French Phrase
Ça dure combien, les cours de HIIT ?
Meaning
The speaker is asking how long a typical HIIT (High‑Intensity Interval Training) class lasts. It’s a casual way to inquire about the duration of the sessions.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re at a gym, fitness studio, or chatting with a friend about workout schedules. It’s informal, so it fits conversations with peers or trainers you know well.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Çadurecombien,lescoursdeHIIT?
Ça (pronoun)
‘Ça’ is the informal pronoun for ‘it/that’, used here to refer to the duration of something.
durer (verb)
‘durer’ means ‘to last’. In the present tense, third‑person singular it is ‘dure’.
combien (interrogative adverb)
‘combien’ asks ‘how much/how long’. In informal questions it often follows the verb: ‘Ça dure combien?’
les cours de HIIT (noun phrase)
‘les cours de HIIT’ = ‘the HIIT classes’. The preposition ‘de’ links the type of class (HIIT) to the noun ‘cours’.
punctuation
A comma before the noun phrase is optional in spoken French; it signals a short pause.
🗨In Conversation
Ça dure combien, les cours de HIIT ?
How long do the HIIT classes last?
Ils durent environ 45 minutes, mais parfois on fait des séances de 30 minutes.
They’re about 45 minutes, but sometimes we have 30‑minute sessions.
✕Common Mistakes
Ça dure combien de temps, les cours de HIIT ?
‘Combien de temps’ is correct, but placing it after ‘ça dure’ (e.g., ‘Ça dure combien de temps…’) sounds redundant; the shorter ‘Ça dure combien…’ is preferred.
Ça duré combien, les cours de HIIT ?
‘Duré’ is the past participle; the present tense ‘dure’ is needed here.
Ça dure combien, les cours du HIIT ?
‘de’ is used to indicate the type of class; ‘du’ would imply ownership, which is not intended.
↔Alternatives
Quelle est la durée des cours de HIIT ?
What is the duration of the HIIT classes?
Les cours de HIIT durent combien de temps ?
How much time do the HIIT classes take?
Combien de temps durent les cours de HIIT ?
How long do the HIIT classes last?
Cultural Tip
In everyday French, ‘ça’ + verb + ‘combien’ is a very common, informal pattern for asking about duration or quantity. In a more formal setting (e.g., a written email to a gym), you’d prefer ‘Quelle est la durée…’ or ‘Combien de temps…’. Also, note that HIIT is an English acronym, but it’s widely used unchanged in French fitness jargon.