Schedules organize the day by showing when something starts, finishes, or takes place.
In French, you can use clock times, days of the week, parts of the day, and time ranges to read or describe a schedule.
Asking what time something happens
Use à quelle heure to ask for a specific time:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| À quelle heure ? | At what time? |
| À quelle heure ça commence ? | What time does it start? |
| À quelle heure ça finit ? | What time does it finish? |
| C'est à quelle heure ? | What time is it? |
Use à before the time when you answer:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| À huit heures. | At eight o'clock. |
| Ça commence à neuf heures. | It starts at nine o'clock. |
| Ça finit à midi. | It finishes at noon. |
| C'est à dix heures et demie. | It's at ten thirty. |
À quelle heure ? asks for a clock time. Quand ? is broader and can be answered with a day, part of the day, or time.
Giving a day and time
A schedule may show a day, a part of the day, a specific time, or a combination of them:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| lundi | Monday |
| mardi matin | Tuesday morning |
| mercredi après-midi | Wednesday afternoon |
| vendredi soir | Friday evening |
| lundi à neuf heures | Monday at nine o'clock |
| jeudi à quatorze heures | Thursday at 2 p.m. |
When you give both a day and a time, the day usually comes before the time:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| C'est lundi à neuf heures. | It's Monday at nine o'clock. |
| C'est mardi matin à dix heures. | It's Tuesday morning at ten o'clock. |
| Ça commence mercredi à quatorze heures. | It starts Wednesday at 2 p.m. |
| Ça finit vendredi à dix-huit heures. | It finishes Friday at 6 p.m. |
Giving a time range
Use this pattern to show the beginning and end of a period of time:
de + time + à + time
| French | English |
|---|---|
| de neuf heures à midi | from nine o'clock to noon |
| de dix heures à onze heures | from ten to eleven |
| de quatorze heures à dix-sept heures | from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
| de dix-huit heures à vingt heures | from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
Use this pattern to show a range of days:
du + day + au + day
| French | English |
|---|---|
| du lundi au vendredi | from Monday to Friday |
| du mardi au jeudi | from Tuesday to Thursday |
| du samedi au dimanche | from Saturday to Sunday |
These forms are common when a schedule shows a period rather than a single time.
Reading the 24-hour clock
French schedules commonly use the 24-hour clock, especially in written timetables, opening hours, transportation information, and other schedules:
| Written time | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 8 h | 8 a.m. |
| 12 h | 12 p.m. / noon |
| 14 h | 2 p.m. |
| 17 h 30 | 5:30 p.m. |
| 18 h | 6 p.m. |
| 21 h | 9 p.m. |
In written schedules, h is commonly used for heure. For example, 14 h 30 means 2:30 p.m.
When saying the time aloud, you can read 14 h 30 as quatorze heures trente.
From learning to practice
The next time you look at a schedule, choose a few times and try to read them in French. Pay attention to specific times, time ranges such as de 9 h à 12 h, and times written with the 24-hour clock.