A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "What time is it" in French
Ask the current time in French with 'Quelle heure est-il ?' – the standard way to inquire.
Quelle heure est-il ?
kel UR eh-TEELneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you need to know the time, perhaps to catch a train or meet someone. It's polite to ask before checking your own watch.
Alternatives
- Il est quelle heure ?Slightly more casual, common in spoken French.
- Vous avez l'heure ?A polite, indirect way to ask, often used with strangers.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'heure'
The 'h' in 'heure' is silent, so it sounds like 'ur'.
Forgetting the liaison
The 't' in 'est' links to 'il', making it sound like 'eh-TEEL'.
A small cultural note
While 'Quelle heure est-il ?' is standard, younger generations might use the more casual 'Il est quelle heure ?' more frequently.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
how to ask what time is it in french
The most common way is 'Quelle heure est-il ?'. You can also use the slightly more casual 'Il est quelle heure ?'.
is quelle heure est il formal
It's a neutral phrase, perfectly fine for most everyday interactions. You wouldn't typically use it in very formal settings, but it's safe for asking strangers.
what is the difference between quelle heure est il and il est quelle heure
'Quelle heure est-il ?' is the standard, slightly more formal phrasing. 'Il est quelle heure ?' is more common in casual conversation.
How do you ask what is the time in French?
The most common way to ask what time it is in French is 'Quelle heure est-il ?'.
How do you say 'what is the time now' in French?
To ask 'what time is it now' in French, you can say 'Quelle heure est-il maintenant ?'.
What does Quelle heure est mean?
'Quelle heure est' is the beginning of the phrase 'Quelle heure est-il ?', which translates to 'What time is it?'.
