Fundamentos

Telling Time

¡Hola estudiantes! Today we are going to talk about telling time in Spanish. Telling time is an essential skill in any language, and it’s no different in Spanish. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of telling time, including the vocabulary and grammar you’ll need to know.

To tell time in Spanish, you’ll need to know two things: the numbers and the words for “hour” and “minute.” Let’s start with the numbers. The numbers in Spanish are:

1 - uno 2 - dos 3 - tres 4 - cuatro 5 - cinco 6 - seis 7 - siete 8 - ocho 9 - nueve 10 - diez 11 - once 12 - doce

After 12, the numbers follow a pattern. For example, 13 is trece (10 + 3), 14 is catorce (10 + 4), and so on up to 19, which is diecinueve (10 + 9). From 20 on, the pattern changes. For example, 20 is veinte, 21 is veintiuno (20 + 1), 22 is veintidós (20 + 2), and so on.

Now let’s look at the words for “hour” and “minute.” The Spanish word for “hour” is hora, and the word for “minute” is minuto. When telling time in Spanish, you’ll use the following formula:

[hour] + [y] + [minutes]

For example, to say “It’s 3:15,” you would say:

Son las tres y quince.

“Son las” is a phrase that means “It is,” and “y” means “and.” So “Son las tres y quince” literally translates to “It is three and fifteen.”

If you want to say “It’s 2:30,” you would say:

Son las dos y media.

“Media” means “half,” so “Son las dos y media” means “It is two and a half.”

Remember, in Spanish we use the 24-hour clock, so if you want to say “It’s 7 pm,” you would say:

Son las siete de la tarde.

“De la tarde” means “in the afternoon/evening,” and “de la mañana” means “in the morning.”

In conclusion, telling time in Spanish is easy once you know the basics. Remember the numbers, the words for “hour” and “minute,” and the formula [hour] + [y] + [minutes]. With a little practice, you’ll be telling time in Spanish like a pro!