Lesson 7: Daily Routines and Telling Time

In Lesson 7, we will learn how to talk about daily routines, telling time, and common activities
throughout the day in French.

A. Vocabulary: Daily Routine (La Routine Quotidienne)

Here are some common verbs and expressions used to describe daily routines:

1. Se réveiller – To wake up

2. Se lever – To get up

3. Se laver – To wash oneself

4. Se brosser les dents – To brush one's teeth

5. Prendre une douche – To take a shower

6. S'habiller – To get dressed

7. Prendre le petit-déjeuner – To have breakfast

8. Aller au travail / à l'école – To go to work / school

9. Déjeuner – To have lunch

10. Rentrer chez soi – To go back home

11. Dîner – To have dinner

12. Se coucher – To go to bed

Example Sentences:

 Je me réveille à 7 heures tous les jours. – I wake up at 7 a.m. every day.

 Elle prend une douche le matin. – She takes a shower in the morning.

 Nous dînons à 19h00. – We have dinner at 7:00 p.m.

B. Telling Time (L’heure)

In French, telling time is an important skill. Here’s how to do it:

1. Quelle heure est-il ? – What time is it?

2. Il est [number] heure(s). – It’s [number] o’clock.

For example:
  Il est une heure. – It’s one o’clock.

 Il est deux heures. – It’s two o’clock.

When telling time, use "et quart" (a quarter past), "et demie" (half past), and "moins le quart" (a
quarter to):

1. Il est trois heures et quart. – It’s 3:15.

2. Il est quatre heures et demie. – It’s 4:30.

3. Il est cinq heures moins le quart. – It’s 4:45 (literally: It’s a quarter to 5).

Additional Time Vocabulary:

 du matin – in the morning (e.g., Il est 9 heures du matin – It’s 9 a.m.)

 de l’après-midi – in the afternoon (e.g., Il est 3 heures de l’après-midi – It’s 3 p.m.)

 du soir – in the evening (e.g., Il est 7 heures du soir – It’s 7 p.m.)

C. Discussing Daily Routines

Here’s how you can describe your daily activities and routines using the vocabulary and phrases learned:

Example Sentences:

 Je me réveille à 6 heures et demie. – I wake up at 6:30.

 Ensuite, je me brosse les dents et je m’habille. – Then, I brush my teeth and get dressed.

 Je vais au travail à 8 heures du matin. – I go to work at 8 a.m.

 Je déjeune à midi avec mes collègues. – I have lunch at noon with my colleagues.

 Je rentre à la maison à 17 heures. – I return home at 5 p.m.

 Le soir, je dîne et je regarde la télévision. – In the evening, I have dinner and watch TV.

 Je me couche à 22 heures. – I go to bed at 10 p.m.

D. Using Reflexive Verbs (Les Verbes Pronominaux)

When discussing daily routines, we often use reflexive verbs. These are verbs that reflect back on the
subject and are formed using "se" + verb. Here's how to conjugate them in the present tense:

Reflexive Pronoun Verb Example: Se Lever (to get up)

Je me lève

Tu te lèves
Reflexive Pronoun Verb Example: Se Lever (to get up)

Il/Elle/On se lève

Nous nous levons

Vous vous levez

Ils/Elles se lèvent

Example Sentences:

 Je me lève à 7 heures. – I get up at 7 o’clock.

 Elle se brosse les cheveux avant de partir. – She brushes her hair before leaving.

E. Expressions of Frequency (Les Expressions de Fréquence)

To describe how often you do things, use the following expressions:

1. Tous les jours – Every day

2. Chaque matin – Every morning

3. Souvent – Often

4. Rarement – Rarely

5. Parfois – Sometimes

6. Toujours – Always

7. De temps en temps – From time to time

8. Jamais – Never

Example Sentences:

 Je fais du sport tous les jours. – I exercise every day.

 Je ne mange jamais de viande. – I never eat meat.

 Il se couche tard parfois. – He goes to bed late sometimes.

F. Practice Dialogue

Example Dialogue:

 A: À quelle heure tu te réveilles le matin ? (What time do you wake up in the morning?)

 B: Je me réveille à 7 heures. Et toi ? (I wake up at 7 o’clock. And you?)

 B: Tu prends le petit-déjeuner tous les matins ? (Do you have breakfast every morning?)

 A: Oui, toujours. Je mange vers 8 heures. (Yes, always. I eat around 8 o’clock.)

G. Activity

 Write out your daily routine in French, including what time you do each activity.

 Practice telling time with a friend, asking and answering questions about daily activities and
when they take place.

H. Homework

1. Write a paragraph about your daily routine using reflexive verbs and time expressions.

2. Record yourself describing what you do in the morning and listen to how you pronounce the
phrases.

3. Practice asking someone what time they do specific activities throughout the day.

Lesson 7 Recap:

 Vocabulary for daily routines and telling time.

 Reflexive verbs and how to conjugate them.

 Expressions of frequency to describe how often things happen.

 Practice dialogue and activities.

Let me know if you need more practice exercises or specific explanations for this lesson!

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