In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to make the most of every moment is a real superpower! In this article, you’ll find a few tips and tricks to help you become a time management pro in French.
Start by getting to know the essential words.
Schedule: A schedule (masculine) describes the times of events. For example, transportation schedules: bus times.
Hour: An hour (feminine) is a 60-minute unit of time. For example, 8 a.m. is when it’s 8:00 on the clock.
Opening: Opening (feminine) is the moment when a place begins to welcome people. For example, the opening of a store is the time when it starts accepting customers.
Closing: Closing (feminine) is when a place stops accepting people. For example, a store’s closing time is when it stops taking customers and closes its doors.
Being on time: Being on time means arriving or doing something at the exact time scheduled. For example, if you have a 10 a.m. appointment and arrive at 10.00 a.m., you’re on time.
Being late: Being late means arriving after the scheduled time. For example, if you have a 10 a.m. appointment and arrive at 10.15 a.m., you’re 15 minutes late.
Being early: Being early means arriving or doing something before the scheduled time. For example, if you have a 10 a.m. appointment and arrive at 9.50 a.m., you’re 10 minutes early.
Give the Time
Tic, tac, tic, tac … telling the time can seem a bit complicated, but don’t worry, we’re here to help!
In general, we give the time in this way: hour + minutes.
For example: 9h43 – nine hours forty-three.
For minutes 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55, you can say: next hour minus the number of minutes remaining.
For example: 9h50 – ten hours minus ten (or nine hours fifty).
Note that the word “hour” is feminine; we say “one hour”. For example: it’s half past one.
Please note!
12:00 is said and written “twelve o’clock” or “noon“. 00:00 is said and written “midnight“.
There are also full hours (like three hours / 3h00), half hours (like three and a half hours / 3h30), and quarters (like three and a quarter hours / 3h15).
With practice, it gets easier.
Days, Weeks, Months and Years
The days of the week, the months of the year, are like the chapters of a book that you write day after day. And the years? It’s like a great adventure that begins every January 1, full of new opportunities and challenges!
Days of the week:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Months of the year:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Difference between “an” and “année”, “day” and “journée”.
An and année: “An” is used to refer to a specific length of time, or to count years (e.g.: I’m 20). “Année” emphasizes the content or course of the period (example: this year has been difficult).
Day and journée: “Day” refers to a precise time unit of 24 hours (example: there are 7 days in a week). “Journée” focuses on the content or activities of that day (example: I had a good day).
Punctuality and lateness
Being on time means being punctual, arriving on time.
There’s nothing like being on time to show that you’re a real champion of organization! Being on time is like coming first in a race – it’s really rewarding.
On the contrary, if you’re not on time, you’re late!
And if you are late, it’s not the end of the world! We all have our little mishaps (unforeseen situations), but the important thing is to apologize to the person waiting for you, and to send a short message to let them know you’re running late.
Time Management
To be a professional organizer, you don’t need a magic wand, just a few simple tricks. Plan your days, know what’s important and what can wait, and find the right tools to help you along the way.
A few accessories can help you manage your time
⌚ Imagine yourself with a beautiful watch that reminds you of every appointment and guides you through the day!
📕 A diary to keep track of your appointments and important tasks, so you can better organize your schedule.
⏰ An alarm clock to make sure you start the day on time and stick to your schedule.
Now that you have all these tips in your pocket, nothing can stop you in your quest for time mastery! Check out our guide to times to perfect your French, for the price of a coffee.🍵🤑.🌿✨
Inside you’ll find:
- 📖 Grammar exercises
- 🗨️ Thematic vocabulary
- 🌟 Tips and tricks for living like a French person
- 🗣️ Real-life situations with dialogues
- 💖All in a clear, practical format
