Why does uno become una with relation to the time?

Question

I have just finished lesson 1.8 numbers and time and wondered why it is "es la una"and not "es la uno".Perhaps i am answering my own question because i know feminine/masculine but surely the number 1 is always uno because we have "un and una"

Answer 1

Good question!

I believe it's because "la" refers to "la hora," which is feminine. Therefore we need to change the adjective, which is in this case "una," to match the noun, which is 'hora."

In total it would read "es la una hora."

Thanks, i did not think about the "hora" - Gez, Mar 29, 2010

Yes Marianne I agree and believe you are completely correct here :) - FELIZ77, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 2

Renzo is saying keep the article "la" due to "puerta" and "uno" on acct. of "número"...makes for "la uno!""número"...makes for "la uno!"

Uno is the name of the number, it doesnt change, so whether it's la puerta # 1, el camino # 1, when shortened they become "la uno" and "el uno." Only the gender changes because you are just naming or labeling an object w/ the number.

It just keeps getting clearer...thanks Dean! - cristalino, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 3

But you say:

la una, las dos, las tres, las cuatro....

Have you ever heard this song:

Y nos dieron las doce y la una, las dos y las tres...

Answer 4

Hello Gez and welcome to the SpanishDict forum

Marianne is correct here in her clear explanation.

The word must be la hora

There has to be an agreement in gender between the number of the hour (adjective) and the noun( hora =hour) eg

es la una (hora) de la mañana (madrugada) = it is 1 oçlock in the (early hours of the) morning

or

Son las cuatro (horas) y media de la tarde =It is 4:30pm /half past four in the afternoon

I hope that helps

This only begs another question: Do you ask, "Que hora es?" or "Que horas son?" when asking the current time? - cristalino, Feb 18, 2011

Great question! ¿Qué hora es? A lot of people make the mistake and ask ¿Qué horas son? But time is a collective singular noun in Spanish. La hora. - gone, Feb 18, 2011

Thanks Renzo (again!)... my bad on leaving the tildes out on my "que" above. - cristalino, Feb 19, 2011

Answer 5

I can't say why but "la una" is one o'clock, it does not apply to any of the other times of day.

I think we need Lazarus here.

The clock thing I am pretty sure about, it's this door thing when I was told to back up my truck to door #1...Renzo is saying keep the article "la" due to "puerta" and "uno" on acct. of "número"...makes for "la uno!" - cristalino, Feb 18, 2011

I have always heard "puerta uno or puerta dos in this case (i could,with my lousy hearing) have mistaken "uno" for "una". - pacofinkler, Feb 18, 2011

La una, las dos, las tres etc. all feminine. - afowen, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 6

This one had me puzzled for some time too! When I used to drive big rigs, sometimes I would encounter workers that spoke very little íngles, so I would switch modes and try my limited Spanish. On this one day, the fellow said something I didn't quite catch, but still pointed to door #1 and I came back with, "¿En el uno? and I believe his response was, "Sí, la una." So, he would be correct on account of "la puerta número una" or am I missing the point? Who's right or better yet, what is the correct way to say this seemingly simple segment?

La puerta número uno (número is masculine). If you omit puerta and número you'd still have to say en la uno (because it's short for número uno). - gone, Feb 18, 2011

So, you're saying, drop "puerta" and "número" but keep 'la' and 'uno' and all is consistent? ;o) - cristalino, Feb 18, 2011