How to say "about" or "around" in reference to time.

Question

How do you say "I arrived there at about six o'clock" or "I left home around five o'clock". "Alrededor de" and "a eso de" have both come up in on-line searches but I am not sure which is correct.

Answer 1

I have heard "mas o menos de" used by my Mexican friends, never the other phrases. I am sure there are many ways to say this, but this is the version I have encountered in conversation. Hope this helps, and welcome!

Would this structure be correct? : Salí de la casa a mas o menos de las seis, or should I say: Salí de la casa a las seis, mas o menos. - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

Please forgive my bad manners. Many thanks for your help and your welcome. Leonard - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

You sould use either sentence structure, but in the first leave out the "a" before "mas o menos". - renaerules, Mar 25, 2010

Thanks. - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

Answer 2

I have heard and used most of the options mentioned here. I think they are all good, and will be understood everywhere:

"Llegué a eso de las tres" "Llegué cerca de las tres" "Llegué como a las tres" "Llegué alrededor de las tres, más o menos" "Más o menos a las tres"

Many thanks to all. My mind is now at rest! Leonard. (I shall certainly use at least one, perhaps two of these alternatives in my oral exam later today. - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

Another question: If I want to say I have a burning desire to learn Spanish, should I say "Tengo un deseo ardiente para aprender español" or simply "Tengo un deseo ardiente aprender español" - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

Tengo un deseo ardiente de aprender español" Siempre es "deseo de" - Gekkosan, Mar 25, 2010

Answer 3

Hi Leonard

I am not sure about "a eso de," but you can use "cerca de" and "alrededor de" in these kinds of expressions: cerca/alrededor de las diez - around ten o'clock

Cerca de seems to ring a bell. I think I heard someone say that some time ago. Many thanks. - Leonard-Jones, Mar 25, 2010

Answer 4

I have seen written 'sobre' in the context of 'about three o'clock' - 'sobre las tres'

Right. To me that would mean that I was expected at, say, 2:30 or 3:00pm, and I arrived at 3:30. - Gekkosan, Mar 25, 2010

Answer 5

According to the following wordreference threads, it seems that "a eso de" is also a viable alternative for "around/about" when referring to time. It seems that "sobre" could be used here as well.

a eso de las ocho

a eso de

a eso de - solo con la hora

To me "sobre" would mean that you got there just on the edge, bordering on late. - Gekkosan, Mar 25, 2010