Learn Hardcore French: Il est presque l'heure du déjeuner, alors le supermarché ouvre maintenant. - It is almost lunchtime, so the supermarket is opening now.

Il est is the impersonal “it is” used for clock time (e.g., Il est midi).
C’est is very common before a noun phrase (e.g., C’est l’heure du déjeuner).

Your sentence with Il est presque l’heure du déjeuner is idiomatic; C’est presque l’heure du déjeuner is also very natural, especially in speech.

What does the il refer to? Is it “he”?

No. In Il est presque l’heure…, il is an impersonal subject pronoun—French’s way to say English “it” for time, weather, and general statements. It doesn’t refer to a person.

Why du déjeuner and not de déjeuner?

l’heure du déjeuner uses the noun with its article: de + le déjeuner → du déjeuner. It means “the lunch hour.”
l’heure de déjeuner uses the infinitive verb déjeuner (“to have lunch”): “time to have lunch.”

Both are possible; du déjeuner frames lunch as a scheduled mealtime, while de déjeuner highlights the activity.

Do I need the article le in le supermarché? Why not just “supermarché ouvre…”?

Yes, you need the article. In French, singular countable nouns almost always take an article. So you say Le supermarché ouvre…, not just “supermarché ouvre…”.

Why use the simple present ouvre instead of something like “is opening”?

French simple present covers both English simple present and present progressive. Le supermarché ouvre can mean “The supermarket opens” or “The supermarket is opening,” depending on context.

Could I say Le supermarché est ouvert maintenant instead?

Yes, but it’s a different nuance:

Le supermarché ouvre maintenant = it is in the process of opening right now (the action of opening).
Le supermarché est ouvert maintenant = it is now in the state of being open.

Where can I put maintenant?

Common, natural placements:

At the end: …le supermarché ouvre maintenant.
At the beginning (often with a comma): Maintenant, le supermarché ouvre.
Right after alors: …, alors maintenant le supermarché ouvre. (a bit redundant but possible)

Avoid splitting the verb: don’t put maintenant between ouvre and its complements.

Is alors the same as donc or du coup?

They all express consequence, but register and feel differ:

alors: versatile, neutral-to-informal; also used as a discourse marker (“so, then”).
donc: neutral, often a bit more formal or logical (“therefore/so”).
du coup: very colloquial and common in speech (“so/as a result”); avoid in formal writing.

In your sentence, alors is perfectly natural.

Is the comma before alors correct?

Yes. French often places a comma before coordinating conjunctions like alors to mark the break between clauses. It’s stylistically common and acceptable.

Does déjeuner always mean “lunch”?

Not everywhere.

France/Belgium/Switzerland: petit-déjeuner = breakfast, déjeuner = lunch, dîner = dinner/supper.
Quebec and some regions: déjeuner = breakfast, dîner = lunch, souper = dinner.

Your sentence follows the France/Belgium/Switzerland usage.

Could I just say Il est presque midi?

Yes, if lunch is around noon. Il est presque midi focuses on clock time; Il est presque l’heure du déjeuner focuses on the event of lunchtime (which might vary by place or schedule).

How is ouvrir conjugated here, and why ouvre?

Ouvrir is irregular. Present tense:

j’ouvre, tu ouvres, il/elle ouvre, nous ouvrons, vous ouvrez, ils/elles ouvrent. You need il ouvre for le supermarché (3rd person singular). Note: ouvrit is a literary past (passé simple), not present.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Approximate IPA: [il ɛ pʁɛsk lœʁ dy deʒœne, alɔʁ lə sypɛʁmaʁʃe uvʁ mɛ̃(t)nɑ̃] Tips:

presque l’heure: hear the [k] link to [l] → [pʁɛsk lœʁ].
déjeuner: [de‑ʒœ‑ne].
supermarché: [sy‑pɛʁ‑maʁ‑ʃe].
ouvre: [uvʁ].
maintenant: often reduced to [mɛ̃tnɑ̃] in speech (you may hear a very light schwa: [mɛ̃tənɑ̃]).

Is presque in the right spot? Could I move it?

Yes, it’s correctly placed. Presque normally goes right before what it modifies:

Il est presque l’heure du déjeuner. You wouldn’t say: “Il est l’heure presque du déjeuner.” You can also say Il est presque midi.

What’s the difference between Il est (presque) l’heure de… and Il est (presque) temps de…?

l’heure de… implies a scheduled or customary time (often tied to the clock).
temps de… is broader: it’s (about) time to do something, not necessarily tied to a fixed hour, and can suggest urgency. Examples: Il est temps de partir (We really should go now) vs Il est l’heure de partir (The set time to leave has arrived).