A1 · Iniciante Capítulo 6

Numbers, Time, and the Calendar

3 Regras totais
32 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the rhythm of French daily life by mastering numbers, clocks, and the calendar.

  • Count confidently from 0 to 100 using French logic.
  • Tell the time using the 24-hour clock and common expressions.
  • Navigate the calendar with months and specific date formats.
Count your way to fluency, one hour at a time.

O que você vai aprender

Hey there! Ready to dive into some truly essential and super practical French? Don't sweat it, this chapter is going to be smooth and easy, much simpler than you might imagine! We’ll build a super strong foundation together. First up, we’re tackling French numbers from zero to one hundred. Yes, I know, those famous 70s, 80s, and 90s have their little quirks and require a bit of basic math – but don’t worry, we’ll make it so clear you’ll never forget. You'll learn how to write them correctly and pronounce them perfectly. Imagine being able to ask for the price of a delicious baguette or confidently share your age! Next, we'll move on to telling time just like the French do. You’ll learn to use il est properly, always remember that heure is feminine, and get comfortable with the 24-hour clock, which is super common in everyday French life. You'll be punctual for coffee dates or catching trains! Finally, we'll conquer the months! You'll learn their names, how they're always written in lowercase and are masculine, and when to use en (for in a specific month) or le (for particular calendar dates). Soon you'll be able to say exactly when you plan to visit Paris! These three topics are the backbone of daily conversations. You'll see how mastering numbers greatly helps with telling time, and how both are crucial for discussing dates. They're like puzzle pieces that fit together to create a beautiful picture. By the end of this chapter, you won't just understand these concepts; you'll confidently use French numbers, time, and calendar terms in real conversations. Ready? Let's go!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Say your age and price items up to 100 euros.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Ask for and tell the time accurately using 'il est'.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Write your birth date or plan a meeting using 'le' and 'en'.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Welcome to an essential chapter in your A1 French grammar journey! This guide will unlock the secrets to mastering French numbers, telling time, and navigating the calendar. These aren't just isolated topics; they are the bedrock of daily communication and absolutely vital for anyone learning French.
Whether you're planning a trip to Paris, ordering food, or simply chatting with a French speaker, you'll find yourself reaching for these concepts constantly. Don't be intimidated; we're going to break down each element into easily digestible parts, making complex ideas simple and memorable. By the end of this chapter, you’ll not only understand these core elements but also confidently use them in real-world scenarios.
This is practical French at its best, ensuring you build a solid foundation for more advanced learning.
This module is designed to be smooth and stress-free, focusing on the most practical aspects for A1 French learners. We’ll tackle everything from counting to 100, including those famously quirky 70s, 80s, and 90s, to confidently asking and giving the time, and finally, discussing dates and months like a native. Mastering these topics will significantly boost your confidence and open up a world of conversational possibilities.
Get ready to transform your French communication skills with these fundamental building blocks!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter focuses on three interconnected pillars of everyday French: numbers, time, and the calendar. Let's break them down.
First, French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres) are your starting point. You'll learn the basic digits like un (one), deux (two), trois (three), and then progress to the tens: dix (ten), vingt (twenty), trente (thirty), quarante (forty), cinquante (fifty), soixante (sixty). The real fun begins with 70, 80, and 90, which are formed with a bit of arithmetic: soixante-dix (sixty-ten) for 70, quatre-vingts (four-twenties) for 80, and quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenty-ten) for 90.
Remember, vingt only takes an 's' when it stands alone as 80 or is the last part of a larger number (e.g., quatre-vingts euros – eighty euros, but quatre-vingt-cinq – eighty-five).
Next up is Telling Time in French (Quelle heure est-il?). The key phrase here is Il est (It is), always followed by the hour. For example, Il est trois heures (It is three o'clock).
Remember that heure (hour) is always feminine! You'll also learn common phrases like et demie (half past), et quart (quarter past), and moins le quart (quarter to). French speakers commonly use the 24-hour clock, so 3 PM is quinze heures (fifteen hours), not trois heures de l'après-midi.
Finally, we cover French Months: Names and Prepositions. All months in French are masculine and are always written in lowercase: janvier (January), février (February), mars (March), etc. When talking about something happening *in* a specific month, you'll use the preposition en, as in en avril (in April).
However, for a specific date, you'll use le (the), followed by the number and the month: le 14 juillet (July 14th). These simple rules are crucial for discussing plans and events accurately.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: "J'ai vingt ans." (I am twenty years old.)
✓ Correct: "J'ai vingt ans." (I am twenty years old.)
*Explanation:* This isn't exactly wrong but highlights a common omission. When stating age, the word ans (years) is crucial and almost never omitted in French, unlike in English where I am twenty is common.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "C'est cinq heures." (It is five o'clock.)
✓ Correct:
Il est cinq heures.
(It is five o'clock.)
*Explanation:* In French, you must always use the impersonal expression il est (it is) when telling time, not c'est (it is/that is). This is a fixed rule for time expressions.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Mon anniversaire est en Septembre.
    (My birthday is in September.)
✓ Correct:
Mon anniversaire est en septembre.
(My birthday is in September.)
*Explanation:* All French months are considered common nouns and are therefore always written in lowercase, unlike in English.

Real Conversations

A

A

Quel âge as-tu ? (How old are you?)
B

B

J'ai vingt-cinq ans. (I am twenty-five years old.)
A

A

Quelle heure est-il ? (What time is it?)
B

B

Il est quinze heures trente. (It is 3:30 PM / fifteen thirty.)
A

A

Quand est ton rendez-vous ? (When is your appointment?)
B

B

Mon rendez-vous est le dix mai. (My appointment is on May tenth.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why are French numbers like 70, 80, and 90 so different from other tens?

French numbers for 70, 80, and 90 are based on a vigesimal (base-20) system, a remnant from older linguistic influences. Soixante-dix (sixty-ten), quatre-vingts (four-twenties), and quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenty-ten) are common in standard French, though some French-speaking regions use simpler terms like septante (seventy) and octante (eighty).

Q

Do French speakers really use the 24-hour clock for everything?

Yes, the 24-hour clock (l'heure officielle) is very common and widely used in everyday French life, especially in formal contexts like train schedules, store hours, and appointments. While you might hear the 12-hour clock with du matin (in the morning) or "de l'après-midi" (in the afternoon) in casual conversation, mastering the 24-hour system is essential for clarity.

Q

Are French months always lowercase?

Absolutely! Unlike English, all French months (janvier, février, mars, etc.) are common nouns and are therefore always written in lowercase. Capitalizing them is a common mistake for English speakers.

Q

When should I use 'en' versus 'le' when talking about dates in French?

Use en when you're referring to something happening *in* a specific month, without a specific day (e.g., en juillet – in July). Use le when you're referring to a specific date (day and month) (e.g., le 14 juillet – on July 14th).

Cultural Context

In France, precision with time and dates is highly valued. The widespread use of the 24-hour clock (l'heure officielle) reflects this, appearing on everything from train tickets to TV schedules. While regional variations for 70 and 90 exist (like septante and nonante in Belgium and Switzerland), standard French uses the compound forms.
Dates are typically written day-month-year (JJ/MM/AAAA), a common European format. Mastering these elements isn't just about grammar; it's about integrating into the daily rhythm of French life.

Exemplos-chave (6)

1

J'ai deux billets pour le concert.

Eu tenho dois ingressos para o show.

Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)
2

Ça coûte quatre-vingt-dix euros ?

Custa noventa euros?

Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)
3

Il est huit heures du matin.

São oito horas da manhã.

Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)
4

Le train part à seize heures quarante-cinq.

O trem parte às 16h45.

Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)
5

Il neige souvent `en janvier`.

Neve frequentemente em janeiro.

Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)
6

La fête nationale est `le` 14 `juillet`.

O feriado nacional é 14 de julho.

Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)

Dicas e truques (3)

🎯

Pense nos números 70-99 como Matemática

Não tente achar uma palavra única para 90. Lembre-se de 4 x 20 + 10. Parece loucura no começo, mas seu cérebro se acostuma rapidinho! Por exemplo, quatre-vingt-dix é 90.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)
💬

A 'Quart d'heure de politesse'

Na França, chegar exatamente na hora para um jantar social pode ser visto como cedo demais! Chegar 15 minutos atrasado é esperado e educado.
On se voit à vingt heures quinze.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)
⚠️

Não use maiúsculas!

Os meses não são nomes próprios em francês. Mantenha-os em minúsculas, a menos que sejam a primeira palavra de uma frase. Por exemplo:
Mon anniversaire est en janvier
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)

Vocabulário-chave (7)

zéro zero cent one hundred l'heure the hour/time midi noon janvier January aujourd'hui today maintenant now

Real-World Preview

train

Buying a Train Ticket

utensils

Planning a Birthday Dinner

Review Summary

  • 60 + 10-19 (70s) | 4 * 20 (80) | 4 * 20 + 10-19 (90s)
  • Il est + [Number] + heure(s) + [Minutes]
  • le + [Number] + [Month] | en + [Month]

Erros comuns

In English, we can drop 'o'clock', but in French, you must always say 'heures' to indicate you are talking about time.

Wrong: Il est huit. (It is eight.)
Correto: Il est huit heures. (It is eight o'clock.)

Months of the year are not capitalized in French unless they start a sentence.

Wrong: Je suis né en Janvier. (I was born in January.)
Correto: Je suis né en janvier. (I was born in january.)

Students often mix up the 70s (starting with soixante) and 80s (starting with quatre-vingt).

Wrong: soixante-onze (71) for 81
Correto: quatre-vingt-un (81)

Next Steps

You've just conquered one of the most practical chapters in French! Being able to handle numbers and time makes you a much more independent traveler and speaker. Keep practicing those 'math' numbers!

Change your phone's clock to the 24-hour format and read the time aloud in French every time you check it.

Write down the birthdays of 5 friends in the French format (le + number + month).

Continue to: Special Uses of Articles and 'De'

Prática rápida (9)

Qual frase está escrita corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mon anniversaire est en janvier.
Em francês, os meses são substantivos comuns e não são capitalizados.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)

Encontre e corrija o erro

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai deux milles euros.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai deux mille euros.
'Mille' nunca leva 's' em francês.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)

Qual é 80?

Escolha a grafia correta para 80:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingts
80 é 'quatre-vingts' com um 's' no final de 'vingts', a menos que seja seguido por outro número.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Il est trois heures et demi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il est trois heures et demie.
Como 'heures' é feminino e plural, você precisa de 'demie' (feminino) e 'heures' (plural).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)

Preencha a lacuna com a forma correta da hora.

Il est ___ heure (1:00).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: une
Em francês, 'heure' é um substantivo feminino, então usamos o feminino 'une' para 1:00.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)

Preencha a lacuna com a preposição correta.

Je vais à Lyon ___ mai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: en
Usamos 'en' para dizer 'em' um mês sem uma data específica.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)

Encontre e corrija o erro na data.

Find and fix the mistake:

C'est en 15 avril.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: C'est le 15 avril.
Para uma data específica (número + mês), usamos 'le' em vez de 'en'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Meses em francês: Nomes e preposições (en, le)

Qual frase está correta para 12:00 PM (meio-dia)?

Escolha a forma correta de dizer que é meio-dia:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il est midi.
'Midi' e 'minuit' nunca levam a palavra 'heures' depois deles.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer as horas em francês (Quelle heure est-il?)

Preencha a lacuna para o número 70

Il y a ___ personnes dans le bus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: soixante-dix
Na França, 70 é 'soixante-dix' (60+10).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Números franceses 0-100 (Les nombres)

Score: /9

Perguntas comuns (6)

No francês, 'vingt' e 'cent' ganham um 's' quando são multiplicados (tipo 4 x 20) e estão no final do número. Se algo vier depois, o 's' some. Por exemplo, quatre-vingts mas quatre-vingt-un.
Depende! Sozinho, é 'siss'. Antes de uma vogal, é 'si-z'. Antes de uma consoante, é 'si'. Por exemplo, six amis (si-zami) versus six livres (si livr).
'Il est' é a estrutura formal e impessoal para dizer as horas. 'C'est' é usado para identificar coisas ou pessoas, mas não para a hora atual. Por exemplo, você diz
Il est dix heures
(São dez horas), mas "C'est mon ami" (Este é meu amigo).
Não. Você simplesmente diz Il est midi. Adicionar 'heures' seria redundante e soa antinatural para falantes de francês.
Não, eles são escritos com letra minúscula. Você só os capitaliza se começarem uma frase, como 'Janvier est froid'.
Todos os 12 meses em francês são masculinos. Você usaria 'le' ou adjetivos masculinos com eles.
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