Understanding the Basics of Telling Time in Spanish

Before diving into specific phrases and examples, it’s important to understand the basic structure of telling time in Spanish. The Spanish language uses a 12-hour clock system in everyday conversation, often accompanied by clarifications such as de la mañana (in the morning), de la tarde (in the afternoon), and de la noche (at night). For formal contexts, especially in written schedules and timetables, the 24-hour clock is also common.

Key Components of Spanish Time-Telling

• La hora (The hour): Expressed using the verb ser (to be), typically es for one o’clock and son for all other hours.
• Los minutos (The minutes): Specified after the hour using simple numeric values.
• AM and PM distinctions: Clarified by adding de la mañana, de la tarde, or de la noche.
• Quarter and half hours: Expressed using terms like cuarto (quarter) and media (half).

How to Say the Hour in Spanish

The first step in telling time is stating the hour. Spanish uses the verb ser to indicate the time:

• For 1:00 o’clock, use Es la una. (It is one o’clock.)
• For all other hours, use Son las [number]. (It is [number] o’clock.)

Here are some examples:

• 1:00 – Es la una.
• 2:00 – Son las dos.
• 5:00 – Son las cinco.
• 10:00 – Son las diez.

Note that the hour number must always be plural after one o’clock, and the article changes accordingly.

Numbers 1-12 for Hours

To tell the time, you need to know numbers 1 through 12 in Spanish:

• 1 – uno (used as “una” for feminine nouns like “la hora”)
• 2 – dos
• 3 – tres
• 4 – cuatro
• 5 – cinco
• 6 – seis
• 7 – siete
• 8 – ocho
• 9 – nueve
• 10 – diez
• 11 – once
• 12 – doce

Expressing Minutes After the Hour

After stating the hour, minutes are added using the word y (and) followed by the number of minutes:

• 3:10 – Son las tres y diez. (It is ten minutes past three.)
• 4:25 – Son las cuatro y veinticinco. (It is twenty-five minutes past four.)
• 7:07 – Son las siete y siete. (It is seven minutes past seven.)

Common Time Expressions Using Minutes

• Quarter past: y cuarto (15 minutes past the hour)
• Half past: y media (30 minutes past the hour)
• Quarter to: menos cuarto (15 minutes before the next hour)

Example sentences:

• 2:15 – Son las dos y cuarto.
• 6:30 – Son las seis y media.
• 8:45 – Son las nueve menos cuarto. (It is a quarter to nine.)

Using “Menos” to Express Minutes Before the Hour

When the minutes are greater than 30, Spanish often expresses time by subtracting the remaining minutes from the next hour. This method uses the word menos (minus):

• 5:50 – Son las seis menos diez. (It is ten minutes to six.)
• 11:40 – Son las doce menos veinte. (It is twenty minutes to twelve.)
• 1:35 – Son las dos menos veinticinco. (It is twenty-five minutes to two.)

This is a common and natural way to talk about time in everyday Spanish.

Specifying Time of Day: AM and PM

Since Spanish typically uses the 12-hour clock, it’s important to clarify whether the time is in the morning, afternoon, or night. This is done by adding the phrase:

• de la mañana – in the morning (usually from midnight to noon)
• de la tarde – in the afternoon (from noon until early evening)
• de la noche – in the evening or night

Examples:

• 7:00 AM – Son las siete de la mañana.
• 3:00 PM – Son las tres de la tarde.
• 10:00 PM – Son las diez de la noche.

In formal contexts such as schedules and timetables, the 24-hour clock is frequently used, especially in Spain and Latin America.

Using the 24-Hour Clock in Spanish

The 24-hour clock is commonly used for official purposes such as transportation schedules, TV programming, and business hours. It avoids ambiguity by counting hours from 0 to 23.

• 1:00 AM – 01:00 or la una de la madrugada (early morning)
• 2:00 PM – 14:00
• 11:00 PM – 23:00

When reading 24-hour times aloud, Spanish speakers often use the standard hour and minutes format, for example, 14:30 would be las catorce treinta. However, casual conversations typically revert to the 12-hour clock with time of day clarifications.

Common Phrases and Questions About Time in Spanish

Learning how to ask and answer questions about time is just as important as telling it.

Common Questions

• ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
• ¿A qué hora…? – At what time…?
• ¿Cuándo…? – When…?

Common Responses

• Es la una. – It’s one o’clock.
• Son las tres y media. – It’s half past three.
• Son las cinco menos cuarto. – It’s a quarter to five.
• Es a las siete de la tarde. – It’s at seven in the evening.

Tips for Learning to Tell Time in Spanish

Mastering telling time requires practice and exposure. Here are some effective tips:

• Practice with real-life examples: Use Talkpal to simulate everyday conversations about time, appointments, and schedules.
• Use visual aids: Study clock faces labeled in Spanish to associate numbers with phrases.
• Listen and repeat: Engage with Spanish audio resources to hear natural pronunciation and intonation.
• Memorize key phrases: Commit common expressions like y cuarto, y media, and menos cuarto to memory.
• Practice writing: Write down times in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats to reinforce learning.
• Engage in conversations: Use language exchange platforms such as Talkpal to practice asking and telling time with native speakers.

Conclusion

Telling time in Spanish is a fundamental skill that opens the door to more fluid and confident communication. By understanding the structure of hours and minutes, utilizing common phrases, and distinguishing between formal and informal time expressions, learners can navigate daily interactions with ease. Platforms like Talkpal provide invaluable tools to practice these skills interactively, accelerating your path to fluency. With consistent practice and exposure to authentic usage, telling time in Spanish will become second nature, enhancing your overall language competence.