French Phrase
Le spectacle, c'est à 20h.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that the show will take place at eight o’clock in the evening. It is a concise way to give the time of an event.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to inform someone of the start time of a performance, concert, movie, or any scheduled event, especially in informal conversation or quick announcements.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lespectacle,c'està20h.
Definite article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article used before a noun like spectacle.
c'est (ce + est)
c'est is the contraction of ce (this/that) + est (is) and is used to identify or define something.
Time preposition (à)
à introduces a specific time; with hours it means “at”.
24‑hour clock
In French, formal schedules usually use the 24‑hour clock, so 20h means 8 p.m.
🗨In Conversation
À quelle heure commence le spectacle ?
What time does the show start?
Le spectacle, c'est à 20h.
The show is at 8 p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
Le spectacle, il est à 20h.
Il est is used for telling the time (Il est 20h) but not for identifying an event; use c'est instead.
Le spectacle, c'est à 8h.
When you mean 8 p.m., you must use the 24‑hour format 20h; 8h would be 8 a.m.
Le spectacle, c’est à 20h.
In French typography a non‑breaking space is required before the hour; write “20 h”.
↔Alternatives
Le spectacle commence à 20h.
The show starts at 8 p.m.
Le spectacle débute à 20h.
The show begins at 8 p.m.
Le spectacle est prévu pour 20h.
The show is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Cultural Tip
In France, the 24‑hour clock is preferred for timetables, transport schedules, and formal announcements. Using c'est à + time is perfectly natural in spoken French, but in written notices you’ll often see “Le spectacle commence à 20h.” Also, remember to keep the space before the hour (20 h) in French typography.