Revision as of 18:51, 5 January 2014

The noun time is most often translated as either: fois, heure, or temps, though other translations are possible.

French translations

fois

• How many times have you been there?
• Everyone will get in, one at a time!

à la fois = at the same time

temps

En français il n'y a pas forcément de distinction entre time et tense en grammaire. En anglais, "time" désigne l'écoulement du temps réel, "tense" parle plutôt des marques morphologiques du temps dans la grammaire (-ed, -ing, gonna', etc.)

à temps = in time

l'heure

• What ( *a / *the / Ø ) time is it?
• What's ( *a / the / *Ø ) time?
• Do you have ^#(the) time? as-tu l'heure?
  • ^#Do you have (the) time to... t'as le temps de...?

à l'heure = on time

grammatical key

• (x) correct with or without x
  
• *(x) correct with x, incorrect without x
  
• ^#(x) correct with x, without x the meaning is different, though the sentence remains grammatical.
  

Idioms

• It's high time + SUBJ: It's high time she stand on her own two feet.
• It's high time + remote past: It's high time we were going. (Allons nous en, vite.)

Adages

• Time flies when you're having fun.
• A stitch in time saves nine.
• Time and tide wait for no man.