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How to Tell Time in Spanish: A Beginner’s Guide

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Have you ever wondered how to tell time in Spanish? If so, you're in luck! In this blog post, we'll teach you everything you need to know about telling time in Spanish, from basic phrases to more advanced concepts. So whether you're just starting to learn Spanish or you're looking to brush up on your skills, read on for all the information you need.

Basic Spanish Phrases for Telling Time

To start, let's take a look at some basic Spanish phrases for telling time. These phrases will come in handy in a variety of situations, from everyday conversations to travel and business.

  • Son las ocho de la mañana (It's 8 in the morning)
  • Son las dos de la tarde (It's 2 in the afternoon)
  • Son las seis de la tarde (It's 6 in the evening)
  • Son las diez de la noche (It's 10 at night)

As you can see, the basic structure for telling time in Spanish is "Son las [hora] de la [mañana/tarde/noche]". The word "son" means "it is," and the word "las" is the feminine plural form of the definite article "el." The word "hora" means "hour," and the words "mañana," "tarde," and "noche" mean "morning," "afternoon," and "night," respectively.

Using the 24-Hour Clock in Spanish

In addition to the 12-hour clock, Spanish also uses the 24-hour clock. The 24-hour clock is often used in formal settings, such as business and government. To use the 24-hour clock, simply say the hour followed by the minutes. For example, 3:00 PM would be "quince horas" (15 hours).

Talking About Time in the Past and Future

To talk about time in the past or future, you can use the following phrases:

  • Eran las ocho de la mañana (It was 8 in the morning)
  • Serán las dos de la tarde (It will be 2 in the afternoon)

As you can see, the only difference between these phrases and the basic phrases for telling time is the use of the verbs "eran" (past tense of "ser") and "serán" (future tense of "ser").

Asking for the Time in Spanish

To ask for the time in Spanish, you can use the following phrase:

  • ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)

You can also use the following phrase to ask someone what time they have an appointment or event:

  • ¿A qué hora tienes tu cita? (What time is your appointment?)

Conclusion

Now that you know how to tell time in Spanish, you're ready to put your skills to the test! Practice using the phrases you've learned in this blog post, and you'll be speaking Spanish like a pro in no time.