tell Claire about his morning. She only wants the hours.

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

  1. The office is quiet. Claire sits down with her laptop. A round clock is on the wall.
  2. ClaireVos horaires, s'il vous plaît. En mots simples.Your hours, please. In plain words.
  3. SamJe me lève à sept heures.I get up at seven.
  4. She points at nine on the clock, then at six.
  5. ClaireNon. Le travail. C'est à quelle heure ?No. Work. What time is that?
  6. SamJe commence à neuf heures. Je finis à dix-huit heures.I start at nine. I finish at six p.m.
  7. ClaireD'accord.Okay.
  8. SamEst-ce que je peux partir plus tôt aujourd'hui ?Can I leave early today?
  9. ClaireNon. Pas aujourd'hui.No. Not today.
  10. SamJe travaille tard aujourd'hui.I'm working late today.
  11. ClaireEt le mercredi ?And on Wednesday?
  12. SamJe suis de repos le mercredi.I'm off on Wednesday.
  13. ClaireAutre chose ?Anything else?
  14. SamJe pose un jour de congé.I'm taking a day off.

Practice — nine or six

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

    Je commence à neuf heures.Drop the English here
    Je finis à dix-huit heures.Drop the English here
    Je suis de repos le mercredi.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Claire points at six on the clock. Say when you finish work.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'm off on Wednesday.

    Je suis de repos le ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    Je travaille tard aujourd'hui.

  6. Swap the word

    Tell Claire your workday starts at nine.

    Je commence à ____ heures.

  7. Build the line

    I'm taking a day off.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    You need to go before six today. Ask your manager.

  9. True or false?

    This means see you tomorrow.

  10. Fill the gap

    I get up at seven.

    Je me lève à ____ heures.

  11. What does it mean?

    C'est à quelle heure ?

Say it — tell her the hours

Now you're Sam at the office with Claire. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

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

  1. ClaireVos horaires, s'il vous plaît.Your hours, please.
  2. Sam (you)Say when you start work.

    Je commence à neuf heures.

    I start at nine.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je commence à neuf heures.I start at nine.
Je finis à dix-huit heures.I finish at six p.m.
Je travaille tard aujourd'hui.I'm working late today.
Je suis de repos le mercredi.I'm off on Wednesday.
Est-ce que je peux partir plus tôt aujourd'hui ?Can I leave early today?
Je pose un jour de congé.I'm taking a day off.
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