What time is it?

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🕒 How to Tell the Time in Spanish

1. Asking for the time

To ask the time in Spanish, use:
¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)

2. Answering the time

The structure is:
“Son las + hour + y/menos + minutes”
Example: Son las cuatro y veinte (It’s 4:20)
For 1 o’clock, use “Es la” instead of “Son las”:
Es la una y diez (It’s 1:10)
⏱️ The hour comes first, followed by the minutes.

3. Using “menos” and “y”

Although you can always say “y + minutes”, Spanish often uses “menos + minutes” after the half hour (XX:30).

When the minute hand is on the left side of the clock (past the hour), use “y”:
Es la una y veinticinco (It’s 1:25 / 13:25)
When the minute hand is on the right side (approaching the next hour), use “menos”:
Son las siete menos veinte (It’s 6:40)

4. Special expressions for time

Spanish uses specific phrases for certain times:

x:00 = en punto → Son las cuatro en punto (It’s 4 o’clock sharp)
x:15 = y cuarto → Son las cinco y cuarto (It’s 5:15)
x:30 = y media → Es la una y media (It’s 1:30)
x:45 = menos cuarto → Son las ocho menos cuarto (It’s 7:45)

These are common expressions used in Spain, but in Latin America, the way people tell time can vary. For example, instead of “Son las siete menos veinte” (It’s twenty to seven), you might hear “Son las seis y cuarenta” (It’s six forty). In many Latin American countries, the digital format is more common in everyday speech.

🕓 Also note: In Spanish, the 24-hour format is often used in writing—especially for timetables, official documents, or schedules (14:00, 18:30…). However, when speaking, people usually use the 12-hour format with context or phrases like de la mañana, de la tarde, or de la noche. For example, 14:00 is said as las dos de la tarde (2 p.m.), and 22:00 as las diez de la noche (10 p.m.).