fuseau horaire
/fy.zo ɔ.ʁɛʁ/masculine
The English phrase 'time zone' is translated into French as fuseau horaire.
The term refers to a range of longitudes where a common standard time is used. While fuseau horaire describes the geographical area itself, you should use décalage horaire when referring to the phenomenon of jet lag or the actual time difference between two locations.
Meaning: range of longitudes where a common standard time is used (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word fuseau literally means 'spindle' or 'shuttle', which refers to the wedge-like shape that time zones take on a map.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canada, you might hear the phrase zone de temps used to refer to a time zone.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'time zones', the masculine noun fuseau changes to fuseaux following an irregular pattern, resulting in fuseaux horaires.
How do you pronounce it?
The term has 3 syllables and is pronounced /fy.zo ɔ.ʁɛʁ/.
Did you know?
- While fuseau horaire refers to the zone, the word horaire is also used as a noun to mean a 'timetable' or 'schedule' for trains and buses.
- In French, the word fuseau is used not only for time zones and spinning spindles but also to describe the specific 'spindle' shape of certain biological cells or architectural columns.
- The French phrase for 'time difference' décalage horaire uses a verb meaning 'to shift' or 'to offset', treating the time gap as a physical misalignment.
Examples in context
- C'est le matin ici, dans mon fuseau horaire.It's morning here in my time zone.This sentence is useful for describing the time of day within a specific fuseau horaire.Tatoeba #1202749 by sacredceltic, translation #1202226 by CK
- À quel fuseau horaire appartient le pays ?Which time zone does the country belong to?This sentence is useful for asking which fuseau horaire a country is located in.Tatoeba #11218001 by carlosalberto, translation #11217998 by carlosalberto
- Les meetings sont programmés en fonction des fuseaux horaires.The meetings are scheduled according to the time zones.
- Lorsque je voyage, j'ai parfois du mal à m'habituer au décalage horaire.When I travel, I sometimes struggle with jet lag (time zone difference).
- Le décalage dépend de ton fuseau horaire.The time difference depends on your time zone.
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are planning a video call.
- EmmaQuel est ton fuseau horaire, Hugo ?What is your time zone, Hugo?
- HugoJe suis à l'heure de Paris.I am on Paris time.
- EmmaC'est parfait pour notre appel.That is perfect for our call.
- HugoD'accord, on se parle demain.Okay, we will talk tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “time zone” translations and entries fuseau horaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
