Introduction
Learning to express time and dates in Spanish is essential for daily communication. It helps you schedule meetings, make appointments, and understand the calendar.
Telling Time
In Spanish, time is expressed using the phrase "son las..." for most hours and "es la..." for 1 o'clock.
Common Phrases
- Es la una.
- It's 1:00.
- Son las dos.
- It's 2:00.
- Son las tres.
- It's 3:00.
- Son las cuatro.
- It's 4:00.
- Son las cinco.
- It's 5:00.
- Son las seis.
- It's 6:00.
- Son las siete.
- It's 7:00.
- Son las ocho.
- It's 8:00.
- Son las nueve.
- It's 9:00.
- Son las diez.
- It's 10:00.
- Son las once.
- It's 11:00.
- Son las doce.
- It's 12:00.
Minutes
- ...y cinco
- :05 (five minutes past)
- ...y diez
- :10 (ten minutes past)
- ...y quince
- :15 (quarter past)
- ...y veinte
- :20 (twenty minutes past)
- ...y veinticinco
- :25 (twenty-five minutes past)
- ...y media
- :30 (half past)
Examples
- Son las dos y cinco.
- It's 2:05.
- Son las tres y quince.
- It's 3:15.
- Son las cuatro y media.
- It's 4:30.
Hour + Minutes
- Son las cinco y veinte.
- It's 5:20.
- Son las seis y media.
- It's 6:30.
"Menos" (To)
Use "menos" to indicate time before the next hour.
- Son las siete menos diez.
- It's 6:50.
- Son las ocho menos cinco.
- It's 7:55.
Parts of the Day
- de la mañana
- in the morning
- de la tarde
- in the afternoon
- de la noche
- at night
Examples
- Son las nueve de la mañana.
- It's 9:00 in the morning.
- Son las cuatro de la tarde.
- It's 4:00 in the afternoon.
- Son las diez de la noche.
- It's 10:00 at night.
Expressing Dates
Dates in Spanish follow the format: day + month + year.
Common Phrases
- Hoy es lunes.
- Today is Monday.
- La fecha es 5 de octubre de 2023.
- The date is October 5, 2023.
Days of the Week
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| lunes | Monday |
| martes | Tuesday |
| miércoles | Wednesday |
| jueves | Thursday |
| viernes | Friday |
| sábado | Saturday |
| domingo | Sunday |
Months of the Year
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| enero | January |
| febrero | February |
| marzo | March |
| abril | April |
| mayo | May |
| junio | June |
| julio | July |
| agosto | August |
| septiembre | September |
| octubre | October |
| noviembre | November |
| diciembre | December |
Example Sentences
- Hoy es martes.
- Today is Tuesday.
- Es viernes, 3 de marzo de 2023.
- It's Friday, March 3, 2023.
- Mi cumpleaños es el 10 de julio.
- My birthday is on July 10th.
Conclusion
Mastering how to tell time and express dates in Spanish will enhance your ability to communicate effectively in everyday situations. By using the phrases and vocabulary provided, you'll be able to convey precise information about schedules and events.