Telling time in Spanish uses the verb ser and a few small words that work together. Once you see the pattern, it clicks fast. Below is everything from scratch, with a live clock to help you practice reading any time out loud.
Spanish uses ser to tell time. The tricky part is that una (one o'clock) uses a singular verb, and every other hour uses a plural verb.
One o'clock is singular, so the verb is es and the article is la.
Es la una. It's 1:00.
Es la una y media. It's 1:30.
Every other hour is plural, so the verb is son and the article is las.
Son las dos. It's 2:00.
Son las ocho. It's 8:00.
Es el mediodía. It's noon.
Es la medianoche. It's midnight.
From the hour up to the half hour, add minutes with y (and). A few shortcuts make common times faster to say.
Son las dos y diez. It's 2:10.
Son las cinco y veinte. It's 5:20.
Son las ocho y ocho. It's 8:08.
Use y cuarto or y quince for :15. Use y media or y treinta for :30. Both ways are correct.
Son las cuatro y cuarto. It's 4:15.
Son las nueve y media. It's 9:30.
Once you pass the half hour, Spanish counts down to the next hour using menos (minus). Think of it as saying "it's almost [next hour]."
Say the next hour first, then subtract the minutes.
Son las dos menos cuarto. It's 1:45. (2:00 minus 15)
Son las nueve menos diez. It's 8:50. (9:00 minus 10)
Son las ocho menos cinco. It's 7:55. (8:00 minus 5)
There's no hard rule, but most Spanish speakers switch to menos once you're past the half hour mark.
8:40 → Son las nueve menos veinte.
1:45 → Son las dos menos cuarto.
12:50 → Es la una menos diez.
Pick any time below. Say the time out loud in Spanish, then check the answer on the right.
These phrases come up constantly. Know them cold.
Two question patterns you'll use all the time.
The key words from this lesson. Cover the right side and quiz yourself.
Tap any card to check your answer.
Look at the digital time, say the full sentence in Spanish, then tap to check.
Translate each sentence into Spanish in your head, then tap to check.
Fill in the blank with the correct time in Spanish, then check your answers.