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Telling time in Spanish is not difficult if you can remember a few simple rules. First, let’s look at a clock with time translations in Spanish:

So, what time does it say…in Spanish?

Son las cuatro menos diez. — It's ten to four.

Literally, “It is four minus ten.” Here’s why Spanish speakers convey time the way they do, including all the rules you need to remember:

1. First say the hour, then the minutes.

2. The hour number is always plural, except when denoting “one”.

12 = Son las doce...
1 = Es la una...
2 = Son las dos...
3 = Son las tres...
4 = Son las cuatro...
5 = Son las cinco...
6 = Son las seis...
7 = Son las siete...
8 = Son las ocho...
9 = Son las nueve...
10 = Son las diez...
11 = Son las once...

3. If it’s before the hour, except “quarter till”, you say menos followed by the number of minutes.

4. If it’s after the hour, except “quarter past”, you say y followed by the number of minutes.

Son las nueve y veinte. — It's nine-twenty. Or, It's twenty past nine.

5. Always say “the” (definite article) before the hour.

La una, las dos, las tres, etc.

6. If it’s exactly the hour, say en punto.

Son las doce en punto — It's twelve o'clock.

7. If it’s “half past” the hour say y media.

Son las cinco y media — It's five-thirty. Or, It's half past five.

8. If it’s “quarter past”, say …y cuarto. If it’s “quarter to”, say …menos cuarto.

Son las tres y cuarto. — It's three-fifteen. Or, It's quarter after three.
Es la una menos cuarto. — It's quarter till one.

Remember, you might say in English, “It’s twelve forty-five”, but Spanish speakers do not.

Hope you’ve had “una hora agradable.”

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Related lesson: How to Say “What Time Is It?” in Spanish.