Telling time in Spanish Part II
I already posted the first four steps. Here are the other ones.
You have already learnt in the latest post four steps about asking time in Spanish and the most important things about telling time.
Let´s see in this post the last four steps:
- To say something occurs at a specific time, use the formula:
A + LA/LAS + TIME
El restaurante cierra a las once y cuarto. The restaurant closes at 11:15pm. María llegó a las cinco y diez. Mary arrived at 5:10pm.
- To indicate time of day when using the 12-hour clock (am, pm)
For o´clock, sharp or on the dot use en punto Use de la mañana (am) before noon (mediodía). Use de la tarde (pm) between noon and early evening. Use de la noche (pm) from evening to midnight (medianoche).
Examples: Son las diez de la mañana. It´s 10am. La fiesta empieza a las 6 de la tarde en punto. The party begins at 6pm on the dot. Son las nueve y media de la noche. It´s 9:30pm.
- When no specific time is mentioned, use the expressions: Por la mañana, in the morning Por la tarde, between noon and early evening Por la noche, from evening to midnight
Example: Voy a nadar por la mañana. I go swimming in the morning.
- USEFUL COMMON TIME EXPRESSIONS:
¿Qué hora es? What time is it? ¿A qué hora? At what time? A las dos (tres) at two (three) oclock De la mañana in the morning, a.m. (specific time) De la tarde in the afternoon, p.m. (specific time) De la noche at night, p.m. (specific time) Por la mañana in the morning (no specific time) Por la tarde in the afternoon (no specific time) Por la noche in the evening or night (no specific time) Es mediodía Its noon Al mediodía at noon Es medianoche Its midnight A (la) medianoche at midnight Es tarde Its late Es temprano Its early A tiempo on time En punto exactly, sharp, on the dot Alrededor de around Más o menos - about