Pascal says: You've learned your numbers, so now you can unlock a new superpower: telling time! In French, it's called l'heure. Knowing the time is essential for catching trains, making appointments, and, most importantly, knowing when the bakery opens!

🎯 Today's Mission

Learn how to ask for the time.
Tell time on the hour (e.g., 2:00).
Understand special phrases for quarter past, half past, and quarter to.

Section 1: Asking for the Time

The most common way to ask "What time is it?" is:

Quelle heure est-il? [kel urr eh-TEEL]

Section 2: Telling Time on the Hour

It's simple! You use the phrase "Il est" + the number + "heure(s)".

Il est une heure. (It is 1:00.) - Use "une" because "heure" is a feminine word.
Il est deux heures. (It is 2:00.) - Use "heures" (plural) for any number greater than 1.
Il est cinq heures. (It is 5:00.)

There are two special words you must know:

Il est midi. (It is noon / 12 PM.)
Il est minuit. (It is midnight / 12 AM.)

What time is 'Il est trois heures'?

It's 12 PM. What is the special phrase for this time?

Section 3: Adding Minutes

This is where it gets interesting.

For minutes 1-30, you add them with "et" (and):

et quart [ay KAR] = and a quarter (15 minutes)
- Il est deux heures et quart. (It is 2:15.)
et demie [ay duh-MEE] = and a half (30 minutes)
- Il est deux heures et demie. (It is 2:30.)
For other minutes, you just say the number:
- Il est deux heures dix. (It is 2:10.)

For minutes 31-59, you subtract from the next hour with "moins" (minus):

moins le quart [mwan luh KAR] = minus a quarter (45 minutes past the hour)
- Il est trois heures moins le quart. (It is 2:45 - literally "3 o'clock minus the quarter".)
For other minutes, you do the same:
- Il est trois heures moins dix. (It is 2:50 - "3 o'clock minus 10".)

Pascal's Tip: This "counting down" from the next hour is the trickiest part for English speakers. Just remember, once you pass half past the hour, you're on your way to the next hour!

What time is 'Il est six heures et quart'?

How do you say 'It is 8:30'?

What time is 'Il est dix heures moins le quart'?

Lesson Summary

Pascal: Très bien! You can now ask for and tell the time.

You ask the time with Quelle heure est-il?
You tell the time with Il est... heure(s).
You know the special phrases: midi, minuit, et quart, et demie, and moins le quart.

Cultural Tip: In France, the 24-hour clock (military time) is very common, especially for official things like train schedules and movie times. So, you might hear "dix-sept heures" for 5 PM!

✨ Coming Up Next...

Pascal: We've learned être and some basic phrases. Now it's time for the other super-verb of French: Avoir (to have). Get ready to talk about your age, pets, and much more! À demain!