A Newbie’s Information to Telling Time in Spanish

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Has somebody requested you the time in Spanish? You possibly can simply reply by saying Son las # (hour) y # (minutes). In the event you can depend to 59 in Spanish, you’re already in your strategy to speaking what time it’s and to understanding the reply to the query ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?), in probably the most easy kind. 

By the top of this put up, you’ll even be accustomed to frequent phrases like y media (half-past), and y cuarto (quarter after). You’ll know how one can acknowledge menos (minus) so that you just’re not late to your appointments, how the 24-hour clock works, and extra. 

The way to ask for the time in Spanish 

Asking for the time in Spanish is straightforward. Simply memorize this phrase and also you’re set:

• ¿Qué hora es? = What time is it? 
  

To be much more well mannered, get somebody’s consideration utilizing disculpe (excuse me). 

• Disculpe, ¿qué hora es? = Excuse me, what time is it? 
  

You may additionally hear different formal or colloquial methods to ask for the time, relying the place you’re on this planet. 

The way to inform somebody the time in Spanish

When somebody asks you for la hora (the time), be prepared along with your reply within the easiest of the way with the hour and the minutos (minutes), or use some extra superior expressions for particular conditions. 

Telling the hour

Telling time in Spanish begins with understanding the Spanish quantity for the hour. For hours in Spanish aside from one o’clock, begin with son las, after which give the quantity in Spanish. 

• Son las tres. = It’s three o’clock. 
  
• Son las nueve. = It’s 9 o’clock. 
  

One o’clock is the exception due to Spanish grammar guidelines. Use es la as a substitute of son las as a result of in each different case, you’re referring to a plural variety of hours, however “one hour” is singular. 

• Es la una. = It’s one o’clock. 
  

Midday and midnight

To speak about 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., you should utilize the phrases medianoche (midnight) and mediodía (midday). 

• Es medianoche. = It’s midnight. 
• Es mediodía. = It’s midday. 
  

Similar to one o’clock, these phrases each use the singular es. 

Including the minutes

So as to add the minutes, use y (and) plus the Spanish quantity for the minutes. 

• Son las cinco y cuarenta y cinco. = It’s 5:45. 
  
• Son las cinco y quince. = It’s 5:15. 
  

It helps to know all the numbers in Spanish from one by way of 59 if somebody is asking you for the very exact time. 

• ¿Qué hora es exactamente? = What time is it precisely?
  • Son las ocho y treinta y tres. = It’s 8:33. 
• ¿Tiene la hora exacta? = Do you’ve got the precise time?
  • Es la una y cincuenta y nueve. = It’s 1:59. 

Expressions for various instances of the day

You possibly can add these expressions to be extra particular, or if the context isn’t clear whether or not you’re speaking about morning or afternoon. 

Simply as the varied methods to say “hi there” in Spanish change from buenos días within the morning to buenas tardes within the afternoon, folks will naturally begin referring to de la tarde and de la noche based mostly on cultural cues. 

Relying on the approximate time of sundown or whether or not it’s after lunch, take note of when native audio system have a tendency to modify these expressions.

Different Spanish phrases for time you’ll hear

Figuring out how one can inform the time in Spanish goes past the Spanish numbers for hora and minutos. You’re additionally very more likely to hear these phrases in on a regular basis life. 

‘Quarter after’ and ‘half previous’

Similar to in English, it’s quite common to around the time to the closest quarter of an hour. You possibly can specific time on this approach utilizing the phrase y cuarto for fifteen minutes previous the hour and y media for thirty minutes previous the hour.

• Son las cinco y cuarto. = It’s 5:15./It’s quarter after 5. 
  
• Son las ocho y media. = It’s 8:30./It’s half previous eight. 
  

However ¡cuidado! (watch out). The phrase cuarto (quarter) appears to be like and sounds so much like cuatro (4). 

• Son las cuatro y cuarto. = It’s 4:15./It’s quarter after 4. 
  
• Es la una y cuarto. = It’s 1:15./It’s quarter after one.
• Mi tren llega a las seis y cincuenta y cuatro. = My practice arrives at 6:54.
  

Menos means ‘till the subsequent hour’ when telling time

The phrase menos means “minus” or “much less” in Spanish. As in English, folks will typically use expressions like menos cuarto (quarter to). However watch out with this one, as a result of it actually means ‘minus 1 / 4’ and is best understood because the variety of minutes till the subsequent hour or the variety of minutes to the subsequent hour. 

• Son las seis menos cuarto. = It’s quarter to 6. 
  
• Son las diez menos cinco. = It’s 5 minutes to 10. 

Whereas it’s totally potential to keep away from menos by saying the precise variety of minutes after the hour, as in Son las ocho y cuarenta y cinco (8:45), it’s necessary to know this manner of expressing time, because it’s so frequent in on a regular basis Spanish conversations. 

Think about you’re instructed to reach for a scheduled appointment at las seis menos diez. You hear the phrase seis and perceive “six” and diez and perceive “ten,” so that you arrive at 6:10 as a substitute of 5:50. ¡Ups! (oops!), now you’re 20 minutes late. 

Menos cuarto means ‘quarter to’

Instances which can be nearer to the subsequent hour might be expressed with two totally different numbers for the hour, so it’s simple to combine up. Do not forget that menos cuarto means “fifteen minutes till the subsequent hour” and also you’ll at all times be on time. 

• Son las dos menos cuarto. = It’s 1:45./It’s quarter to 2. 
  
• Es la una y cuarenta y cinco. = It’s 1:45./It’s quarter to 2. 

Use en punto for a precise time

The expression en punto has a number of equivalents in English.

• on the dot
• on the nostril
• sharp
• on the hour
• precisely at

When it’s necessary to maintain to a schedule, somebody may use this expression to emphasise the time. 

• Tienes que llegar a tiempo, porque el autobús sale a las seis en punto. = You must arrive on time, as a result of the bus leaves at 6:00 sharp. 
• Nos vemos a las 8:30 en punto. = See you at precisely 8:30. 

In the event you’re versatile, you should utilize sobre (round).

• En España, comemos sobre las dos o tres. = In Spain, we eat round 2:00 or 3:00.

Use a las/a la to say at what time one thing will happen

In the event you’re not referring to what time it’s now, however as a substitute to when one thing will happen, you’ll need to use a las/a la (at) in your expression as a substitute of son or es. 

• El tren sale a las seis de la mañana. = The practice leaves at six within the morning. 
  
• El tren sale a la una y treinta. = The practice leaves at 1:30. 
  

Use ¿A qué hora? to ask “at what time” in Spanish, which is useful for schedules and appointments.

• ¿A qué hora sale su tren? = (At) what time does your practice go away?
  
  • Mi tren sale a las ocho y treinta y siete de la mañana. = My practice leaves at 8:37 a.m. 
    

The 24-hour clock 

English audio system use each phrases like “within the morning/afternoon” and the abbreviations “a.m.” and “p.m.” In Spanish, you should utilize phrases for instances of day, corresponding to de la mañana or use the 24-hour clock, generally often known as “army time” in English. 

Many nations around the globe use 24-hour time. Relying on the area, it’s possible you’ll encounter:

• Each a 12-hour and 24-hour clock interchangeably.
• A 24-hour clock when writing and a 12-hour clock when talking.
• The 24-hour clock completely.

How the 24-hour clock works

As you’re studying timetables for trains and airplanes, opening hours of shops and eating places, and begin instances for occasions, it’s frequent to listen to that one thing will begin a las veintiuno, or at “twenty-one” in Spanish. This could be the equal of 9 p.m. on the 12-hour clock. 

A 24-hour clock doesn’t cease at midday. It continues counting up utilizing 13, 14, 15, and so forth, all the best way to 23:59, which is the equal of 11:59 p.m. It begins over at midnight with a time of 0:00.

To transform the 24-hour clock to p.m., merely subtract 12 from the hour. Simply make certain you’re subtracting 12 and never 10, which is a typical mistake for newbies. 

• 14:30 = 2:30 p.m.
• 16:05 = 4:05 p.m. 
• 21:15 = 9:15 p.m.

Incessantly requested questions on telling time in Spanish

Studying how one can inform time in Spanish entails extra than simply numbers. By studying this straightforward dialog starter, you’re additionally selecting up on Spanish grammar guidelines, vocabulary, and cultural consciousness. 

How do you say the phrase ‘time’ in Spanish? 

Whereas the phrase hora works for telling the time on the clock, there are different translations for “time” in Spanish. 

How do you say ‘o’clock’ in Spanish? 

There is no such thing as a equal of this expression in Spanish. It’s sufficient to say the time, corresponding to 

• Son las ocho. = It’s eight o’clock. 

Why is it son las for all of the hours besides una? 

There isn’t a word-for-word English translation, however this can be a nice instance of some Spanish grammar ideas. The phrase hora is female, so the particular articles la and las are right. For one hour, use the singular la, and for a couple of, use the plural las. 

The Spanish verb ser is a part of expressing the present time. The singular “it” kind is es, which is right for one o’clock, however switches to son, the plural kind when it’s a couple of hour. 

How do you say ‘lunchtime’ or ‘bedtime’ in Spanish? 

If you wish to discuss with a typical time to do an exercise, corresponding to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or going to mattress, use the expression es hora de (it’s the time of). Some examples are: 

• Es hora de desayunar. = It’s breakfast time. 
• Es hora de cenar. = It’s time for dinner. 
• Es hora de dormir. = It’s bedtime. 
• Es hora de siesta. = It’s nap time. 

Typical meal instances range relying on the Spanish-speaking tradition, in order you’re speaking with Spanish-speakers in your neighborhood or with one in all Rosetta Stone’s knowledgeable tutors from around the globe, ask them ¿A qué hora? they sometimes take pleasure in every meal, sparking much more attention-grabbing conversations.