Lesson 2: Numbers, Days, and Time
Learn to count, discuss days of the week, and tell time in French - essential skills for everyday conversations
Lesson 2: Numbers, Days, and Time ⏰📅🔢
Introduction
Welcome back! After mastering greetings and introductions in Lesson 1, you're ready to tackle some of the most practical vocabulary in French: numbers, days of the week, and telling time. These words form the backbone of daily interactions - from shopping and making appointments to catching trains and planning your week.
🎯 Why This Matters: Imagine you're in Paris and need to buy metro tickets, schedule a museum visit, or ask when a shop opens. Without numbers and time expressions, you'd be lost! This lesson gives you the tools to navigate these real-world situations with confidence.
Core Concept 1: Numbers 0-20 🔢
Let's start with the foundation: counting from zero to twenty. These numbers appear everywhere in French life - prices, addresses, phone numbers, and quantities.
The Numbers
+--------+-------------+------------------+
| Number | French | Pronunciation |
+--------+-------------+------------------+
| 0 | zéro | zeh-roh |
| 1 | un | uhn |
| 2 | deux | duh |
| 3 | trois | twah |
| 4 | quatre | KAH-truh |
| 5 | cinq | sank |
| 6 | six | seess |
| 7 | sept | set |
| 8 | huit | weet |
| 9 | neuf | nuhf |
| 10 | dix | deess |
| 11 | onze | onz |
| 12 | douze | dooz |
| 13 | treize | trez |
| 14 | quatorze | kah-TORZ |
| 15 | quinze | kanz |
| 16 | seize | sez |
| 17 | dix-sept | dee-SET |
| 18 | dix-huit | deez-WEET |
| 19 | dix-neuf | deez-NUHF |
| 20 | vingt | van |
+--------+-------------+------------------+
🗣️ Pronunciation Tips:
- Six (6) and dix (10) sound similar - both end in "eess" sound
- Huit (8) starts with a silent 'h' - pronounce it like "weet"
- Vingt (20) has a silent 'gt' at the end - just say "van"
- Numbers 17-19 are compounds: dix-sept = "ten-seven", dix-huit = "ten-eight", dix-neuf = "ten-nine"
💡 Mnemonic Device: Think of quatre (4) like "quarter" in English - both start with 'qua' and relate to the number four (quarter = 1/4)!
Gender Agreement with Un/Une
Unlike English, French numbers must agree with the gender of nouns:
- un (masculine) - un garçon (one boy), un café (one coffee)
- une (feminine) - une fille (one girl), une table (one table)
All other numbers (2-20) stay the same regardless of gender: deux garçons, deux filles.
Core Concept 2: Days of the Week 📅
The jours de la semaine (days of the week) are essential for making plans, scheduling appointments, and discussing your routine.
The Seven Days
+------------+-------------+------------------+
| English | French | Pronunciation |
+------------+-------------+------------------+
| Monday | lundi | luhn-DEE |
| Tuesday | mardi | mar-DEE |
| Wednesday | mercredi | mair-kruh-DEE |
| Thursday | jeudi | zhuh-DEE |
| Friday | vendredi | von-druh-DEE |
| Saturday | samedi | sam-DEE |
| Sunday | dimanche | dee-MONSH |
+------------+-------------+------------------+
🔤 Etymology Connection: Notice the pattern? Most French days end in -di, which comes from Latin "dies" (day). This connects to English words like "diary" and Spanish "día"!
- lundi ← Latin "Luna" (Moon) → Monday (Moon-day)
- mardi ← Latin "Mars" (god of war) → Tuesday
- mercredi ← Latin "Mercury" (god) → Wednesday
- jeudi ← Latin "Jupiter" (god) → Thursday
- vendredi ← Latin "Venus" (goddess) → Friday
- samedi ← Latin "Sabbath" → Saturday
- dimanche ← Latin "Dominica" (Lord's day) → Sunday
⚠️ Important Grammar Notes:
- Days are NOT capitalized in French (unlike English): lundi, not Lundi
- Use no article for "on Monday": Je travaille lundi (I work on Monday)
- For recurring days, use le: Je travaille le lundi (I work on Mondays/every Monday)
Useful Time Expressions
+------------------+------------------------+
| French | English |
+------------------+------------------------+
| aujourd'hui | today |
| demain | tomorrow |
| hier | yesterday |
| la semaine | the week |
| le week-end | the weekend |
+------------------+------------------------+
Core Concept 3: Telling Time ⏰
Asking and telling time is crucial for catching trains, making restaurant reservations, and coordinating meetings. French uses both 12-hour and 24-hour formats.
Essential Time Vocabulary
+------------------+------------------------+
| French | English |
+------------------+------------------------+
| l'heure (f) | the hour/time |
| la minute (f) | the minute |
| le matin | the morning |
| l'après-midi (m) | the afternoon |
| le soir | the evening |
| la nuit | the night |
| midi | noon |
| minuit | midnight |
+------------------+------------------------+
Asking What Time It Is
Quelle heure est-il? (What time is it?)
- Pronunciation: "kel UR eh-TEEL"
- Literally: "What hour is it?"
Telling Time: The Basics
Pattern: Il est + [number] + heure(s) + [minutes]
+-------------------+---------------------------+
| Time | French |
+-------------------+---------------------------+
| 1:00 | Il est une heure |
| 2:00 | Il est deux heures |
| 3:00 | Il est trois heures |
| 12:00 (noon) | Il est midi |
| 12:00 (midnight) | Il est minuit |
| 3:15 | Il est trois heures quinze|
| 4:30 | Il est quatre heures trente|
| 5:45 | Il est six heures moins |
| | le quart |
| 10:10 | Il est dix heures dix |
+-------------------+---------------------------+
💡 Special Expressions:
- et quart = and a quarter (15 minutes): Il est deux heures et quart (2:15)
- et demie = and a half (30 minutes): Il est trois heures et demie (3:30)
- moins le quart = minus a quarter (45 minutes past = 15 minutes before next hour): Il est quatre heures moins le quart (3:45)
⚠️ Common Mistake:
- Use "une heure" (singular) for 1:00, but "heures" (plural) for all other hours
- ❌ Il est une heures (WRONG)
- ✅ Il est une heure (CORRECT)
- ✅ Il est deux heures (CORRECT)
Specifying AM/PM
Add time-of-day expressions after the time:
- Il est huit heures du matin (8:00 AM / in the morning)
- Il est trois heures de l'après-midi (3:00 PM / in the afternoon)
- Il est neuf heures du soir (9:00 PM / in the evening)
24-Hour Format
The French commonly use the 24-hour clock, especially for schedules:
- 14h00 = quatorze heures (2:00 PM)
- 18h30 = dix-huit heures trente (6:30 PM)
- 21h15 = vingt et une heures quinze (9:15 PM)
Real-World Examples with Explanations 🌍
Example 1: At the Bakery 🥐
Scenario: You're at a Parisian boulangerie buying croissants.
💬 Dialogue:
Vous: Bonjour! Je voudrais trois croissants, s'il vous plaît.
(Hello! I would like three croissants, please.)
Boulanger: Trois croissants, d'accord. Ça fait quatre euros.
(Three croissants, okay. That's four euros.)
Vous: Voici. Vous ouvrez à quelle heure demain?
(Here you go. What time do you open tomorrow?)
Boulanger: Nous ouvrons à sept heures du matin.
(We open at 7:00 in the morning.)
Vous: Merci! Bonne journée!
(Thank you! Have a good day!)
Breakdown:
- trois croissants - counting items you want to buy
- quatre euros - understanding the price (number + currency)
- sept heures du matin - understanding opening hours
Example 2: Making Plans with a Friend 📱
Scenario: You're texting with your French friend Marie about meeting up.
💬 Text Exchange:
Marie: On se voit cette semaine?
(Should we see each other this week?)
Vous: Oui! Mardi ou mercredi?
(Yes! Tuesday or Wednesday?)
Marie: Mercredi, c'est mieux. À quelle heure?
(Wednesday is better. At what time?)
Vous: Quinze heures? (3:00 PM?)
Marie: Parfait! À mercredi!
(Perfect! See you Wednesday!)
Key Phrases:
- cette semaine = this week
- c'est mieux = it's better
- À quelle heure? = At what time?
- À mercredi! = See you Wednesday!
Example 3: At the Train Station 🚂
Scenario: You need to catch a train to Lyon.
💬 Dialogue:
Vous: Bonjour. Le train pour Lyon part à quelle heure?
(Hello. What time does the train to Lyon leave?)
Employé: Il y a un train à onze heures quinze et un autre
à quatorze heures trente.
(There's a train at 11:15 and another at 14:30.)
Vous: Le train de onze heures quinze, s'il vous plaît.
(The 11:15 train, please.)
Employé: Quel jour?
(Which day?)
Vous: Vendredi.
(Friday.)
Travel Vocabulary:
- part = leaves/departs (from verb "partir")
- il y a = there is/there are
- un autre = another
Example 4: Your Weekly Schedule 📋
Scenario: Describing your typical week to a conversation partner.
Le lundi, j'ai cours à neuf heures du matin.
(On Monday, I have class at 9:00 AM.)
Le mercredi et le vendredi, je travaille de quatorze heures
à dix-huit heures.
(On Wednesday and Friday, I work from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.)
Le samedi, je suis libre!
(On Saturday, I'm free!)
Le dimanche, je dîne avec ma famille à midi.
(On Sunday, I have dinner with my family at noon.)
Pattern Note: Using le + day for recurring events ("every Monday" = le lundi)
Common Mistakes to Avoid ⚠️
Mistake 1: Forgetting Gender with "Un/Une"
❌ une garçon (WRONG - garçon is masculine) ✅ un garçon (CORRECT)
❌ un table (WRONG - table is feminine) ✅ une table (CORRECT)
🔧 Try this: When learning a noun, always memorize it with its article: "un café" not just "café", "une boulangerie" not just "boulangerie".
Mistake 2: Capitalizing Days of the Week
❌ Lundi (WRONG - this isn't a proper noun in French) ✅ lundi (CORRECT)
English speakers often make this mistake because we capitalize days in English!
Mistake 3: Using the Wrong Plural for "Heure"
❌ Il est deux heure (WRONG - missing the 's') ✅ Il est deux heures (CORRECT)
❌ Il est une heures (WRONG - should be singular) ✅ Il est une heure (CORRECT)
Mistake 4: Confusing "Six" and "Dix"
Both sound similar to English speakers!
- six (6) = "seess"
- dix (10) = "deess" (slightly deeper 'ee' sound)
🧠 Memory Tip: "Six" is shorter (3 letters, smaller number). "Dix" starts with 'd' like "decade" (10 years).
Mistake 5: Wrong Word Order in Time Expressions
❌ quinze heures trois (WRONG - sounds like "fifteen hours three") ✅ trois heures quinze (CORRECT - "three hours fifteen" = 3:15)
Always say the hour first, then the minutes.
🎭 Cultural Context: The French Relationship with Time
Did you know? 🤔
The French use the 24-hour clock extensively in formal contexts - train schedules, TV guides, business hours. You'll see "20h00" instead of "8:00 PM" on signs.
Meal times are quite fixed in France: lunch (le déjeuner) is typically 12:00-14:00, dinner (le dîner) around 19:00-21:00. Many shops close during lunch hours!
When French people say "en huit" (in eight), they mean "in one week" (8 days from now counting today). "En quinze" means "in two weeks" (15 days). This can confuse learners!
The working week is Monday-Friday (du lundi au vendredi). Most shops are closed Sundays except in tourist areas.
📖 Mini-Story: Une Semaine à Paris (A Week in Paris)
Let's put everything together! Here's a short story using all the vocabulary from this lesson:
Lundi matin, Marc arrive à Paris à dix heures. Il a vingt euros dans son portefeuille. Il achète deux croissants pour trois euros.
Mardi, il visite le Louvre. Le musée ouvre à neuf heures. Marc reste quatre heures au musée.
Mercredi après-midi, il rencontre son ami Pierre à quinze heures (3:00 PM) dans un café. Ils parlent de jeudi - ils vont visiter Versailles!
Jeudi, Marc et Pierre prennent le train à huit heures et demie du matin. Le voyage dure une heure.
Vendredi, Marc est fatigué. Il reste à l'hôtel et dort jusqu'à midi.
Samedi, c'est le dernier jour! Marc achète cinq souvenirs pour sa famille. Il dépense dix-huit euros.
Dimanche matin, à sept heures, Marc prend le train pour rentrer chez lui.
Translation:
Monday morning, Marc arrives in Paris at ten o'clock. He has twenty euros in his wallet. He buys two croissants for three euros.
Tuesday, he visits the Louvre. The museum opens at nine o'clock. Marc stays four hours at the museum.
Wednesday afternoon, he meets his friend Pierre at 3:00 PM in a café. They talk about Thursday - they're going to visit Versailles!
Thursday, Marc and Pierre take the train at 8:30 in the morning. The trip lasts one hour.
Friday, Marc is tired. He stays at the hotel and sleeps until noon.
Saturday is the last day! Marc buys five souvenirs for his family. He spends eighteen euros.
Sunday morning, at seven o'clock, Marc takes the train to go back home.
Key Takeaways 🎯
✅ Numbers 0-20 are essential for prices, quantities, and addresses ✅ Un (masculine) and une (feminine) both mean "one" but must match the noun's gender ✅ Days of the week are lowercase in French and end in -di (except dimanche) ✅ Use le + day for recurring events: le lundi = every Monday ✅ Quelle heure est-il? = What time is it? ✅ Time format: Il est + number + heure(s) + minutes ✅ Use et quart (quarter past), et demie (half past), moins le quart (quarter to) ✅ Add du matin/de l'après-midi/du soir to specify AM/PM ✅ The 24-hour clock is common in France for schedules
📋 Quick Reference Card
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ NUMBERS, DAYS & TIME CHEAT SHEET ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ KEY NUMBERS ║
║ 1=un/une 2=deux 3=trois 4=quatre 5=cinq ║
║ 6=six 7=sept 8=huit 9=neuf 10=dix ║
║ 11=onze 12=douze 15=quinze 20=vingt ║
║ ║
║ DAYS (lowercase!) ║
║ lundi mardi mercredi jeudi vendredi samedi dimanche ║
║ ║
║ TIME QUESTIONS ║
║ Quelle heure est-il? = What time is it? ║
║ À quelle heure? = At what time? ║
║ ║
║ TELLING TIME ║
║ Il est + [#] + heure(s) [+ minutes] ║
║ 2:00 = Il est deux heures ║
║ 3:15 = Il est trois heures et quart ║
║ 4:30 = Il est quatre heures et demie ║
║ 5:45 = Il est six heures moins le quart ║
║ ║
║ TIME OF DAY ║
║ du matin (morning) de l'après-midi (afternoon) ║
║ du soir (evening) midi (noon) minuit (midnight) ║
║ ║
║ TIME EXPRESSIONS ║
║ aujourd'hui=today demain=tomorrow hier=yesterday ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
📚 Further Study
TV5Monde - Numbers in French: https://langue-francaise.tv5monde.com/decouvrir/voyager-en-francais/les-nombres - Interactive exercises for practicing numbers with audio
Lawless French - Telling Time: https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/telling-time/ - Comprehensive guide with examples and cultural notes about French time conventions
Forvo French Pronunciation: https://forvo.com/languages/fr/ - Hear native speakers pronounce numbers, days, and time expressions
Félicitations! 🎉 You've completed Lesson 2! You can now count, discuss your weekly schedule, and tell time in French. Practice using these words in real contexts - set your phone to French, say the time out loud when you check your watch, or plan your week using French days. In Lesson 3, we'll build on this foundation with more essential vocabulary for navigating daily life in French. À bientôt! (See you soon!)