Telling time in French - simple

In this lesson, we will focus on how to express 12-hour clock times, and how to say half past, quarter to/past, ...

Look at these examples:

Note that to say it is + [time], you use Il est + [heure] (NEVER c'est).

You also always need heure(s) after the number, except for midnight and noon:

Half past [hour] = [heure] et demie

To express half past, you add et demie after number [heure(s)], EXCEPT for minuit and midi:

Quarter past / quarter to [hour] = [heure] et quart / moins le quart

To express quarter past and quarter to, you add et quart (past) or moins le quart (literally minus the quarter) after number [heure(s)].  

 

[minutes] past [hour] = [heure] [minutes]

To express [minutes] *past* [hour], you simply add the number of minutes (cinq, dix,...) AFTER number [heure(s)].  

[minutes] to [hour] = [heure] moins [minutes]

To express [minutes] *to* [hour], you simply add  moins + [number of minutes] (Literally minus five, minus ten...) AFTER number [heure(s)]. 

See also the more advanced lesson on how to use the 24-hour clock and differentiate between AM and PM in French:  

Telling time in French - AM vs PM