Learn French: Il est quatorze heures, le moment où le défilé commence. - It is two p.m., the moment when the parade begins.

Il est quatorze heures, le moment où le défilé commence.

It is two p.m., the moment when the parade begins.

Breakdown of Il est quatorze heures, le moment où le défilé commence.

Questions & Answers about Il est quatorze heures, le moment où le défilé commence.

Why is où used here instead of quand? Doesn't où mean 'where'?

While où usually means 'where' as a question word, it is also used as a relative pronoun to talk about time. When you link a specific time noun like le moment (the moment), le jour (the day), or l'année (the year) to a description, you must use où instead of quand. Here, it translates to 'when' or 'at which'.

Why does the sentence use quatorze heures instead of deux heures?

French often uses the 24-hour clock for official events, schedules, and public gatherings, like a parade (un défilé). Quatorze heures means 14:00, or 2:00 p.m. You can say deux heures de l'après-midi in casual conversation, but the 24-hour clock is very standard in everyday French life.

Why does it start with Il est? Is il referring to the parade?

No, il doesn't refer to a specific noun here. Just like we say 'It is two o'clock' in English, French uses the impersonal phrase Il est to tell the time. The il in il est quatorze heures is just a placeholder subject. Remember to always use il est, and never c'est, when stating the current time of day.