French Phrase
On embarque à quelle heure ?
Meaning
Literally, “We board at what time?” It is the standard way to ask the boarding time for a plane, train, bus, or any group departure. The use of "on" makes the question sound informal and inclusive.
When to use
Use this sentence at airports, train stations, bus terminals, or when coordinating a group outing. It works both when you are part of the group and when you are asking on behalf of others.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onembarqueàquelleheure?
On (impersonal pronoun)
In everyday French, "on" is used like "we" or "people in general"; it conjugates like the third‑person singular.
embarquer (verb)
Means “to board” or “to embark”. Conjugated here in the present tense: on embarque (we board).
à (preposition for time)
Introduces the specific time something happens; after a verb of movement it means “at”.
quelle (interrogative adjective)
Matches the gender and number of the noun it modifies; "heure" is feminine, so "quelle" is required.
heure (noun, feminine)
Means “hour” or “time”. In questions about clock time it is always used with "quelle".
🗨In Conversation
On embarque à quelle heure ?
What time do we board?
Le vol décolle à 14h30, donc l'embarquement commence à 14h00.
The flight departs at 2:30 p.m., so boarding starts at 2:00 p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
On embarque à quel heure ?
"Quel" is masculine; "heure" is feminine, so you must use "quelle".
Nous embarquons à quelle heure ?
While grammatically correct, using "nous" sounds overly formal in everyday conversation; native speakers prefer "on".
On embarque à quelle heure ? (pronounced without liaison)
In spoken French the liaison between "embarque" and "à" is natural; saying them as separate syllables sounds non‑native.
↔Alternatives
À quelle heure monte‑t‑on ?
At what time do we board?
Quel est l'horaire d'embarquement ?
What is the boarding time?
Quand embarquons‑nous ?
When are we boarding?
Cultural Tip
In French, "on" is the go‑to pronoun for informal "we" and is preferred over "nous" in spoken contexts. In very formal settings (e.g., a business meeting) you might switch to "nous embarquons à quelle heure ?" Also, remember that "heure" is feminine, so the correct interrogative is "quelle heure" not "quel heure".