Here are the different ways to ask someone what time it is:

• Quelle heure est-il ? — What time is it?
• Il est quelle heure ? — What time is it?
• Vous avez l'heure ? — Do you have the time? (formal)
• Tu as l'heure ? — Do you have the time? (informal)

To tell the time in French, we use Il est (It is) followed by the time.

Basic Examples

• Il est sept heures. — It is seven o'clock.
• Il est midi. — It is noon (12:00).
• Il est une heure. — It is one o'clock.

Time with Minutes

• Il est une heure vingt. — It is one twenty (1:20).
• Il est trois heures et demie. — It is half past three (3:30).
• Il est cinq heures six. — It is five o'clock six (5:06).

Using "moins" (to mean "to" the next hour)

• Il est trois heures moins cinq. — It is five to three (2:55).

To tell the time properly, you need to know these numbers:

Here are some useful sentences from the textbook:

• Je me réveille à six heures du matin. — I wake up at six in the morning.
• Je vais à l'école à sept heures. — I go to school at seven.
• Je commence les cours à huit heures. — I start classes at eight.
• Je dors à vingt et une heures. — I sleep at nine o'clock (21:00).

Example 1: Asking the Time

Student A: Tu as l'heure, s'il te plaît ?
Student B: Oui, il est dix heures et demie.
Student A: Merci !

Example 2: Talking About School Schedule

From the textbook, Upendo says:

"Le lundi, à huit heures, j'ai cours de maths jusqu'à nine heures vingt."

This means: On Monday, at eight o'clock, I have maths class until nine twenty.

Example 3: Completing a Dialogue

1. Practice in pairs — Ask your friend: À quelle heure tu commences les cours ? (What time do you start classes?)
2. Use a clock — Look at a watch or clock and say the time in French.
3. Talk about your day — Tell your friend when you wake up, when you eat, and when you sleep.

In Tanzania, you can use these French time expressions when you travel to French-speaking countries in East Africa, such as Rwanda or Burundi. For example, if you take a bus from Dar es Salaam to Arusha, the bus driver might say Le bus part à sept heures (The bus leaves at seven o'clock). Knowing how to ask and tell the time in French will help you arrive on time and plan your journey properly.