neuf heures
feminine, plural
Nine o'clock in French is neuf heures.
The phrase refers to the start of the tenth hour.
Meaning: the start of the tenth hour (noun)
Which one should you use?
To specify that it is exactly nine o'clock, you can use different expressions depending on the situation. il est neuf heures précises is a formal way to say nine o'clock sharp, while neuf heures pile is an informal way to say nine o'clock on the dot. You can also use the informal phrase il est neuf heures tapantes to mean nine o'clock sharp.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word heures is plural and must be used because the number is greater than one.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to include the word heures and say only neuf, but in French, you must include the noun to indicate time.
Did you know?
- In French, the word neuf for 'nine' and the word neuf for 'new' share the exact same spelling and pronunciation, even though they come from entirely different Latin roots.
- The word pile in the expression neuf heures pile literally translates to 'heap' or 'stack', which is a quirky way to describe hitting a time exactly.
- The word heures is derived from the Greek word 'hora', which originally referred to a season or a period of time rather than a precise hour.
Examples in context
- Il est déjà neuf heures.It's already nine o'clock.This sentence is useful for noting that it is already nine o'clock.Tatoeba #13559 by gillux, translation #31681 by CK
- Il rentra à neuf heures.He came back at nine o'clock.This sentence is useful for saying someone came back at nine o'clock.Tatoeba #5452514 by Aiji, translation #288668 by CK
- Tom se lève à neuf heures.Tom gets up at nine o'clock.This sentence is useful for stating that someone gets up at nine o'clock.Tatoeba #9820366 by felix63, translation #9951578 by sundown
- Excusez-moi, il est neuf heures.Excuse me, it is nine o'clock.
- J'arriverai chez toi à neuf heures pile.I will arrive at your place exactly at nine o'clock.
- L'émission commence à neuf heures tapantes.The show starts at nine o'clock sharp.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are discussing their train departure time.
- GabrielÀ quelle heure est le train ?What time is the train?
- EmmaIl part à neuf heures.It leaves at nine o'clock.
- GabrielC'est un peu tôt, non ?That is a bit early, isn't it?
- EmmaOui, mais nous serons à l'heure.Yes, but we will be on time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nine o'clock” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neuf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
