es and son in telling time.

Question

Sometimes I see es cuarto para las cuatro and sometimes i see son cinco para las tres. Why is it sometimes es and sometimes son?"

Answer 1

In this case, it is because "cuarto" means "a quarter" ("It is a quarter to four), so the verb is singular. Because "cinco" is plural ("it is five minutes of three), the verb is plural. There is a "Learn Spanish" lesson that will more thoroughly answer the basic use of es/son with telling time.

Thanks a lot for your help. This helps me better understand it now. Is the es/son lesson for telling time in the telling time lesson in part one. - frenchie, NOV 4, 2009

Yes, I believe the lesson on telling time is "Learn Spanish 1.8". Glad to help. - jrey0474, NOV 4, 2009

Answer 2

Because "cuarto" is singular (quarter), while "cinco" is short for "cinco minutos" which is plural.

I think it's the same for hours - es la una for one o'clock, but son las dos, tres, etc.