Il est + Time Expressions

In this structure, the word il is very special. It does not refer to a man or a boy. It is what we call an impersonal subject. Think of it as a "placeholder" for the concept of time. In English, we do the same with "It". Who is "It"? It is just the situation. The verb used is always être in the present tense. Specifically, you always use the third-person singular form est. This pair, Il est, never changes. You do not conjugate it for different hours. It is like a sturdy anchor for your sentence. Even if the time is plural, the start is singular. This is a common point of confusion for many. Just remember that time is a single concept. Think of Il est as the invisible hand of the clock. It points to the numbers for you.

1. 1Start your sentence with the fixed phrase Il est.
2. 2Place the number of the hour next.
3. 3Add the word heure if it is one o'clock.
4. 4Add heures with an 's' for other hours.
5. 5Append the minutes directly at the end.
6. 6For example, one o'clock is Il est une heure. Note that we use une because heure is feminine. For two o'clock, you say Il est deux heures. For twelve o'clock, French uses special words. Use midi for noon and minuit for midnight. You do not add the word heures after these. You simply say Il est midi. If you want to add minutes, just say them. Il est trois heures dix means 3:10. For half-past, use the phrase et demie. For a quarter-past, use the phrase et quart. It is a very logical and mathematical system.

Use this rule whenever you report the clock. It is the standard response to the question Quelle heure est-il ?. Use it to coordinate meetings with your friends. Use it to check if a shop is open. It is also used for general time relative to you. You can say Il est tôt if the sun is rising. You can say Il est tard after a long party. It is perfect for expressions of necessity. Il est temps de partir means it is time to go. Use it in formal emails for appointment times. Use it when talking to a taxi driver. It is the universal way to anchor yourself in time. It works for both 12-hour and 24-hour formats. Whether at a job interview or a bakery. This rule is your constant companion in France.

Do not use this rule for the length of time. If a movie is two hours long, use durer. Il est only describes the "now" on the clock. Do not use it for dates like "It is Monday". For days of the week, we use C'est or Nous sommes. Avoid using it to describe your own age. In French, you "have" years using the verb avoir. Don't use it for the weather either. Weather expressions usually start with Il fait. For example, Il fait beau means it is nice out. Also, do not use it for specific scheduled events. If a concert is at 8 PM, use C'est à. Il est is strictly for the state of the clock. It is not a general-purpose "it is" for everything. Keep it in its clock-shaped box.

Many English speakers try to use C'est for time. They say C'est huit heures because "It's" sounds like C'est. This is the most frequent error for beginners. Always use Il est for the current time. Another trap is the gender of the number one. Never say Il est un heure. The word heure is feminine, so use une. People also forget the plural 's' on heures. It must be there for every hour except one. Don't forget to use midi and minuit. Saying Il est douze heures sounds very robotic to locals. It is like calling your friend by their full name. Lastly, don't use et demi for one o'clock. It should be et demie because it matches the feminine heure. These are small hurdles on your journey. You will jump over them with a little practice.

Let's compare Il est with the phrase C'est. C'est is used to identify objects or people. C'est un livre means "This is a book". Il est is for reporting an impersonal state. It is like a digital readout on a screen. Think of C'est as pointing your finger at something. Think of Il est as looking up at the sky. Another contrast is with Il y a. Il y a means "There is" or "There are". Il y a deux heures means "Two hours ago". This talks about the past, not the current time. Il est is always about the present moment. Finally, consider the phrase À quelle heure ?. This is used to ask "At what time?". You answer this with À huit heures, not Il est. One sets a time, the other reports it.