24-HOUR CLOCK OR MILITARY TIME
L'horloge de 24 heures
- In France, military time (0h00 to 23h59) is used for planes, trains,
cinema, museums, restaurants, stores, tour guides and t.v. schedules.
This means they use a 24-hour clock, which starts at 0h00 (midnight)
and ends at 23h59 (11:59 pm).
- In order to convert from 12-hour time to military time, you need to
add 12 to any hour above 1 pm. Ex. 1pm = (1+12): 13h00.
- There is NO need for a.m. or p.m. since in this time, anything after
12h00 is understood to already be in p.m. Note: the number
preceding the "h"is the hour, and the numbers afterwards are the
minutes.
- The French usually indicate time using an "h" i.e. 14h00 = 2:00 p.m.
although sometimes you will see a period instead of an "h", i.e. 14.00.
Some conversions:
0h00 = midnight (12:00 am)
1h00 = 1 am
5.15 = 5:15 am
12.00 = noon (12:00 pm)
13h00 = 1:00 pm
15.30 = 3:30 pm
23h59 = 11:59 pm
Have a look at this French tv guide: http://programmes.france2.fr/
À vous! Use French 24 hour time to tell us:
1. What time do you get up: ___________________
2. What time is French class: __________________
3. What time does school end: _________________
4. What time do you have dinner: ______________________
5. What time do you usually go to bed: _________________