Learn How to Ask and Tell Time in Spanish with Examples and Exercises

How to Ask and Tell Time in Spanish

Learning how to ask and tell time in Spanish is one of the most practical and essential skills you’ll need as a Spanish learner. Whether you’re traveling, scheduling a meeting, or chatting casually with friends, knowing how to express time accurately will boost your confidence and fluency.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know—from asking the time to telling the time in Spanish, including grammar rules, cultural notes, common phrases, and practice examples.

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Why Learning to Tell Time in Spanish Is Important

Being able to tell time in Spanish is more than just a grammar exercise—it’s about communication. Time expressions are part of daily life:

• Setting up meetings or classes.
• Making travel plans or asking for train/bus schedules.
• Talking about events, TV shows, or deadlines.
• Practicing polite conversations in Spanish-speaking countries.

If you want to learn Spanish for real-life situations, mastering time is non-negotiable.

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How to Ask the Time in Spanish

The most common way to ask for the time in Spanish is:

• ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?

Other useful variations include:

• ¿Tiene hora? – Do you have the time? (more polite/formal).
• ¿Me puede decir la hora? – Can you tell me the time?

👉 Pro tip: Spanish learners should always remember that “hora” means “hour,” not “time” in general. If you want to ask about “time” as in duration, you’d use tiempo.

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The Basics of Telling Time in Spanish

When telling the time, Spanish uses “ser” (to be) in the third person.

• Es la una. → It’s one o’clock.
• Son las dos. → It’s two o’clock.

Key Rules:

1. Use “es” for one o’clock (singular).
   • Es la una (It’s one o’clock).
2. Use “son” for all other hours (plural).
   • Son las cinco (It’s five o’clock).

This small distinction is essential for accuracy.

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Hours and Minutes in Spanish

Once you know the hours, you can add minutes just like in English.

• Son las tres y cinco. → It’s 3:05.
• Son las siete y media. → It’s 7:30.
• Son las nueve y cuarto. → It’s 9:15.

Special Expressions:

• y cuarto → quarter past
• y media → half past
• menos cuarto → quarter to

Example:

• Son las ocho menos cuarto. → It’s 7:45 (quarter to 8).

👉 Voice-search tip: Learners often say “Spanish time telling rules” or “How do you say 7:45 in Spanish?” This blog covers those queries naturally.

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Using AM and PM in Spanish

Unlike English, Spanish often avoids “AM” and “PM” in everyday speech. Instead, it uses parts of the day:

• de la mañana → in the morning
• de la tarde → in the afternoon
• de la noche → at night

Examples:

• Son las diez de la mañana. → It’s 10 AM.
• Son las ocho de la noche. → It’s 8 PM.

AM/PM abbreviations (a. m. / p. m.) are still used in written, formal, or digital contexts (flight times, official schedules, etc.).

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Asking and Telling Time in Different Contexts

To make your Spanish more natural, adapt your time expressions based on situations.

• Casual Conversation:
  • ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
  • Son las tres y media. – It’s 3:30.
• Formal/Polite Situations:
  • ¿Me puede decir la hora, por favor? – Could you please tell me the time?
  • Claro, son las cinco en punto. – Of course, it’s exactly five o’clock.
• Travel or Daily Life:
  • ¿A qué hora sale el tren? – What time does the train leave?
  • El tren sale a las seis de la tarde. – The train leaves at 6 PM.

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Cultural Note: The 24-Hour Clock in Spanish

In many Spanish-speaking countries, especially in official settings, people use the 24-hour clock.

• 14:00 → Son las dos de la tarde.
• 21:30 → Son las nueve y media de la noche.

This is common in timetables, airlines, hospitals, and military contexts. For daily conversation, though, the 12-hour format with de la mañana/tarde/noche is more common.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Telling Time in Spanish

1. ❌ Saying “es las dos” → Correct form: Son las dos.
2. ❌ Forgetting to use singular es la una for 1 o’clock.
3. ❌ Mixing up hora (hour) with tiempo (time in general).
4. ❌ Using AM/PM in casual conversations—stick with mañana, tarde, noche.

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Practice Sentences: Telling Time in Spanish

Here are 20 practical examples you can use to practice asking and telling time in Spanish:

1. Es la una en punto. – It’s exactly one o’clock.
2. Son las dos y cinco. – It’s 2:05.
3. Son las tres y cuarto. – It’s 3:15.
4. Son las cuatro y veinte. – It’s 4:20.
5. Son las cinco y media. – It’s 5:30.
6. Son las seis menos diez. – It’s 5:50.
7. Son las siete menos cuarto. – It’s 6:45.
8. Son las ocho en punto. – It’s 8 o’clock sharp.
9. Son las nueve de la mañana. – It’s 9 in the morning.
10. Son las diez de la noche. – It’s 10 at night.
11. Son las once y media de la tarde. – It’s 11:30 in the afternoon.
12. Es mediodía. – It’s noon.
13. Es medianoche. – It’s midnight.
14. Son las dos menos cuarto. – It’s 1:45.
15. Son las tres y cuarenta. – It’s 3:40.
16. Son las cuatro de la madrugada. – It’s 4 AM (early morning).
17. Son las seis en punto. – It’s exactly 6 o’clock.
18. Son las doce y diez de la noche. – It’s 12:10 at night.
19. Son las quince horas. – It’s 3 PM (24-hour clock).
20. Son las veintidós horas. – It’s 10 PM (24-hour clock).

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Exercises: Practice Asking and Telling Time in Spanish

Try filling in the blanks:

1. Son las ______ (3:15).
2. Es la ______ (1:00).
3. Son las ______ de la tarde (6:45 PM).
4. Son las ______ y media (8:30).
5. El tren sale a las ______ (10 AM).
6. La clase empieza a las ______ (2:20 PM).
7. La película termina a las ______ (9:50 PM).
8. Son las ______ de la mañana (11:30 AM).
9. El vuelo despega a las ______ (5:00 AM).
10. El concierto empieza a las ______ (7:15 PM).

✅ Answers

1. Son las tres y cuarto. – It’s 3:15.
2. Es la una. – It’s 1:00.
3. Son las siete menos cuarto de la tarde. – It’s 6:45 PM.
4. Son las ocho y media. – It’s 8:30.
5. El tren sale a las diez de la mañana. – The train leaves at 10 AM.
6. La clase empieza a las dos y veinte de la tarde. – The class begins at 2:20 PM.
7. La película termina a las diez menos diez de la noche. – The movie ends at 9:50 PM.
8. Son las once y media de la mañana. – It’s 11:30 AM.
9. El vuelo despega a las cinco de la mañana. – The flight takes off at 5:00 AM.
10. El concierto empieza a las siete y cuarto de la noche. – The concert begins at 7:15 PM.

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FAQs About Telling Time in Spanish

Q1: How do I ask “What time is it now?” in Spanish?
→ ¿Qué hora es ahora?

Q2: How do I say “What time does the class start?” in Spanish?
→ ¿A qué hora empieza la clase?

Q3: Is there a difference between Spain and Latin America when telling time?
→ Both use the same grammar. Spain tends to use the 24-hour clock more often in daily life.

Q4: Do Spanish speakers use AM and PM like English speakers?
→ Yes, in formal/written contexts, but in conversation, they use de la mañana, de la tarde, de la noche.

Q5: How do you say “It’s midnight” and “It’s noon”?
→ Es medianoche (midnight), Es mediodía (noon).

Q6: How do you say “What time is the train?”
→ ¿A qué hora es el tren?

Q7: What’s the difference between “hora” and “tiempo”?
→ Hora = specific time of the day, tiempo = general time/duration.

Q8: How do I say “at” a certain time in Spanish?
→ Use a las… → La reunión es a las cinco. (The meeting is at 5.)

Q9: How do you say “on the dot” in Spanish?
→ En punto → Son las ocho en punto. (It’s 8 sharp.)

Q10: How do you say “What time do you wake up?” in Spanish?
→ ¿A qué hora te despiertas?

Q11: How do you say “quarter past” and “quarter to” in Spanish?
→ y cuarto (quarter past), menos cuarto (quarter to).

Q12: How do I ask “How long does it take?” in Spanish?
→ ¿Cuánto tiempo tarda? (Notice: tiempo, not hora).

Q13: How do you say “half past” in Spanish?
→ y media → Son las seis y media. (It’s 6:30.)

Q14: How do I say “around 5 o’clock” in Spanish?
→ A eso de las cinco or sobre las cinco.

Q15: What’s the polite way to ask the time in Spanish?
→ ¿Me puede decir la hora, por favor? (Could you tell me the time, please?)

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Key Takeaways: How to Tell Time in Spanish

• Use “Es la” for 1 o’clock, “Son las” for all other hours.
• Add y cuarto, y media, menos cuarto for minutes.
• Use de la mañana, de la tarde, de la noche instead of AM/PM.
• In official contexts, expect the 24-hour clock.
• Practice daily with real-life questions: ¿Qué hora es? ¿A qué hora…?

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Conclusion: Start Using Spanish Time Today

Now that you know how to ask and tell time in Spanish, you’re ready to practice in real conversations. This skill will help you when traveling, studying, or working with Spanish speakers.

The more you integrate these expressions into your daily routine, the faster you’ll sound natural. Try asking yourself the time in Spanish, set your phone language to Spanish, or practice with a friend.

👉 Want more step-by-step lessons? Visit MyLanguageClasses.in for in-depth guides, practice exercises, and expert tips to learn Spanish with confidence.