horloge
/ɔʁ.lɔʒ/feminine
The English phrase "clock" is translated into French as horloge.
An horloge is an instrument used to measure or keep track of time. If you want to ask what time it is, you can say Quelle heure est-il ? or Tu as l'heure ? There is also an idiom, avoir du temps devant soi, which means to have plenty of time.
Meaning: instrument to measure or keep track of time (noun)
Which one should you use?
While horloge refers to a clock (usually a larger, stationary device), French uses specific words for other types of timepieces. Use montre for a wristwatch and réveil for an alarm clock used to wake someone up.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because horloge is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine indefinite article une or the feminine definite article la.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ɔʁ.lɔʒ/.
Did you know?
- France is home to the Horloge astronomique in Strasbourg, one of the most complex clocks in the world. It tracks not just hours but lunar cycles and astrological signs.
- The term horloge comes from the Latin 'horologium', which was derived from the Ancient Greek word for 'hour' and 'tell'.
- Although horloge begins with the letter 'h', it is treated as a vowel in many grammatical contexts. This is why you say l'horloge instead of la horloge.
Examples in context
- Tom a réparé l'horloge.Tom fixed the broken clock.This sentence is useful for describing someone repairing an horloge.Tatoeba #7561074 by tras, translation #7544530 by CK
- Elle a réglé l'horloge.She adjusted the clock.This sentence is useful for describing someone adjusting an horloge.Tatoeba #11941279 by Amastan, translation #2875137 by Amastan
- Cette horloge est à moi.This clock is mine.This sentence is useful for expressing ownership of an horloge.Tatoeba #7550668 by Aiji, translation #1768523 by CK
- Regardez l'horloge, il est déjà midi!Look at the clock, it's already noon!
- Le cadran indique minuitThe clock face shows midnight
- La pendule de grand-mère sonne chaque heureThe grandmother clock chimes every hour
- La montre de mon frère est cassée, j'ai besoin de connaître l'heureMy brother's watch is broken, I need to know the time
- Il est quatre heuresIt's four o'clock
- L'horloge de la gare sonne toutes les heures.The clock at the train station chimes every hour.
- Ma pendule retarde toujours de quelques minutes.My clock is always a few minutes slow.
- Il regarde souvent l'horloge, il faut croire qu'il compte les heures.He often looks at the clock, I guess he's counting the hours.
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are decorating their new living room.
- ManonOù veux-tu mettre l'horloge ?Where do you want to put the clock?
- HugoJe pense que ce mur est parfait.I think this wall is perfect.
- ManonL'horloge est un peu trop grande ici.The clock is a bit too big here.
- HugoOn peut essayer un autre endroit alors.We can try another spot then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clock” translations and entries horloge, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries horloge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
