saying time in spanish

Question

for saying time we use -son+las+hour+y+minutes

eg : 12 : 10

son las doce y diez

but if it is 12 : 55 ... then how to say that is spanish?

becuase 55 is - cincuenta y cinco and this would be difficult to use

son las doce y cincuente y cinco ??

Answer 1

There is nothing wrong with saying it this way although it is not very common. More common ways are "Son cinco para la una" or "Faltan cinco para la una."

Answer 2

Es la una menos cinco. (5 minutes to one o'clock.)

Son las tres menos cinco. (2:55)

Answer 3

That is not difficult if yor grew up in a spanish speaking country, but you can use a second form. son + las + hour + "a little pause" + "minutes"

It is correct to say "Son las doce y cincuenta y cinco" or "Son las doce, (here you make a little pause in your speech if you are saying the hour to other person) cincuenta y uno"

3:47 pm "son las tres y cuarenta y siete" or "son las tres, cuarenta y siete "

16:29 "son las cuatro y veintinueve" or "son las cuatro, veintinueve"

Is unusual say "son las dieciseis y veintinueve" in most of spanish speaking countries.