Diez para las siete: ¿qué hora es?

Question

I don't remember it from Paralee's videos, and translator gives ten for seven. I guess it is ten minutes before seven, not after. Am I right?

(Is it frequent way for telling time, not old-fashioned? I heard it in an old Luis Buñuel movie.)

Answer 1

6:50 Son las siete menos diez (It's seven to ten)

or Son las seis y cuarenta (It's six fifty)

Diez para las siete = Ten (minutes) to seven (o'clock) (not old-fashioned, frequently used in Latin America)

Besides, "menos cuarto" = "a quarter to...", "y media" = "half past ..."

menos cuarto is a quarter until. cincuenta fifty ten until seven. - BellaMargarita, Jun 15, 2010

Gracias, Margaret. - Fidalgo, Jun 15, 2010

Answer 2

One can also say "Faltan/Quedan 7 minutos para las 10." I don't think the Royal Academy accepts these as correct, but everyone uses them, along with the one you've asked about.