La Hora  (Time)

¿Qué hora es?  (What time is it?)

•   Es la una.  (It's 1:00.)

•   Es la una y veinte.  (It's 1:20.)

•   Son las dos.  (It's 2:00.)

•   Son las ocho y cuarto.  (It's 8:15.)

•   Son las seis y media. (It's 6:30.)

•   Son las once y veinticinco.  (It's 11:25.)  

•   Son las nueve menos veinte. (It's 8:40.)

1. 'Es' is used with 'la una' and times that include 'la una'. Son is used  with all the other times or hours.

2. 'Cuarto' means quarter and is used instead of 'fifteen' to express quarter past or quarter to the hour.

3. 'Media' means 'half' and is used instead of 'thirty' to express half past the hour.

4. 'Menos' means 'minus' and is used when the time is between the half hour and the next hour on the clock. When  using 'menos' you state the next hour followed by 'menos', then the number of minutes until that hour. For example, 11:50 = Son las doce menos diez (literally: It's twelve minus ten).

Practice tips:

Practice asking and answering ¿Qué hora es? at different times of the day at home.