Let’s be honest: if your time-telling skills in Spanish begin and end with '¿Qué hora es?', you’re basically a walking alarm clock for confusion. Whether you’re catching a train in Madrid or just trying to figure out when the heck dinner actually starts in Barcelona (hint: later than you think), here’s how to sound less like a tourist and more like someone who knows their reloj from their hora.
The Basics: How to Ask and Answer
First, the obvious:
¿Qué hora es?
/ke ˈoɾa es/“What time is it?”
Now, the answers. Spanish time-telling is blessedly straightforward once you get the hang of it. Here’s the formula:
- For exact hours: Son las [number] en punto (e.g., 'Son las tres en punto' = It’s 3:00 on the dot).
- For half past: Son las [number] y media ('Son las cinco y media' = 5:30).
- For quarter past/quarter to: y cuarto or menos cuarto ('Son las dos y cuarto' = 2:15; 'Son las tres menos cuarto' = 2:45).
Key Time-Related Vocabulary
| Spanish | English | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| mediodía | noon | /meðjoˈðia/ |
| medianoche | midnight | /meðjaˈnotʃe/ |
| mañana | morning | /maˈɲana/ |
| tarde | afternoon/evening | /ˈtaɾðe/ |
| noche | night | /ˈnotʃe/ |
Need more phrases for socialising? Check out our guide to fun Spanish phrases for making friends.
When Precision Matters: Schedules and Deadlines
Spanish has some delightful quirks for talking about timing. For example:
a tiempo
/a ˈtjempo/“on time”
con retraso
/kon reˈtɾaso/“delayed”
And for those moments when you’re fashionably late (or just lost):
- 'Llegaré en cinco minutos' = 'I’ll be there in five minutes' (spoiler: it’s never five minutes).
- '¿A qué hora cierra?' = 'What time does it close?' (essential for shops with very specific siesta schedules).
Bonus: Time-Related Idioms
Because why sound like a textbook when you can sound like a local?
Dar la hora
/daɾ la ˈoɾa/“To tell the time (literally 'to give the hour')”
A todas horas
/a ˈtoðas ˈoɾas/“At all hours”
Now go forth and schedule your life - or at least your next Spanish meme study session - with confidence.
