Lecciones españolas 16 – Telling time

El reloj = a clock/a watch.

El reloj de pulsera = a wrist watch, since pulsera = a wristband or a bracelet

How to tell time

In Spain, the time is always told in terms of a 12 hour clock and hence it is necessary to say what
part of the day/night you are talking about. Instead of just ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m.’, the day is divided
into 3 parts, viz.

Midnight to midday morning de la mañana

Midday to 9 p.m. afternoon/evening de la tarde

9 p.m. to midnight night de la noche

The question to ask for time is ‘¿Qué hora es?’ which means ‘What hour it is?’, or ‘¿Tienes
hora?’ which means ‘Do you have the time?’
The beginning of the answer has two possibilities depending on the hour of the day: if it involves
the number ‘one’, the answer begins with ‘es la una’ meaning ‘it is one’. If the number is more
than ‘one’, i.e. ‘two’ onwards, the answer begins with ‘son las …’ literally meaning ‘they are
…’.

In this picture, the time is ‘son las cinco(enpunto) de la mañana/de la tarde.

However, when the minutes are to be stated, the face of the clock is divided into two vertical
parts for this purpose: from 12 to 6 and from 6 to 12.

1
The minutes are indicated after the hour in terms of ‘y’ meaning ‘and’, or ‘menos’ meaning
‘minus’. After stating the time, ‘de la manana’/ ‘de la tarde’/ ‘de la noche’ etc. can be added as
required.

In the part 12 to 6, the hour is stated first, then ‘y’ is added and then the minutes are stated, e.g.
If the time is ‘5 minutes past 10 o’clock’, it is stated as ‘son las diez y cinco’. If it is ‘15 minutes
past 10 o’clock’, it is stated as ‘son las diez y cuarto’. If it is ‘25 minutes past 10 o’clock’, it is
stated as ‘son las diez y veinticinco’.
However, it is different for the part 6 to 12. If the time is 40 minutes past 10 o’clock, the minute
hand has crossed 30 minutes mark and has entered the second part of the clock face, i.e. the part
6 to 12. Then we have to look at the next hour, i.e. 11 and state the time as ‘son las once menos
veinte’. If the time is 45 minutes past 10 o’clock, the time is stated as ‘son las once menos
cuarto’.
If the time is 45 minutes past 12 o’clock, it is stated as ‘es la una menos cuarto’. Here we have to
remember that the hour we are talking about is ‘one’ and hence we have to start as ‘es la una’.
Some typical readings of time would make it clearer.

12 noon = el mediodía

12 midnight = la medianoche