Telling time in spanish

Question

In spanish class I get confused when to use menos or y. Can you please explain? Thank you!

Hi Kazuko....welcome to the forum! - rac1, Sep 21, 2012

Think of menos as being on the left side of the clock, and the minutes left before the next hour.. - 426thall, Sep 21, 2012

Answer 1

Dos menos cuarto (a quarter to two) or 1:45. Menos can be translated as to when telling time.

Dos y cuarto (a quarter after two) or 2:15. Y can be translated as after when telling time.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Y is used when the minute hand approaches the half hour and also on the half hour, ie, 30 minutes. You will notice the minute numbers increase.

Menos is used after the minute hand passes the half hour. Here the minute numbers will decrease.

Answer 3

Y, or and, adds the minutes. Menos, or minus, subtracts the minutes. It's just simple math. So "Es la una" becomes "Es la una y veinte" if you want to say 1:20. "Son las doce" becomes "Son las doce menos veinte" if you want it to be 20 minutes till 12:00.