Time is an important part of everyday communication in Spanish. Whether you’re talking about your schedule, asking for the time, arranging meetings, or discussing daily routines, knowing how to tell time in Spanish is a valuable skill. In this article, you’ll learn the common times of the day in Spanish, how to ask and tell the time, and useful examples for everyday conversations.
What is Time of the Day in Spanish?
The time of the day in Spanish refers to different parts of the day, such as morning, afternoon, evening, and night. These words are used to talk about daily routines, schedule appointments, and describe activities.
For example:
- “Good morning” in Spanish is Buenos días.
- “Good night” in Spanish is Buenas noches.
Basic Words for Time of the Day in Spanish
Here is a simple list of main words you need to know:
| English | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | La mañana | Early part of the day |
| Afternoon | La tarde | After 12 PM until evening |
| Evening | La tarde / La noche | Late afternoon to early night |
| Night | La noche | Late evening to midnight |
Different Times of the Day in Spanish
To speak more naturally, you can learn more specific time words:
| Time | Spanish | Example Use |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | La madrugada | 1 AM – 5 AM |
| Late morning | La mañana | 6 AM – 11 AM |
| Noon | El mediodía | 12 PM |
| Early afternoon | La tarde | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Late afternoon | La tarde | 4 PM – 7 PM |
| Evening | La tarde / La noche | 7 PM – 9 PM |
| Night | La noche | 9 PM – 12 AM |
| Midnight | La medianoche | 12 AM |
Hours in Spanish
| English | Spanish | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Es la una | Es la una. – It is 1 o’clock |
| 2 | Son las dos | Son las dos. – It is 2 o’clock |
| 3 | Son las tres | Son las tres. – It is 3 o’clock |
| 4 | Son las cuatro | Son las cuatro. – It is 4 o’clock |
| 5 | Son las cinco | Son las cinco. – It is 5 o’clock |
| 6 | Son las seis | Son las seis. – It is 6 o’clock |
| 7 | Son las siete | Son las siete. – It is 7 o’clock |
| 8 | Son las ocho | Son las ocho. – It is 8 o’clock |
| 9 | Son las nueve | Son las nueve. – It is 9 o’clock |
| 10 | Son las diez | Son las diez. – It is 10 o’clock |
| 11 | Son las once | Son las once. – It is 11 o’clock |
| 12 | Son las doce | Son las doce. – It is 12 o’clock |
Minutes in Spanish
| Minutes | Spanish | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | en punto | on the dot / exactly |
| 01 | uno | one minute |
| 02 | dos | two minutes |
| 03 | tres | three minutes |
| 04 | cuatro | four minutes |
| 05 | cinco | five minutes |
| 06 | seis | six minutes |
| 07 | siete | seven minutes |
| 08 | ocho | eight minutes |
| 09 | nueve | nine minutes |
| 10 | diez | ten minutes |
| 11 | once | eleven minutes |
| 12 | doce | twelve minutes |
| 13 | trece | thirteen minutes |
| 14 | catorce | fourteen minutes |
| 15 | cuarto | quarter (15 minutes) |
| 16 | dieciséis | sixteen minutes |
| 17 | diecisiete | seventeen minutes |
| 18 | dieciocho | eighteen minutes |
| 19 | diecinueve | nineteen minutes |
| 20 | veinte | twenty minutes |
| 21 | veintiuno | twenty-one minutes |
| 22 | veintidós | twenty-two minutes |
| 23 | veintitrés | twenty-three minutes |
| 24 | veinticuatro | twenty-four minutes |
| 25 | veinticinco | twenty-five minutes |
| 26 | veintiséis | twenty-six minutes |
| 27 | veintisiete | twenty-seven minutes |
| 28 | veintiocho | twenty-eight minutes |
| 29 | veintinueve | twenty-nine minutes |
| 30 | media | half (30 minutes) |
| 31 | treinta y uno | thirty-one minutes |
| 32 | treinta y dos | thirty-two minutes |
| 33 | treinta y tres | thirty-three minutes |
| 34 | treinta y cuatro | thirty-four minutes |
| 35 | treinta y cinco | thirty-five minutes |
| 36 | treinta y seis | thirty-six minutes |
| 37 | treinta y siete | thirty-seven minutes |
| 38 | treinta y ocho | thirty-eight minutes |
| 39 | treinta y nueve | thirty-nine minutes |
| 40 | cuarenta | forty minutes |
| 41 | cuarenta y uno | forty-one minutes |
| 42 | cuarenta y dos | forty-two minutes |
| 43 | cuarenta y tres | forty-three minutes |
| 44 | cuarenta y cuatro | forty-four minutes |
| 45 | menos cuarto | quarter to the next hour |
| 46 | cuarenta y seis | forty-six minutes |
| 47 | cuarenta y siete | forty-seven minutes |
| 48 | cuarenta y ocho | forty-eight minutes |
| 49 | cuarenta y nueve | forty-nine minutes |
| 50 | cincuenta | fifty minutes |
| 51 | cincuenta y uno | fifty-one minutes |
| 52 | cincuenta y dos | fifty-two minutes |
| 53 | cincuenta y tres | fifty-three minutes |
| 54 | cincuenta y cuatro | fifty-four minutes |
| 55 | menos cinco | five minutes to the next hour |
| 56 | menos cuatro | four minutes to the next hour |
| 57 | menos tres | three minutes to the next hour |
| 58 | menos dos | two minutes to the next hour |
| 59 | menos uno | one minute to the next hour |
Telling Time in Spanish
| Spanish | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| Es la una. | It is 1 o’clock |
| Son las dos y cinco. | It is 2:05 |
| Son las tres y cuarto. | It is 3:15 |
| Son las cuatro y media. | It is 4:30 |
| Son las cinco menos diez. | It is 4:50 |
| Son las seis menos cuarto. | It is 5:45 |
| Son las siete de la mañana. | It is 7 AM |
| Son las ocho de la noche. | It is 8 PM |
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Useful Phrases Related to Time in Spanish
Here are some common phrases you can use every day:
- Buenos días – Good morning
- Buenas tardes – Good afternoon
- Buenas noches – Good night
- ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
- Es la una – It is 1 o’clock
- Son las dos / tres… – It is 2 / 3 o’clock
How to Use Time Words in Sentences
Learning words is useful, but using them in sentences is more important. Here are simple examples:
- Early morning: Me levanto en la madrugada. – I wake up in the early morning.
- Late morning: Trabajo en la mañana. – I work in the late morning.
- Noon: Almorzamos al mediodía. – We have lunch at noon.
- Evening: Salgo a caminar en la tarde. – I go for a walk in the evening.
- Night: Duermo en la noche. – I sleep at night.
Knowing the different times of the day in Spanish makes learning easier and conversations smoother. Start with morning, afternoon, evening, and night, then add the specific time words. Using these words daily will improve your Spanish quickly.
By practising time words and phrases, you can talk about schedules, routines, and daily activities naturally. Remember, the more you use them in sentences, the better your Spanish skills will become.
PDF of Telling Time in Spanish
FAQs about Time of The Day in Spanish
How do you say the basic times of the day in Spanish?
The main times of the day are mañana (morning), tarde (afternoon/evening), and noche (night). These words help describe when an action happens.
How do you ask “What time is it?” in Spanish?
You ask ¿Qué hora es?. This is the most common and simple way to ask for the time in Spanish.
How do you say the hour in Spanish?
Use Es la for 1 o’clock and Son las for all other hours. Example: Es la una (1:00) and Son las dos (2:00).
How do you say minutes in Spanish time?
Use y for minutes after the hour and menos for minutes before the next hour. Example: dos y diez (2:10) and tres menos cuarto (2:45).
How do you say AM and PM in Spanish?
Spanish uses expressions instead of AM/PM: de la mañana (morning), de la tarde (afternoon/evening), and de la noche (night).
How do you say half past or quarter past in Spanish?
Half past uses media (dos y media = 2:30). Quarter past uses cuarto (tres y cuarto = 3:15).
How do you say “midnight” and “noon” in Spanish?
Midnight is medianoche, and noon is mediodía.
