HOW TO TELL THE TIME?

1. Formal system: (24 hours) IL EST hour number HEURE(S) minutes number une1 deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit neuf dix onze onze douze treize quatorze quinze seize dix-sept dix-huit dix-neuf vingt vingt-et-une vingt-deux vingt-trois vingt-trois zro heure pile/ prcise cinq dix quinze vingt vingt-cinq trente trente-cinq quarante quarante cinq cinquante cinquante-neuf 1:00 AM 2:05 AM 3:10 AM 4:15 AM 5:20 AM 6:25 AM 7:30 AM 8:35 AM 9:40 AM 10:45 AM 11:50 AM 11:59 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:05 PM 3:10 PM 4:15 PM 5:20 PM 6:25 PM 7:30 PM 8:35 PM 9:40 PM 22:45 PM 23:50 PM 11:59 PM 12:00 AM

Il est

heures cinq dix quinze vingt vingt-cinq trente trente-cinq quarante quarante-cinq cinquante cinquante-neuf heure

2. Informal system (12 hours)

IL EST hour number HEURE(S) minutes number une heure deux trois quatre cinq six sept heures huit neuf dix onze midi midi (=noon) une heure deux trois quatre cinq cinq six heures sept huit neuf dix onze douze minuit (=midnight) 1 :00 2:05 AM 3:10 AM 4:15 AM 5:20 AM 6:25 AM 7:30 AM 8:35 AM 9:40 AM 10:45 AM 11:50 AM 11:59 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:05 PM 3:10 PM 4:15 PM 5:20 PM 5:59 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:35 PM 8:40 PM 9:45 PM 11:50 PM 11:59 PM 12:00 AM 01:00AM

cinq dix et quart (=quater past) vingt vingt-cinq et demie (=half past) moins vingt cinq moins vingt moins le quart (=quarter to) moins dix moins une

du matin2

11:59 AM 12 :00 PM

Il est

cinq dix et quart (=quater past) vingt cinquante-neuf et demie (=half past) moins vingt cinq moins vingt moins le quart (=quarter to) moins dix moins une

de laprsmidi
6:00 PM

du soir3
11:59 PM

Warning : Words in bold are only used with the informal 12 hour system. Tip: - Use the formal system. - Be able to understand the informal system
1

In French, heure and minute are feminine. Therefore, we say une heure(=1:00) vingt-et-une heures (=9:00 PM) sept heures une(7:01 AM)
2

The abbreviation du mat is also used instead of du matin in oral informal language

In order to adjust with daylight length variations, lheure dhiver [=Winter Time Daylight saving time, ( 1 hour)] is used everywhere in France from October to March. In March, lheure dt[=Summer Time/Daylight saving time (+ 1 hour)] is back . Despite this one hour change, there are still big differences in terms of sunlight length throughout the year. During Summer Time, sunlight can last until 9:00 PM whereas during Winter Time it is already dark at 5:00 PM. Therefore, if it is already dark, people may consider that evening (=le soir) starts at 5:00 PM instead of 6:00 PM.