L’heure

In French, we ask the time in one of two ways :

1. Quelle heure est-il ? (informel ).
2. Est-ce que vous avez l’heure  (formel) / Est-ce que tu as l’heure ? (informel).

Your answer is

“Il est” + the hour + minutes – il est huit heures – Il est 8h00.  (Notice that there is an s on heures).

Il est une heure – il est 1h00.  Heures becomes heure (singular) in this case because there is only one hour.

Regardez la vidéo.

Official Time: Official or  Military time is set according to the 24 hour clock. This is used to express official time, such as for movie times, meeting times, and train or bus schedules.

In order to express this time, at 12 to any hour past 12PM (noon). 

-1 PM is “une heure,” unofficially, but “treize heures,” officially (13h).

-3:30 PM is “trois heures et demie (de l’après midi),” unofficially, but  “quinze heures trente,” officially (15h30).

-9:40 AM is “dix heures moins vingt,” unofficially, and “neuf heures quarante,” officially (09h40).

When using the 24 hour clock, unofficial terms such as “et demie” or “moins le quart” are not used.