French Phrase
L'entretien téléphonique dure 15 minutes.
Meaning
The sentence states that the phone interview lasts fifteen minutes. It emphasizes the duration of a specific interview conducted over the telephone.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to tell a colleague, a recruiter, or a candidate how long a scheduled phone interview will take, especially in professional or academic settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
L'entretientéléphoniquedure15minutes.
Article contraction (L')
When a noun begins with a vowel or mute h, the definite article "le" or "la" contracts to "l'" (e.g., l'entretien).
Noun‑adjective order
In French, most adjectives that describe a permanent characteristic follow the noun; "téléphonique" (telephone‑related) follows "entretien".
Verb "durer"
The verb "durer" means “to last”. It is conjugated like regular -er verbs: je dure, tu dors, il/elle dure, nous durons, vous durez, ils/elles durent.
Numbers and units
Numbers are written as digits in modern French, but the unit stays in the plural when the number is greater than one (15 minutes).
🗨In Conversation
Combien de temps dure l'entretien téléphonique ?
How long does the phone interview last?
L'entretien téléphonique dure 15 minutes.
The phone interview lasts 15 minutes.
✕Common Mistakes
L'entretien téléphonique est 15 minutes.
Use "dure" (to last) instead of "est" (to be) when talking about duration.
L'entretien téléphonique dure 15 minute.
The unit must be plural when the number is greater than one.
Le entretien téléphonique dure 15 minutes.
Because "entretien" starts with a vowel, the article contracts to "l'".
↔Alternatives
L'appel d'entretien dure 15 minutes.
The interview call lasts 15 minutes.
L'entretien dure quinze minutes.
The interview lasts fifteen minutes.
La conversation téléphonique dure 15 minutes.
The telephone conversation lasts 15 minutes.
Cultural Tip
In French business culture, phone interviews are typically concise—often 15 minutes—to respect everyone's time. Arriving (or calling in) a few minutes early is seen as a sign of professionalism.