Time & Calendar
La Hora y el Calendario
After this lesson, you'll be able to:
- ✓Ask and tell the time
- ✓Say and understand days of the week
- ✓Say and understand months of the year
- ✓Talk about the four seasons
- ✓Make appointments and talk about schedules
Grammar Focus
Essential grammar for this lesson with examples.
Asking the Time
To ask what time it is, use "¿Qué hora es?" You'll need the numbers you learned in Weeks 1 and 2 for telling time!
Examples:
Telling Time - Hours
Use "Es la..." for 1:00 and "Son las..." for all other hours:
Examples:
Telling Time - Minutes
Add minutes with "y" (and). For half past, use "y media". For quarter, use "y cuarto":
Examples:
Time of Day
Add these phrases to specify morning, afternoon, or evening:
Examples:
At [Time] - Making Appointments
To say "at" a time, use "a la" for 1:00 and "a las" for all other hours. This follows the same singular/plural rule as telling time:
Examples:
Days of the Week
Days in Spanish are NOT capitalized (unless starting a sentence). They're all masculine:
Examples:
Months of the Year
Months are also NOT capitalized in Spanish:
Examples:
The Four Seasons
Seasons (las estaciones) are also lowercase in Spanish. Use "en" to say "in" a season:
Examples:
Conversation Example
Ana is calling a doctor's office to make an appointment.
🌍 Time and Punctuality in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Attitudes toward time vary significantly across the Spanish-speaking world. In Spain and business contexts everywhere, punctuality is expected. However, in social situations in Latin America, arriving 15-30 minutes "late" is often normal and even expected - this is sometimes called "hora latina" or "hora mexicana." Spain uses the 24-hour clock officially (e.g., 15:00 for 3 PM), while Latin America typically uses 12-hour time. When making plans, you might hear "a eso de las ocho" (around 8-ish), which gives flexibility. For formal appointments, always arrive on time!