Writing times

LizC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Writing times

I answered a time question, ten to seven AM, by writing six heures cinquante du matin and it was marked wrong. This is a correct way to write that time is it not? I know the alt is sept heures moins dix but wanted to express another option. Comments ?

Asked 4 years ago
ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Mathematically and grammatically it is correct but you're mixing "registers". The part six heures cinquante is more "official", like a radio announcer would say it, and obviates the du matin part. Because the corresponding pm time would be dix-huit heures cinquante and NOT six heures cinquante du soir. So the correct way would be:

Six heures cinquante or sept heures moins dix du matin.

LizC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

So my answer was technically correct but not how it should be said in general conversation even though we use that construction frequently in the US? I just got another time question wrong for presuming it would be obvious that cinq heures trente is 0530 or 5:30 a.m. I’ll answer these time questions to the letter from now on. Thanks very much for your response! 

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Yes, you’re right. You say « 5:30 in the morning » in English, but only because you wouldn’t use 17:30 to mean 5:30 in the evening (unless you’re in the military). 

DonB1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Based on Chris's responses, I think some clarification is needed in this lesson. Nowhere does it say or imply that "six heures cinquante du matin" is not an acceptable method to provide the time. In our French class, we were taught that "six heures cinquante", "six heures cinquante du matin", "sept heures moins dix", and "sept heures moins dix du matin" are all acceptable for the same time. So we would like to know if "(number) heures [moins] (number) [du matin | de l'apres-midi | du soir]" is acceptable. -- where (number) is replaced by a number, text in brackets [ ] is optional, and "|" means "or".

Also, is the lesson suggesting one can only use "quinze", "trente", "quarante-cinq" when using military time? Or is "treize heures vingt-et-un" ok?

It appears that military time can not be used for morning times. How would one distinguish "Il est six heures"? Is it military time? Or is the speaker assuming it's obvious to everyone that evening is being discussed?

How about "Il est six heures trente"? Can we assume it's military time because it used trente, and therefore this is 6:30 am?

I am suggesting that this lesson is confusing, especially based on Liz's comments. Her answers seem very correct to me, yet they were marked wrong. So, if they aren't correct, then the lesson needs more clarification of what is and isn't the correct ways to tell time in French.

Finally, could Liz's last comment about the lessons requiring answers in 24-hour time be clarified? Is that true or not? Will the time questions accept multiple correct answers? What are some examples of correct answers?

Merci beaucoup!

CélineKwiziq team member

Bonjour à tous,

This lesson has been reworked and the questions from the kwiz have been updated to include a hint as to which "clock" (12 hr clock or 24hr clock) to use when necessary. We hope it clarifies any ambiguity from these lessons/questions regarding AM vs PM, 12 vs 24 hour clock :)

We hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

Writing times

I answered a time question, ten to seven AM, by writing six heures cinquante du matin and it was marked wrong. This is a correct way to write that time is it not? I know the alt is sept heures moins dix but wanted to express another option. Comments ?

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