What time is it?
Telling time in Spanish is not difficult if you can remember a few simple rules. First, let’s look at a clock with time translations in Spanish:
So, what time does it say…in Spanish?
They are ten to four. - It's ten to four.
Literally, “It is four minus ten.” Here’s why Spanish speakers convey time the way they do, including all the rules you need to remember:
1. First say the hour, then the minutes.
2. The hour number is always plural, except when denoting “one”.
12 = is twelve ... 1 = 2 = one ... two ... They are 3 = 4 = three ... four ... five are = It is five ... 6 = It is six ... 7 = is seven ... 8 = is eight ... 9 = It is nine ... 10 = ten o'clock ... 11 = eleven o'clock ...
3. If it’s before the hour, except “quarter till”, you say menos followed by the number of minutes.
4. If it’s after the hour, except “quarter past”, you say y followed by the number of minutes.
It is twenty past nine. - It's nine-twenty. Or, It's twenty past nine.
5. Always say “the” (definite article) before the hour.
One, two, three, etc.
6. If it’s exactly the hour, say en punto.
It's twelve o'clock - It's twelve o'clock.
7. If it’s “half past” the hour say y media.
Son las cinco y media — It's five-thirty. Or, It's half past five.
8. If it’s “quarter past”, say …y cuarto. If it’s “quarter to”, say …menos cuarto.
Son las tres y cuarto. — It's three-fifteen. Or, It's quarter after three. Es la una menos cuarto. — It's quarter till one.
Remember, you might say in English, “It’s twelve forty-five”, but Spanish speakers do not.
Hope you've had "a nice time."
Related lesson: .