French Phrase
Le départ, c'est à 11h.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener the exact time when something (a train, bus, meeting, etc.) will leave. It is a concise way to give a schedule.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to inform someone of the departure time of a transport, a tour, a class, or any event that has a set start time.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ledépart,c'està11h.
Definite article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article used before a masculine noun like départ.
Noun gender (départ)
Départ is a masculine noun meaning ‘departure’.
c'est (ce + est)
c'est is the contraction of ce (this/that) + est (is) and is used to identify or define something.
Preposition for time (à)
à introduces a specific point in time, similar to ‘at’ in English.
Time expression (11h)
11h is the abbreviated form of onze heures (11 o’clock). In spoken French you would say ‘onze heures’.
🗨In Conversation
À quelle heure est le départ ?
What time is the departure?
Le départ, c'est à 11h.
The departure is at 11 o’clock.
✕Common Mistakes
Le départ, c'est 11h.
You need the preposition à to indicate the point in time.
Le départ, le est à 11h.
While grammatically correct, many learners over‑use le départ est; c'est is more natural in spoken French for quick identification.
Le départ, c'est à 11h00.
Adding extra zeros is acceptable in writing but sounds overly formal in casual speech; stick to 11h or ‘onze heures’.
↔Alternatives
Le départ est à 11h.
The departure is at 11 o’clock.
On part à 11h.
We leave at 11 o’clock.
Le train part à 11h.
The train leaves at 11 o’clock.
Cultural Tip
In French, c'est is the go‑to structure for identification (c’est + noun/adjective). When giving times, the 24‑hour clock is standard in written schedules, but in everyday speech people often say ‘onze heures du matin’ or simply ‘onze heures’. Adding ‘du matin’, ‘de l’après‑midi’, etc., clarifies the part of day if needed.