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  1. "Es la" is used for one o'clock because it is singular.
  2. "Son las" is used for all other hours because they are plural.
  3. To add minutes, use "y" after the hour up to 30 minutes.
  4. To subtract minutes, use "menos" before the hour after 30 minutes.
  5. Use en punto to indicate that it is an exact hour, with no additional minutes.
Formar la hora (Telling the time)Fórmula (Formula)Ejemplo (Example)
En punto (On the dot)Es la / Son las + Hora (+ en punto)Es la una. (It is one.)
Son las cinco en punto. (It is five o'clock.)
Añadir minutos (Add minutes)Hora + y + minutosSon las dos y diez. (It is two ten.)
Son las cuatro y media. (It is half past four.)
Restar minutos (Subtract minutes)Hora + menos + minutosSon las seis menos veinte. (It is twenty to six.)
Es la una menos cuarto. (It is one quarter to.)
Momento del día (Time of day)Hora + de la mañanaEs la una de la mañana. (It is one in the morning.)
Hora + de la tardeSon las tres de la tarde. (It is three in the afternoon.)
Hora + de la nocheSon las once de la noche. (It is eleven at night.)

Exceptions!

  1. Use "y media" to indicate exactly thirty minutes past the hour. For example: 17:30 PM.
  2. Use "cuarto" to indicate exactly fifteen minutes before or after the hour. For example: 09:45 am or 15:15 pm

Exercise 1: ¿Cómo decir la hora?

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

cuatro y cuarto, once y cinco, diez menos cuarto, la una, dos y cinco, cinco, ocho y media

1. 09:45 AM:
Son las ... de la mañana.
(It is quarter to ten in the morning.)
2. 5:00 AM:
Son las ... de la mañana.
(It is five o'clock in the morning.)
3. 23:05 PM:
Son las ... de la noche.
(It is five past eleven in the evening.)
4. 2:05 AM:
Son las ... de la noche.
(It is five past two in the morning.)
5. 20:30 PM:
Son las ... de la noche.
(It is half past eight in the evening.)
6. 13:00 PM:
Es ... en punto de la tarde.
(It is one o'clock in the afternoon.)
7. 16:15 PM:
Son las ... de la tarde.
(It is quarter past four in the afternoon.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Son las tres ___ cuarto de la tarde.

(It is quarter past three in the afternoon.)

2. Es la una ___ punto de la mañana.

(It is one o'clock in the morning.)

3. Son las cinco ___ veinte de la tarde.

(It is twenty to five in the afternoon.)

4. Son las ocho ___ media de la noche.

(It is half past eight in the evening.)

5. ¿Qué hora es? Son las nueve ___ la noche.

(What time is it? It is nine o'clock at night.)

6. Llego a las siete ___ cinco de la mañana.

(I arrive at five past seven in the morning.)