es la una....

Question

Is there a "cut-off" time for using "es las una"? I've heard that when telling time, you only use "es la una..." until one-thirty (this is coming from a Standard Deviants DVD). Is that really true?

-Vivi

Answer 1

I had been wondering about that also, thanks for all the answers even though they are not directed to me.

Answer 2

Thanks. That makes it crystal clear.

Answer 3

The Peruvians also commonly said, "Son la una y quince", etc.

Is this, then, incorrect?

Yes, it is incorrect, but this is not surprising, if you think of it. Look at this typical conversation:

-¿Qué hora es?
-A ver, son las...

At this point, the guy who's answering sees that the time is one o'clock (or one something). Most people don't go back to say "Es la una" after having started with "son las...".

Now, read this:

La pregunta que corresponde a la indicación de la hora se formula, en la lengua general culta, en singular: ¿Qué hora es? (en ella, la palabra hora tiene el sentido genérico de 'momento del día'). Su formulación en plural (¿Qué horas son') es admisible, aunque menos recomendable, y se da con cierta frecuencia en algunos países de América, especialmente en el nivel popular: «'¿Qué horas son, compa? 'Van a dar las cinco» (Campos Carne [Méx. 1982]). Solo es normal el plural en la frase hecha de intención reprobatoria ¿qué horas son estas': «¿Cómo que qué horas son estas de llamar? ¡Pero si ha sido usted quien...!» (GaMay Operación [Esp. 1991]). En la respuesta, el verbo va en singular si se trata de la una (Es la una y diez) y en plural en el resto de los casos (Son las diez y media; Son las dos menos cuarto).

http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD'lema=hora2

Answer 4

I concur with "Greg". If you say "LA una", in singular, the verb must be in singular. It has to do with grammar (it is an agreement issue), not with time.When I was in Peru, I saw a "book" put together by some well-meaning Peruvians to help the Americans learn Spanish. It gave the following example:

¿Qué horas son? Son la una./Es la una. (option for either one)

The Peruvians also commonly said, "Son la una y quince", etc.

Is this, then, incorrect'

Answer 5

Ahhh...Okay, but then how would you tell time using the Imperfect tense(ie. it was one o'clock)? Also, how does "faltan" come into play when telling time? I just noticed it while using the flash cards "faltan quince para la una".

You do it in imperfect tense exactly like you do it in present tense: using the third person in plural, except for "one":

Era la una
Eran las dos/tres/cuatro/...

In Spain, we tend to say "La una menos cuarto (12:45)" (quarter to one) more than "Faltan 15 minutos para la una (12:45)", but both are correct. Basically, after half an hour has passed, you normally count the minutes remaining for the next hour, although, of course, you can always say "Las doce y cuarenta y cinco (12:45)" (this is even less common in Spain).

Answer 6

Ahhh...Okay, but then how would you tell time using the Imperfect tense(ie. it was one o'clock)? Also, how does "faltan" come into play when telling time? I just noticed it while using the flash cards "faltan quince para la una".

Answer 7

I concur with "Greg". If you say "LA una", in singular, the verb must be in singular. It has to do with grammar (it is an agreement issue), not with time.

Answer 8

No. If it was 1:50, you'd still say "Es la una y cincuenta", though "Son las dos menos diez" or "Son diez para las dos" might be a better way of saying it.

But the reason you use "es" for "la una" is that the hour is singular. Makes no difference how many minutes past the hour you are.