Dire l’heure – Saying time How do you ask of the time in French? Quelle heure est-il? Quelle heure il est? The official system to tell the time in french is using the 24 hour system, however the 12 hour can be used depending on your region. Note : the 24hour system is used in airport,radio or television station,banks,train station . So get set to hear time like = il est vingt heures. It’s 8pm Four tips thay could help in telling time. In English, we use quarter past , Half the hour, quarter to and on the dot. In French they are : Et quart Et demie Moins le quart Pile. Also note that – the hour comes first then minutes follows