Knowing how to ask and tell the time helps you arrange meetings and understand schedules.
The idea
Ask ¿Qué hora es? Say es la una at one o’clock, but son las dos for two and later hours. Add y media for half past, y cuarto for quarter past and menos cuarto for quarter to the named hour. Use a las nueve for an event at nine.
Examples
- ¿Qué hora es?What time is it?
- Es la una.It is one o’clock.
- Son las dos y media.It is half past two.
- Son las cuatro y cuarto.It is quarter past four.
- Son las seis menos cuarto.It is quarter to six.
- La reunión empieza a las nueve.The meeting starts at nine.
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Watch out
Use singular es la only for one o’clock; other hours normally use plural son las. Specify morning or evening when the context does not make it clear.
Try it yourself
1:00 → ___ la una. (Es / Son)
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Es
Es agrees with the singular hour la una.
2:30 → Son las dos y ___. (media / menos)
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media
Media after y means half past.
4:15 → Son las cuatro y ___. (cuarto / nueve)
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cuarto
Cuarto after y means a quarter past.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Spanish sentences where available. We keep your score.
1:00 → ___ la una. (Es / Son)
2:30 → Son las dos y ___. (media / menos)
4:15 → Son las cuatro y ___. (cuarto / nueve)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Ask the time, say it is half past two and arrange an event for nine o’clock.