Telling Time in Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to tell time in Spanish is a fundamental skill for anyone learning the language. Whether you are scheduling meetings, making plans with friends, or simply asking for the time, mastering this aspect of Spanish will significantly enhance your communication skills. This comprehensive guide will cover everything you need to know about telling time in Spanish, including the vocabulary, grammar rules, and numerous examples to ensure you become proficient.

Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time

Before diving into the specifics of telling time, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with some basic vocabulary:

• Hora: hour
• Minuto: minute
• Segundo: second
• Reloj: clock/watch
• Es la una: It’s one o’clock
• Son las…: It’s… o’clock
• Media: half (30 minutes)
• Cuarto: quarter (15 minutes)
• Menos: minus
• En punto: on the dot

Telling Time: The Basics

Full Hours

To tell the time on the hour, use the phrase “Es la una” for one o’clock and “Son las…” for all other hours.

• Es la una. (It’s one o’clock.)
• Son las dos. (It’s two o’clock.)
• Son las tres. (It’s three o’clock.)

Adding Minutes

When specifying the minutes past the hour, use the conjunction “y” (and).

• Es la una y cinco. (It’s 1:05.)
• Son las dos y diez. (It’s 2:10.)
• Son las tres y veinte. (It’s 3:20.)

Half Hours

For half past the hour, use the word “media.”

• Es la una y media. (It’s 1:30.)
• Son las dos y media. (It’s 2:30.)

Quarter Hours

For quarter past the hour, use the word “cuarto.”

• Es la una y cuarto. (It’s 1:15.)
• Son las dos y cuarto. (It’s 2:15.)

For quarter to the hour, use “menos cuarto.”

• Es la una menos cuarto. (It’s 12:45.)
• Son las dos menos cuarto. (It’s 1:45.)

Advanced Time-Telling

Minutes to the Hour

To indicate minutes to the next hour, use “menos” followed by the number of minutes.

• Es la una menos diez. (It’s 12:50.)
• Son las tres menos cinco. (It’s 2:55.)

Specific Times

For specific times, combine the phrases and vocabulary.

• Es la una y veinte. (It’s 1:20.)
• Son las cuatro menos diez. (It’s 3:50.)
• Son las siete y veinticinco. (It’s 7:25.)

Time Expressions

In the Morning, Afternoon, and Evening

To specify times of the day, use the following expressions:

• de la mañana: in the morning
• de la tarde: in the afternoon/evening (after noon until 7 PM)
• de la noche: at night (after 7 PM)

Examples:

• Son las nueve de la mañana. (It’s 9:00 AM.)
• Es la una de la tarde. (It’s 1:00 PM.)
• Son las ocho de la noche. (It’s 8:00 PM.)

Asking for the Time

To ask for the time in Spanish, you can use these phrases:

• ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
• ¿Tienes hora? (Do you have the time?)
• ¿Me puedes decir la hora? (Can you tell me the time?)

Common Phrases Related to Time

Here are some common phrases and expressions related to time:

• A tiempo: on time
• Temprano: early
• Tarde: late
• A las…: at… (used to specify when something happens)
• La reunión es a las tres. (The meeting is at three.)

Examples in Context

1. Es la una y media de la tarde. (It’s 1:30 PM.)
2. Son las diez menos cuarto de la noche. (It’s 9:45 PM.)
3. ¿Qué hora es? Son las cuatro y diez. (What time is it? It’s 4:10.)
4. La clase empieza a las nueve de la mañana. (The class starts at 9:00 AM.)
5. Voy a llegar a las dos y cuarto. (I will arrive at 2:15.)

Practice Exercises

To reinforce your understanding of telling time in Spanish, try these exercises:

1. Translate the Times: Write the following times in Spanish:

• 3:15 PM
• 7:45 AM
• 12:30 PM
• 6:50 PM
• 10:00 AM

1. Complete the Sentences: Fill in the blanks with the correct time expressions:

• La fiesta empieza a las __ de la noche. (The party starts at 8:30 PM.)
• Llegaré a las __ de la mañana. (I will arrive at 7:00 AM.)
• Son las __ de la tarde. (It’s 3:45 PM.)
• La película empieza a las __ menos diez. (The movie starts at 5:50 PM.)

1. Match the Phrases: Match the Spanish time phrases with their English equivalents:

• Son las dos y media.
• Es la una menos cuarto.
• Son las cuatro de la tarde.
• Son las diez en punto.
• Son las siete y veinte.
• It’s 7:20.
• It’s 10:00 on the dot.
• It’s 4:00 PM.
• It’s 1:45.
• It’s 2:30.

1. Translate the Sentences: Translate the following sentences into Spanish:

• The meeting is at 3:00 PM.
• It’s 9:15 in the morning.
• Can you tell me the time?
• I will arrive at 7:45 PM.

Conclusion

Mastering the skill of telling time in Spanish is an essential part of learning the language. By understanding and practicing the vocabulary, grammar rules, and various expressions related to time, you will enhance your ability to communicate effectively in Spanish. Regular practice and real-life application will help solidify your understanding and make you more confident in your Spanish-speaking abilities.

Start incorporating these time-telling skills into your daily Spanish practice, and you’ll soon find yourself speaking with greater fluency and confidence. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)