Es hora vs Es la hora vs Es tiempo
Just curious here. I am seeing a lot of hits on google for "Es hora de" etc.. Is this just an abbreviated way of saying "Es la hora de"? "Es hora" means "it's hour" right. Would this be the same as saying "Es la hora de" or "Es tiempo a"?
"Es hora de tomar mis medicamentos" "Es la hora de tomar mis medicamentos" "Es tiempo a tomar mis medicamentos" "Es tiempo para tomar mis medicamentos"
Are they all the same thing? Even "Es hora de"? Gracias 
4 Answers
Hi jeeze, I saw you were asking this on Issa's thread. Way to go to open a thread
Pues
Es hora de irnos. It's about time we left or it's time to leave.
Es la hora...vámonos. The time has come for us to leave. It's the time...let's leave.
Es tiempo de irnos. 
Does not exist.
Es hora de...has this urgency to it.
¡Ya era hora! It was/is about time!
Can one of you natives check my work above to see if what I wrote was correct about "Es hora de" vs "Es la hora de" being almost equivalent, and about "Es tiempo de", "es tiempo a" and "es tiempo para" being about the same also? (except when used with irse which seems to only use "Es hora de" or "Es la hora de"? I need some confirmation.
Additionaly, I successfully used the phrase "Ya era hora" today at work. It was a busy day as the customers flooded the restaurant, the poor busgirl rushing to and fro to cut vegetables, clean tables, and help the cooks. At one point she disappeared for nearly 30 minutes as the dirty tables awaiting her to clean them....As she brushed by me I muttered jokingly "Ya era hora". She glanced sidelong at me and said with a grin "Ya era hora de limpiar las mesas".
I don't think "es tiempo de" exists in standard Spanish (whatever that is!). I know that I have heard it, but it's either been said by an English speaker who is having trouble with Spanish or is used in areas that are extremely influenced by English.
"Es hora de..." means "It's time to...". You must add something to it because it is not a complete though. Example: "Es hora de comer." - It's time to eat.
"Ya es hora" means "it's about time!" and it is a complete thought; or you can say "Ya es hora de..." meaning "it's already time" and add an infinitive. Example: "Ya es hora de comer" - It's already time to eat.
"Es la hora." means "It's time." You can add additional clauses to "Es la hora", but in and of itself it is a complete thought. Example: "Es la hora. Vamos a comer." - "It's time. Let's eat."
Ok I jotted "ya era hora" down in my book of expressions.
Everything else I wrote was correct though? And so you are saying "Es hora" means "It's time?" but with urgency vs "Es la hora" meaning "It's the hour"? but in a more relaxed way? That's the vibe that I am getting. The dictionary does not list "hora" to mean time but rather "hour". Therefore "Es hora" sounds weird whereas "Es la hora" does not sound weird.
Or is "es hora" simply an expression? I feel like "hora" is being translated into an informal way to say "time" even though it's supposed to mean hour... when preceded by "Es" and "tiempo" is a more formal one. No hits on google for "Es tiempo a irnos" but I got 10 hits for "Es tiempo para irnos". "Es la hora de irnos" = 1,400,000 hits. "Es hora de irnos" = 1,080,000 hits.
I think you are saying "Es hora" and "Es la hora" are the same thing but "Es hora" means "it's time..." and "Es la hora" means "It's the hour...." and "Es hora" or used for more urgent things and "Es la hora" is more relaxed....but that they are interchangeable. Right?
