Talking about the time in Spanish

• Use son las followed by a number to tell the time on the hour. For one o’ clock only use es la instead.

• Y (and) is not needed when using the 24-hour clock in Spanish.

• Useful time phrases include y cuarto (quarter past), y media (half past) and menos quarto (quarter to).

• Use a las/a la to say what time something is happening.

Watch the video to find out how to tell the time and talk about time in Spanish.

To find out what the time is, ask ¿Qué hora es? - What time is it?

Reply with son las followed by a number to say the time on the hour.

For example:

Son las dos. - It is two o’clock.

However, for one o’clock only, use es la instead of son las.

For example:

Es la una. - It is one o’clock.

Here is how to say the time when it is on the hour:

To say the time in Spanish when it is quarter past, half past or quarter to the hour, say the hour first followed by the relevant phrase:

y cuarto - quarter past

y media - half past

menos quarto - quarter to

For example:

Son las ocho y cuarto. - It’s quarter past eight.

Son las once y media. - It’s half past eleven.

Es la una menos cuarto. - It’s a quarter to one.

To say minutes past the hour or minutes to the hour, add these phrases to the hour:

For example:

Son las nueve y diez. - It is ten past nine.

Es la una menos veinte. - It is twenty to one.

In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, people often say de la mañana (in the morning), de la tarde (in the afternoon, from 13:00 until 18:00), and de la noche (in the evening, from when it gets dark until midnight).

For example:

Son las nueve de la mañana. - It’s nine o'clock in the morning.

Es la una y media de la tarde. - It’s half past one in the afternoon.

Son las diez y cuarto de la noche. - It’s quarter past ten in the evening.

The 24-hour clock is often used for timetables, television or film listings or opening hours. The word y (and) is not needed when giving times using the 24-hour clock.

For example:

El tren viene a las 13:15 (las trece quince). - The train comes at 13:15.

El autobús llega a las 17:30 (las diecisiete treinta). - The bus arrives at 17:30.

La película empieza a las 21:45 (las veintiuna cuarenta y cinco). - The film starts at 21:45.

El programa termina a las 00:10 (las cero diez). - The programme finishes at 00:10.

Remember

The 24-hour clock in Spanish is only ever used with numbers. It is never seen with words.

Use a las/a la followed by the time to say when something happens.

For example:

Me levanto a las siete. - I get up at seven o'clock.

Hago los deberes a las seis y media. - I do my homework at half past six.

Remember to use a la with one o’clock as it is singular.

For example:

Como a la una y media. - I eat at half past one.

Practise what you've learned about telling the time in Spanish with this quiz.

Now you have learned about telling the time in Spanish why not explore ongoing actions in the present tense in Spanish?