Spanish: Asking and Telling the Time

Asking the time

• Informal: "Qué hora es?" (What time is it?)
• Informal: "Qué hora tienes?" (What time do you have?)
• Formal: "Disculpe, me puede decir la hora?" (Excuse me, can you tell me the time?)
• Formal: "Perdone, ¿tiene hora?" (Excuse me, do you have the time?)
• Formal: "Disculpe, ¿qué hora es?" (Excuse me, what time is it?)

Telling the Time

• Structure: State the hour first, then the minutes.

• Hour: "Es la 1" (It's one o'clock), "Son las 2" (It's two o'clock), "Son las 3"(It's three o'clock) ...

• Minutes:

  • "Son las 2 en punto" (It's two o'clock sharp)
  • "Son las 2:05" (It's two oh five)
  • "Son las 2:10" (It's two ten)
  • "Son las 2 y cuarto" (It's two fifteen)
  • "Son las 2:20" (It's two twenty)
  • "Son las 2:30" (It's two thirty)
  • "Son las 2:35" (It's two thirty-five)

• Minutes after the half hour:

  • Use subtraction with minutes:
    • "Son las 3 - 25" (It's three thirty-five)
    • "Son las 3 - 20" (It's three forty)
    • "Son las 3 - 4" (It's three fifty-six)
    • "Son las 3 -1" (It's three fifty-nine)
    • "Son las 3 - 5" (It's three fifty-five)

• Approximations:

  • "Son casi las 2" (It's almost two o'clock)
  • "Pocos minutos antes de las 2" (A few minutes before two)
  • "Son las 2 pasadas" (A few minutes past two)

Practice Time

• Use examples to practice.
• Practice saying and asking for the time.
• Practice various levels of formality in different situations.

This quiz will test your knowledge of how to ask and tell the time in Spanish, including both informal and formal expressions. You'll practice stating the hour and minutes, as well as using approximations and subtraction for telling time. Enhance your Spanish skills in everyday situations!