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Learn to Tell Time in Spanish with Easy Conversations

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Telling Time in Spanish: A Beginner’s Guide

Learning a new language can be exciting, but it can also feel daunting. One of the first things you’ll want to learn is how to tell time, and Spanish is no exception. In this guide, we’ll break down the basics of telling time in Spanish, making it easy for you to understand and start using it in your daily conversations.

Key Phrases for Telling Time in Spanish

Let’s start with the essential phrases you’ll need to tell time in Spanish:

  • **¿Qué hora es?** (What time is it?)
  • **Son las…** (It’s…)
  • **Es la…** (It’s…)

You’ll use “Son las” for times from 1 to 5 and 7 to 12, and “Es la” for times from 6 and 1 to 6.

Understanding the Hours

In Spanish, the hours are expressed from 1 to 12, just like in English. However, there are some key differences:

  • **1:00 PM:** **La una** (The one)
  • **2:00 PM:** **Las dos** (The two)
  • **3:00 PM:** **Las tres** (The three)
  • **…**
  • **12:00 PM:** **Las doce** (The twelve)

For times after noon, you’ll use **de la tarde** (of the afternoon). For times before noon, you’ll use **de la mañana** (of the morning).

Minutes in Spanish

To express minutes, you’ll use the word **y** (and) followed by the number of minutes. Here’s how it works:

  • **1:15 PM:** **La una y cuarto** (The one and a quarter)
  • **2:30 PM:** **Las dos y media** (The two and a half)
  • **3:45 PM:** **Las tres y cuarto** (The three and a quarter)

Example Conversations

Let’s see how these phrases are used in real-life conversations:

**Conversation 1:**

  • **Person A:** ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
  • **Person B:** Son las tres y media de la tarde. (It’s 3:30 PM.)

**Conversation 2:**

  • **Person A:** ¿A qué hora te levantas? (What time do you wake up?)
  • **Person B:** Me levanto a las siete de la mañana. (I wake up at 7 AM.)

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to learn how to tell time in Spanish is to practice. Try using these phrases in your daily conversations. You can also watch Spanish-language TV shows or movies to hear how native speakers use these expressions. With a little effort, you’ll be telling time in Spanish like a pro in no time!

Conversation Practice