Learning how to tell time in Spanish is an essential skill for effective communication. This beginner’s guide covers the basics of telling time in Spanish, including the use of hours, minutes, and time expressions.
Whether you’re traveling to a Spanish-speaking country or simply want to improve your language skills, this beginner’s guide will explore the basics of telling time in Spanish, including the use of hours, minutes, and time expressions.
How to Tell the Time in Spanish
The Spanish language uses the 12-hour clock system, just like English. Here’s how to tell time in Spanish:
Hours: To say the hour in Spanish, use the phrase “son las” followed by the number of the hour. For example, “son las dos” means “it’s two o’clock.”
Exception: Only when it’s 1.00 am/pm, use the phrase “es la una”.
Minutes: To express minutes in Spanish, use the phrase “y” (and) between the hour and the minutes. For example, “son las cinco y diez” means “it’s ten past five.”
Remember to use “es la una” for 1.00. For example, “es la una y diez” means “it’s ten past one”.
Half hours: To say the half-hour in Spanish, use the phrase “y media“. For example, “son las dos y media” means “it’s half past two”.
Remember to say “es la una y media” which means “it’s half past one”.
Quarters of an hour: To say the quarters of an hour in Spanish, use the phrase “y cuarto” which means “a quarter past” or “menos cuarto” which means “a quarter to”. For example, “son las tres y cuarto” means “it’s a quarter past three”, “es la una y cuarto” means “it’s a quarter past one”.
On the other hand, say “son las tres menos cuarto” to express “it’s a quarter to four” or “es la una menos cuarto” to say “it’s a quarter to one”.
Do people use the analogue or digital time?
The answer depends on each individual. In Spanish it’s very common to use the analogue time expressions as we saw above.
If you tell the time using the digital form, make sure you know the numbers correctly to avoid mistakes.
Here’s a list with examples:
| Digital time: | Spanish |
| 3:17 | Son las tres y diecisiete. |
| 1:24 | Es la una y veinticuatro. |
| 9:35 | Son las nueve y treinta y cinco. |
| 11:56 | Son las once y cincuenta y seis. |
How to tell the time with the analogue clock in Spanish?
As you can see in the photo below, we can divide the clock between the “y” (and) and “menos” (to) to refer to the time.
On the right side to tell the minutes, use the following phrases:
1: y cinco
2: y diez
3: y cuarto / y quince
4: y veinte
5: y veinticinco
On the left side , use these phrases:
7: menos veinticinco
8: menos veinte
9: menos cuarto
10: menos diez
11: menos cinco
Here are a few examples:
| Time: | Spanish |
| 3:10 | Son las tres y diez. |
| 1:25 | Es la una y veinticinco. |
| 4:20 | Son las cuatro y veinte. |
| 9:35 | Son las diez menos veinticinco. |
| 11:55 | Son las doce menos cinco. |
Time Expressions: There are several time expressions commonly used in Spanish to indicate the time of day. Here are a few examples:
- de la mañana (in the morning): Used for times between 12:00 am and 12:00 pm
- de la tarde (in the afternoon/evening): Used for times between 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm
- de la noche (at night): Used for times between 7:00 pm and 12:00 am
Examples:
| Spanish | English |
| Son las ocho de la mañana. | It’s 8:00 in the morning. |
| Son las tres y media de la tarde. | It’s 3:30 in the afternoon. |
| Son las once de la noche | It’s 11:00 at night. |
