Year, day, morning, evening time vs duration

Question

Impossible concept!  How bad can it sound to a native speaker if I get this wrong? They always ask if I speak English, anyway, every time I speak French.

Accepted Answer

Hi Julia, 
What might help you to get them right, is to think of the word 'soirée' used in English to mean an evening function in its duration rather than the time of day.
I believe the word 'matinée' is used for an afternoon cinema/theatre performance ( again highlighting its duration) and oddly in the afternoon in both languages.
But, if you talk about having a lovely morning ( in its duration) 
J'ai passé une très bonne matinée = I had a lovely morning
You would be understood if you got them wrong but you would probably be corrected.
Bonne Journée!

Answer

It is tough for English speakers. It will sound “wrong” to native French speakers, although that doesn’t mean your meaning won’t be understood. However, eventually you will get to know some standard uses, so you will be able to get it right most of the time.

You might want to be sure about the difference between “bonjour” and “bonne journée” though, as saying ‘hello’ as you leave might be frowned upon !