Telling the time

◆To ask the time you say...

?Qué hora es? What time is it?

◆To ask at what time something happens you say...

?A qué hora…? At what time...?

?A qué hora es el desayuno? Literally: At what time is breakfast?

◆Times are always preceded by la or las.

13:00 La una One o’clock

17:00 Las cinco Five o’clock

14:00 Las dos Two o’clock

◆Times are given with the hour first. Then the equivalent of past, y, or to, menos, followed by the minutes.

7:20 Las siete y veinte Twenty past seven

18:50 Las siete menos diez Ten to seven

◆Y media is the equivalent of half past, and quarter is translated as cuarto

6:30 Las seis y media Half past six

4:45 Las cinco menos cuarto Quarter to five