French time units span from the tiniest measures to vast stretches, covering every moment and era. Here's a concise overview:
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| la seconde | the second | Basic unit of time |
| la minute | the minute | 60 seconds |
| l'heure (f) | the hour | 60 minutes; heures in plural |
| le jour | the day | 24 hours; jours in plural |
| la semaine | the week | 7 days |
| le mois | the month | Typically 28-31 days |
| l'année (f) | the year | 12 months; années or ans |
| le siècle | the century | 100 years |
| le millénaire | the millennium | 1000 years |
French days begin with lundi (Monday), and months like janvier (January) are always lowercase.
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Exercises
- Match the French time units with their English equivalents.
- List all the French months you know and check their meanings.
- How do you say "weekend" in French? Is it a formal time unit?
French time units include la seconde, le mois, and l'année.
The French week starts on lundi (Monday).
French months are not capitalized.
la minute, l'heure, le jour, la semaine
le siècle
les années and les ans
le millénaire
Conclusion
French time vocabulary connects you to everyday life and history, from la seconde to le millénaire. Mastering these units helps you understand schedules, dates, and durations in any context.
- Use this table for quick reference or flashcards.
- Try using new time units in sentences, e.g., "Il faut cinq minutes" (It takes five minutes).
- Explore related topics like French calendars, historical timelines, or common date expressions.