What time is it? To answer that, you'll need to look at a clock, or as the French would most commonly say, une horloge. But what about the alarm clock that jolts you awake, the watch on your wrist, or the grand clock on a historic building? French has a variety of words for these different timekeepers. Learning them will help you tell time, describe your surroundings, and sound more like a native speaker. Ready to expand your vocabulary? Let’s explore 9 ways to say 'clock' in French!

The standard 'wall clock' or 'public clock' – une horloge

The standard word for a 'wall clock' or 'public clock' in French is une horloge. This is the go-to term for nearly any time-telling device that isn't worn on your wrist.

Une horloge refers to a stationary clock. This can be a clock on a wall (une horloge murale), a grandfather clock (une horloge comtoise), a clock on a church tower, or a digital alarm clock on your nightstand (un réveil).

The most important rule for learners is distinguishing une horloge from une montre. While both can be translated as 'clock' or 'watch', their meanings are mutually exclusive in French:

• Une horloge: A stationary clock (wall, desk, tower).
• Une montre: A wristwatch.

The word horloge is always feminine. Because it starts with a silent 'h' (h muet), the definite article contracts, making it l'horloge. You would say l'horloge est belle (the clock is beautiful), not la horloge.

You use horloge to refer to the physical object. If you want to know the time, you still ask, Quelle heure est-il ?. But if you're commenting on the clock itself, you would use horloge. For example, Cette horloge est en avance. (This clock is fast.)

💡 * J'ai besoin d'une nouvelle horloge pour le salon.

• L'horloge de la gare indique qu'il est midi.
• Mon grand-père a une vieille horloge comtoise qui sonne toutes les heures.
• Regarde, l'horloge de l'église s'est arrêtée !

The 'pendulum clock' or 'mantel clock' – une pendule

In French, a traditional, often antique, clock such as a mantel clock or grandfather clock is called une pendule. The most critical detail to remember is its gender: it is a feminine noun.

The gender is not just a grammatical detail; it completely changes the meaning. Une pendule (feminine) is the entire clock. Its masculine counterpart, un pendule, refers only to the pendulum—the swinging weight that regulates the clock's movement.

You would not use une pendule to describe a modern digital alarm clock or a simple battery-operated wall clock (une horloge). The term une pendule evokes an image of a more classic, mechanical, and often decorative timepiece, like une pendule de cheminée (a mantel clock).

These clocks often hold sentimental value in French culture. Hearing about la pendule de la grand-mère (grandma's clock) is common, as they are frequently passed down as family heirlooms, marking the passage of time for generations.

To remember the difference, you can think that the complete object, the clock (une pendule), is 'bigger' and thus gets the feminine form, which is often more complex in French grammar. The single component, the pendulum (un pendule), is masculine.

💡 * La vieille pendule en bois sur la cheminée sonne toutes les heures.

• Attention, il ne faut pas toucher le balancier d'un pendule.
• J'ai hérité de la pendule de mon arrière-grand-père.
• Le tic-tac de la pendule est le seul bruit dans la maison silencieuse.

The 'alarm clock' – un réveil or un réveille-matin

To talk about an 'alarm clock' in French, you have two primary options: un réveil and the more descriptive un réveille-matin. Both refer to the device that wakes you up in the morning.

Un réveil is by far the most common and modern term used in everyday French. It's derived from the reflexive verb se réveiller, meaning 'to wake up.' This is the word you'll most often hear for both physical alarm clocks and the alarm function on a smartphone.

Un réveille-matin is a more traditional and slightly more formal term. Its literal translation is 'a wake-morning.' While less common in casual conversation today, it is still perfectly understood and you might encounter it in writing or hear it used by older speakers.

Think of un réveil as your go-to, all-purpose word. Use un réveille-matin if you want to sound a bit more classic or descriptive. In practice, 9 out of 10 times, un réveil is the word you'll need.

A key point to remember is that both terms are masculine. Therefore, you always use masculine articles and adjectives with them: un réveil, le réveil, mon réveil, or un vieux réveille-matin.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau réveil ; le mien est cassé.

• Peux-tu régler le réveil pour six heures et demie ?
• Le son de ce réveille-matin est vraiment désagréable.
• J'ai mis trois réveils sur mon téléphone pour être sûr de ne pas être en retard.

The 'watch' (worn on the wrist) – une montre

The French word for a watch that you wear on your wrist is une montre.

As a noun, une montre is feminine. This is important for using the correct articles and adjectives. You would say la montre (the watch) or une belle montre (a beautiful watch).

Be careful not to confuse une montre with the verb regarder (to watch something, like a movie) or the noun une horloge (a clock, like one on a wall). Une montre specifically refers to a wristwatch.

💡 * J'ai perdu ma montre au parc.

• Quelle heure est-il à ta montre ?
• Il m'a offert une montre pour mon anniversaire.
• C'est une montre très chère.

The 'stopwatch' or 'chronometer' – un chronomètre

When you need to time something with precision in French, the word you're looking for is un chronomètre. This masculine noun translates directly to 'chronometer' or, more commonly, 'stopwatch'.

Un chronomètre is an instrument used for measuring time with high accuracy. While 'chronometer' in English can refer to a very specific, certified timepiece, in everyday French, chronomètre is the standard term for a stopwatch.

Its most common context is in sports. Coaches, athletes, and officials all use a chronomètre to time races, laps, and events. You'll frequently hear it in discussions about athletics, swimming, or motorsports.

The associated verb is chronométrer, which means 'to time.' For example, you would chronométrer un coureur (time a runner). This is an essential verb to know when discussing timed activities.

In short, whether you're at a track meet, in a science lab, or timing something in the kitchen, un chronomètre is the word for a stopwatch, and chronométrer is the action of timing it.

💡 * L'entraîneur a déclenché son chronomètre au début de la course. (The coach started his stopwatch at the beginning of the race.)

• J'utilise le chronomètre de mon téléphone pour mes exercices. (I use my phone's stopwatch for my workouts.)
• Il faut chronométrer le temps de cuisson exact pour ce gâteau. (You have to time the exact cooking time for this cake.)
• Le nageur a été officiellement chronométré à 50,21 secondes. (The swimmer was officially timed at 50.21 seconds.)

The 'timer' (for cooking, etc.) – un minuteur or une minuterie

In French, when you need to talk about a 'timer,' you'll come across two very similar words: un minuteur (masculine) and une minuterie (feminine). While they can often be used interchangeably, there's a subtle distinction that can help you sound more precise.

Un minuteur typically refers to a standalone, physical device. Imagine a classic kitchen egg timer that you twist or a small digital gadget you place on the counter. It's an object whose primary function is to time things.

Une minuterie more often describes the timer function or mechanism built into a larger appliance. This includes the timer on your oven, microwave, or even a smartphone app. It also refers to automatic light switches in buildings that turn off after a set time.

A simple way to remember the difference is: if it's a separate gadget, minuteur is your best bet. If it's a built-in feature, minuterie is more appropriate. In everyday speech, especially for cooking, you'll hear both, but knowing the nuance will make your French more accurate.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau minuteur pour la cuisine. (I need to buy a new timer for the kitchen.)

• Peux-tu régler la minuterie du four sur 15 minutes ? (Can you set the oven timer for 15 minutes?)
• La lumière dans le couloir s'est éteinte, la minuterie est trop courte. (The light in the hallway went out, the timer is too short.)
• J'utilise le minuteur de mon téléphone pour faire de l'exercice. (I use my phone's timer for exercising.)

The 'sundial' – un cadran solaire

The French term for 'sundial' is un cadran solaire. This is a masculine noun, so it always uses the article un or le.

The term is composed of two words: cadran, which means 'dial' or 'face' (like on a clock), and solaire, which is the adjective for 'solar.' Literally, it translates to a 'solar dial.'

You'll often find a cadran solaire on the facade of old buildings, churches, or in formal gardens throughout France. It's a term associated with history, architecture, and astronomy.

💡 * Il y a un ancien cadran solaire sur le mur de la mairie. (There is an old sundial on the wall of the town hall.)

• Mon grand-père sait lire l'heure sur un cadran solaire. (My grandfather knows how to read the time on a sundial.)
• Le cadran solaire du jardin a besoin d'être restauré. (The sundial in the garden needs to be restored.)
• Autrefois, les gens utilisaient un cadran solaire pour connaître l'heure. (In the past, people used a sundial to know the time.)

The 'cuckoo clock' – un coucou

The “cuckoo clock” – un coucou

The French word for a 'cuckoo clock' is un coucou. This name comes directly from the cuckoo bird (le coucou), whose call these clocks imitate.

Crucially, coucou is also a very common and informal greeting in French, similar to saying 'hi there!' or 'hey!'. It has a friendly, almost playful tone.

Context is everything. When used as a greeting, it stands alone: Coucou! Comment ça va?. When referring to the clock, it is used as a noun, typically with an article like un or le: J'entends le coucou.

💡 * Mon grand-père a un vieux coucou suisse dans son salon. (My grandfather has an old Swiss cuckoo clock in his living room.)

• Le coucou sonne toutes les heures. (The cuckoo clock chimes every hour.)
• J'ai acheté un coucou comme souvenir de mon voyage en Allemagne. (I bought a cuckoo clock as a souvenir from my trip to Germany.)

1. The 'grandfather clock' – une horloge comtoise

The most specific and common way to say 'grandfather clock' in French is une horloge comtoise. This term refers to the classic, longcase pendulum clock that stands on the floor.

The word comtoise is the adjectival form for the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. These clocks were famously produced there, starting in the late 17th century. So, the name literally means 'a clock from Comté'.

While une horloge comtoise is specific, you could also use a more general term like une horloge de parquet (a floor clock). However, comtoise is more evocative and widely understood to mean the traditional grandfather clock, often seen as a valuable antique.

This term is used when referring to the actual piece of furniture. It often carries a sense of nostalgia or history, as these clocks are frequently passed down as family heirlooms. You'll hear it used in antique shops, family homes, and historical discussions.

💡 * La vieille horloge comtoise de mon grand-père sonne toutes les heures.

• Le tic-tac de l'horloge comtoise dans le salon est très apaisant.
• Nous avons hérité d'une magnifique horloge comtoise du 19ème siècle.
• L'antiquaire a restauré une horloge comtoise ancienne.

Are there other ways to say 'clock' in French?

Are there other ways to say “clock” in French?

Our guide features the most essential words for “clock” in French, including horloge, pendule, and réveil. But the language of timekeeping is rich with other terms, from technical vocabulary for clockmakers to historical words for devices like sundials (cadrans solaires).

You can uncover more vocabulary by searching for specific types of timepieces. For instance, try an online search for “comment dire 'grandfather clock' en français” or explore the terms used in different Francophone regions.

The key is to pay attention to context. While you might see a grand horloge in a train station, you'll always set a réveil to wake up. Observing how native speakers use these words in daily life is the best way to master their specific meanings.

As you engage with French culture—watching films, visiting museums, or reading books—notice how time and clocks are referenced. You might be surprised by the variety of expressions you discover.

If you want to explore more synonyms or related vocabulary, the WordReference forum for horloge or the Larousse dictionary entry are fantastic places to find detailed explanations and example sentences.

I hope this article has been a timely help in your French learning journey. Let's end with a fitting quote from the French writer Marcel Proust: “Les jours sont peut-être égaux pour une horloge, mais pas pour un homme.” (The days may be equal for a clock, but not for a man.)