French Time Vocabulary: Time Words in French

French Time Vocabulary

Start with the most common words, then expand your knowledge with intermediate and advanced vocabulary.

Beginner (A1)

year l'année
afternoon l'après-midi
hour l'heure
minute la minute
winter l'hiver
autumn l'automne
summer l'été
spring le printemps
age l'âge
date la date
birthday l'anniversaire
night la nuit
season la saison
second la seconde
week la semaine
day le jour
morning le matin
evening le soir
midnight minuit
noon le midi
month le mois
time le temps
weekend le week-end

Elementary (A2)

schedule l'emploi du temps
schedule (timetable) l'horaire
clock l'horloge
watch la montre
calendar le calendrier
future le futur
weekday le jour de semaine
holiday le jour férié
moment le moment
past le passé
present le présent
appointment le rendez-vous
delay le retard
working hours les heures de travail

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

dawn l'aube
instant l'instant
interval l'intervalle
deadline la date limite
duration la durée
decade la décennie
generation la génération
period la période
sunset le coucher du soleil
sunrise le lever du soleil
time slot le créneau horaire
time zone le fuseau horaire
semester le semestre
trimester le trimestre
leap year l'année bissextile
calendar year l'année civile
era l'ère
timeline la chronologie
fortnight la quinzaine
dusk le crépuscule
century le siècle
epoch l'époque
millennium le millénaire

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Example Sentences

In proper context. With highlighted verbs and adjectives.

Beginner & Elementary (A1-A2)

Practical everyday sentences focused on basic time concepts and daily schedules.

Je regarde ma montre pour vérifier l'heure. I look at my watch to check the time.
Nous arrivons ce soir à huit heures. We arrive this evening at eight o'clock.
Elle attend le bus depuis vingt minutes. She has been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes.
Vous travaillez toute la journée. You work all day.
Ils partent en vacances la semaine prochaine. They leave on vacation next week.
Le train de nuit est très lent. The night train is very slow.
C'est une belle journée d'été. It is a beautiful summer day.
La réunion de ce matin était courte. This morning's meeting was short.
Mon horaire de travail est fixe. My work schedule is fixed.
Il fait très froid cet hiver. It is very cold this winter.

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

Advanced context sentences covering periods, deadlines, eras, and precise time management.

Le professeur prolonge la durée de l'examen. The teacher extends the duration of the exam.
Nous organisons notre emploi du temps pour le mois à venir. We organize our schedule for the coming month.
Cette période de transition exige de la patience. This transition period requires patience.
L'historien analyse cette époque marquante du siècle dernier. The historian analyzes this landmark era of the last century.
Ils respectent toujours la date limite fixée. They always respect the set deadline.
L'année bissextile comporte un jour supplémentaire. A leap year includes an extra day.
Cette transition entre deux époques reste progressive. This transition between two eras remains gradual.
Le calendrier civil suit une règle précise. The civil calendar follows a precise rule.
Les changements climatiques de ce millénaire sont visibles. The climate changes of this millennium are visible.
Leur calendrier annuel comporte plusieurs dates importantes. Their annual calendar contains several important dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about French time vocabulary and regional usage.

Telling time in French relies on the word "l'heure" combined with simple numbers and specific phrases:

Use Il est... heure(s) (e.g., Il est trois heures for "It is three o'clock").
Express half past with et demie (e.g., huit heures et demie) and quarter past with et quart.
For quarter to, use moins le quart (e.g., neuf heures moins le quart).
In timetables, official announcements, and business settings, France standardly uses the 24-hour clock (e.g., 14h00).

French makes a distinct difference between counting time units and describing the duration or quality of time:

Un an, un jour, un soir refer to time as a unit or specific point (e.g., J'ai trente ans, un jour de semaine).
Une année, une journée, une soirée emphasize duration, process, or experience (e.g., Passer une bonne journée, une soirée agréable).
Use short forms (an, jour, soir) with cardinal numbers (e.g., trois jours, deux ans).

Punctuality in French relies on three standard prepositional phrases:

À l'heure means "on time" (e.g., Le train est arrivé à l'heure).
En avance means "early" or ahead of schedule (e.g., Je suis en avance de dix minutes).
En retard means "late" or delayed (e.g., Désolé, je suis en retard).
You can also use avoir du retard when referring to transport or official delays.

Several essential verbs frequently collocate with time vocabulary in everyday French:

Passer du temps: to spend time (e.g., passer la journée ensemble).
Gagner / Perdre du temps: to save / waste time.
Prendre rendez-vous: to schedule or make an appointment.
Durer: to last (e.g., La réunion a duré une heure).

While time vocabulary is generally consistent across the Francophone world, a few key regional terms exist:

In Quebec, la fin de semaine is standard, whereas European French uses le week-end.
Meal-based time markers differ: in Quebec, Belgium, and Switzerland, déjeuner refers to morning breakfast, dîner to noon lunch, and souper to evening dinner.
In Quebec, a time slot is commonly called une plage horaire, while in France it is un créneau horaire.

French Time Vocabulary