La hora

The traditional way to tell time in Spanish is by dividing the clock in half. The right side uses “y” to add minutes to the hour. Once the minute hand passes “6”, we must express the next hour and use “menos” to subtract the minutes. If the time is exactly on the hour, we can add the expression “en punto.” If it is “about “ a certain time, we say “a eso de” before stating the hour.

menos y

• When telling clock time in Spanish, we do not use the expression “o’clock.” Instead, we express the hour, plus or minus minutes.

Es la una (y/menos) # minutos.Son las dos (y/menos) # minutos.

Note: dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, and doce all use “Son las.”

In Spanish, the phrase “Es la” is used to tell the time, whenever the hour being expressed is “una” (one).

Es la una en punto. = It is one o’clock on the dot.

Es a eso de la una.= It is about one o’clock.

Es la una y diez. = It is 1:10.

Es la una menos cinco. = It is 12:55.

• The expressions a.m. and p.m. do not exist in Spanish. Instead, after a specifically stated time, we say:– de la mañana (a.m.)– de la tarde (p.m.) before sunset– de la noche (p.m.) after sunset

Note: When no specific time is stated, we use:• por la mañana (in the morning)• por la tarde (in the afternoon)• por la noche (in the evening)

When the hour is “12” you can express the

time in more than one way. They include:

It is 12:00 p.m. = Son las doce de la tarde.

It is noon. = Es el mediodía.

It is 12:00 a.m. = Son las doce de la mañana.

It is midnight. = Es la medianoche.

• In order to add and subtract minutes, you must know the numbers from 1-30.

• Instead of 15, you may use the word “cuarto.”

• Instead of 30, you may use the word “media.”

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 12:05.• Son las doce y cinco.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 11:11 a.m.• Son las once y once de la mañana.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 2:15 p.m.• Son las dos y quince de la tarde.• Son las dos y cuarto de la tarde.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 6:20 p.m.• Son las seis y veinte de la noche.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 3:30 p.m.• Son las tres y treinta de la tarde.• Son las tres y media de la tarde.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 1:35.• Son las dos menos veinte y cinco.

¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?

• It is 6:45.• Son las siete menos quince.• Son las siete menos cuarto.

Telling the time of an event ( at what time an event takes place)

• ¿A qué hora es + (the event)? = At what time is the event?

• (The event) + es a la/las… = The event is at + time.

– ¿A qué hora es el partido? – El partido es a las tres en punto.– ¿A qué hora es la misa?– La misa es a la una y media.

A Uds. les toca…

• Ask your partner: What time is it? • Your partner must answer according to the

clock.• Take turns.

Express as “on the dot.”

Express as a.m.

Express as p.m.

Express each time in two ways.

El reloj digital

• With the widespread use of digital clocks, 1:40 can now be expressed without using the “menos.” In this case, you’ll need to know the numbers through 59.

Son las dos menos veinte.

or

Es la una y cuarenta.

24 hour time

• Sometimes, on schedules, formal invitations and posted events you may see the 24- hour time system used.

Midnight = 0:00 1:00 a.m. = 1:00

Noon = 12:00 1:00 p.m. = 13:00

For p.m., you must add 12 to the a.m. i.e. 7:30 p.m. = 19:30

GuiaTV.comCalendario Eurocopa 2008 - Los partidos son televisados en España por la cadena Cuatroº

• Junio 2008

• Partido inaugural Suiza - Rep. Checa 18:00h• Domingo 8 Fase de grupos Alemania - Polonia

20:45h • Lunes 9 Fase de grupos Holanda - Italia 20:45h• Martes 10 Fase de grupos España - Rusia 18:00h• Miércoles 11 Fase de grupos Suiza - Turquía 20:45h• Jueves 12 Fase de grupos Austria - Polonia 20:45h• Viernes 13 Fase de grupos Holanda - Francia 20:45h• Sábado 14 Fase de grupos Suecia - España 18:00h

¿A qué hora es…? At what time is…?

• To ask the time on the clock, we have used ¿Qué hora es?

• In order to ask at what time an event takes place, just ask ¿ A qué hora es + the event?

• NOTE: In English, we can ask this question in two ways: At what time is the flight? or What time is the flight? In Spanish, we always use At what time is the flight? (¿A qué hora es el vuelo?)

A Uds. les toca…• Ask your partner at what time the event

takes place.• He will answer according to the clock.• Take turns.

• el partido (the game)• el baile (the dance)

• la fiesta (the party)• la clase de español (Spanish class)

• la misa (Mass)• el concierto (the concert)