Asking When Events Occur
3.2.1. The Main Idea
To ask when something happens in French, use quand, meaning when.
C’est quand ? | When is it? |
Le cours est quand ? | When is the class? |
La leçon est quand ? | When is the lesson? |
L’examen est quand ? | When is the exam? |
In everyday French, C’est quand ? is very common and useful.
3.2.2. Main Questions
C’est quand ? | When is it? |
C’est à quelle heure ? | What time is it? |
Le cours est à quelle heure ? | What time is the class? |
La réunion est à quelle heure ? | What time is the meeting? |
L’examen est quel jour ? | What day is the exam? |
Le cours est quel jour ? | What day is the class? |
3.2.3. Answering with a Time
C’est à une heure. | It is at one o’clock. |
C’est à deux heures. | It is at two o’clock. |
C’est à trois heures trente. | It is at 3:30. |
C’est à midi. | It is at noon. |
C’est à minuit. | It is at midnight. |
Use à + time to say at + time.
3.2.4. Answering with a Day
C’est lundi. | It is on Monday. |
C’est mardi. | It is on Tuesday. |
C’est mercredi. | It is on Wednesday. |
C’est jeudi. | It is on Thursday. |
C’est vendredi. | It is on Friday. |
C’est samedi. | It is on Saturday. |
C’est dimanche. | It is on Sunday. |
In French, you do not need on before the day in this structure.
3.2.5. Answering with a Date
C’est le premier mai. | It is on May 1st. |
C’est le deux mai. | It is on May 2nd. |
C’est le quinze juin. | It is on June 15th. |
C’est le vingt septembre. | It is on September 20th. |
C’est le trente et un décembre. | It is on December 31st. |
For dates, French uses le + number + month.
3.2.6. Combining Day and Time
C’est lundi à deux heures. | It is on Monday at two o’clock. |
C’est mardi à trois heures trente. | It is on Tuesday at 3:30. |
C’est vendredi à midi. | It is on Friday at noon. |
C’est dimanche à neuf heures du matin. | It is on Sunday at nine in the morning. |
3.2.7. Common Events
le cours | the class / course |
la leçon | the lesson |
l’examen | the exam |
le devoir | the homework / assignment |
la réunion | the meeting |
la pause | the break |
le rendez-vous | the appointment |
la fête | the party |
3.2.8. More Examples
Le cours est quand ? | When is the class? |
Le cours est lundi. | The class is on Monday. |
La réunion est à quelle heure ? | What time is the meeting? |
La réunion est à trois heures. | The meeting is at three o’clock. |
L’examen est quel jour ? | What day is the exam? |
L’examen est vendredi. | The exam is on Friday. |
Le rendez-vous est quand ? | When is the appointment? |
Le rendez-vous est mardi à dix heures. | The appointment is on Tuesday at ten o’clock. |
3.2.9. Core Patterns
C’est quand ? | When is it? |
C’est à quelle heure ? | What time is it? |
C’est quel jour ? | What day is it? |
C’est à ___ . | It is at ___ . |
C’est lundi. | It is on Monday. |
C’est le ___ . | It is on the ___ . |
C’est lundi à deux heures. | It is on Monday at two o’clock. |
3.2.10. Practice
When is it? |
What time is it? |
When is the class? |
What time is the meeting? |
It is at two o’clock. |
It is on Monday. |
It is on Friday at noon. |
The exam is on Wednesday. |
3.2.11. Answers
When is it? | C’est quand ? |
What time is it? | C’est à quelle heure ? |
When is the class? | Le cours est quand ? |
What time is the meeting? | La réunion est à quelle heure ? |
It is at two o’clock. | C’est à deux heures. |
It is on Monday. | C’est lundi. |
It is on Friday at noon. | C’est vendredi à midi. |
The exam is on Wednesday. | L’examen est mercredi. |
3.2.12. Short Dialogue
A : Le cours est quand ? | A: When is the class? |
B : Le cours est lundi à deux heures. | B: The class is on Monday at two o’clock. |
A : Et l’examen ? | A: And the exam? |
B : L’examen est vendredi à midi. | B: The exam is on Friday at noon. |
3.2.13. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to ask when an event happens, ask what time an event happens, and answer with a day, date, time, or a combination such as lundi à deux heures.
3.2.14. Try It Out
Try saying this in French:
When is the class?
It is on Monday at two o’clock.
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Possible answer:
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