Learning to tell time in Spanish is an essential skill for everyday communication. This guide will cover asking for the time, expressing different hours, and distinguishing between parts of the day.
Asking for the Time
To ask for the time in Spanish, use the phrase:
- “¿Qué hora es?” – What time is it?
Telling the Time
Hours
- For 1 o’clock, use “Es la una”:
- “Es la una.” – It’s 1 o’clock.
- For all other hours, use “Son las…”:
- “Son las dos.” – It’s 2 o’clock.
- “Son las tres.” – It’s 3 o’clock.
Minutes
- For :15, use “y cuarto”:
- “Son las cuatro y cuarto.” – It’s 4:15.
- For :30, use “y media”:
- “Son las cinco y media.” – It’s 5:30.
- For :45, use “menos cuarto”:
- “Son las seis menos cuarto.” – It’s 5:45 (literally: It’s a quarter to 6).
- For other minutes, use “y” (and) followed by the number of minutes:
- “Son las siete y diez.” – It’s 7:10.
- “Son las ocho y veinticinco.” – It’s 8:25.
Time of Day
To specify the time of day, add these phrases:
- “de la mañana” – in the morning (AM)
- “Son las ocho de la mañana.” – It’s 8:00 AM.
- “de la tarde” – in the afternoon/evening (PM, typically until around 8 PM)
- “Son las tres de la tarde.” – It’s 3:00 PM.
- “de la noche” – at night (PM, typically after 8 PM)
- “Son las diez de la noche.” – It’s 10:00 PM.
Examples
- 9:00 AM: “Son las nueve de la mañana.”
- 1:30 PM: “Es la una y media de la tarde.”
- 6:45 PM: “Son las siete menos cuarto de la tarde.”
- 11:20 PM: “Son las once y veinte de la noche.”
- 12:00 PM (noon): “Es mediodía.”
- 12:00 AM (midnight): “Es medianoche.”