- Tell the time using basic expressions (hour, half hour, quarter)
- Ask and answer "What time is it?" in Spanish
- Name and use days of the week and months correctly
- Give and understand simple dates using Spanish format
- Make basic appointments and daily arrangements
- Express when things happen using time markers
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FoundationsBeginner
Time and Dates: hora, días, meses
Tell time, express dates, and use time expressions in Spanish
The rule at a glance
Es la una · Son las dos, tres...
y cuarto quarter past · y media half past · menos cuarto quarter to · dates: el 5 de mayo
One o'clock
Es la una
It's one o'clock
¿Qué hora es? Es la una y media.
What time is it? It's half past one.
Other hours
Son las + number
It's ... o'clock
Son las cuatro y cuarto.
It's quarter past four.
Quarter to
menos cuarto
quarter to the next hour
Son las seis menos cuarto.
It's quarter to six.
Dates
el + day + de + month
the ... of ...
Mi cumpleaños es el 20 de julio.
My birthday is on the 20th of July.
- Menos counts back from the next hour: 5:45 is usually las seis menos cuarto (las cinco y cuarenta y cinco is timetable style). At a time: a la una, a las ocho (at eight).
- Days and dates take el, not en: el lunes (on Monday), los lunes (on Mondays), el 5 de mayo. Months take en: en enero. Years: en 2024 (dos mil veinticuatro).
- Day before month, as in British English: 15/5 is el 15 de mayo. For the 1st, Spain usually says el uno de enero (el primero is also correct).
What You'll Learn
Overview
Learning to tell time and express dates in Spanish is essential for daily communication. From arranging meetings to discussing birthdays, these skills form the foundation of practical Spanish conversation.
⏰ Key Concepts at A1 Level
- Basic time expressions (o'clock, half past, quarter past/to)
- Days of the week and months of the year
- Simple date formats
- Common time-related questions and answers
Structure & Formation
🕐 Part 1: Telling Time - Es la/Son las
Basic Structure
| Time | Spanish | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | Es la una | Es la una en punto It's one o'clock |
| 2:00-12:00 | Son las [number] | Son las tres It's three o'clock |
💡 Remember: Use "Es la" for 1:00, but "Son las" for all other hours!
Time Expressions
Quarter Hours
y cuarto
quarter past
y media
half past
menos cuarto
quarter to
Special Times
al mediodía
at noon
a medianoche
at midnight
Time of Day
de la mañana
in the morning
de la tarde
in the afternoon/evening
de la noche
at night
📅 Part 2: Days of the Week
| Day | Usage: el (specific) / los (habitual) |
|---|---|
lunes Monday | el lunes on Monday (specific) los lunes on Mondays (every Monday) |
martes Tuesday | el martes on Tuesday (specific) los martes on Tuesdays (every Tuesday) |
miércoles Wednesday | el miércoles on Wednesday (specific) los miércoles on Wednesdays (every Wednesday) |
jueves Thursday | el jueves on Thursday (specific) los jueves on Thursdays (every Thursday) |
viernes Friday | el viernes on Friday (specific) los viernes on Fridays (every Friday) |
sábado Saturday | el sábado on Saturday (specific) los sábados on Saturdays (every Saturday) |
domingo Sunday | el domingo on Sunday (specific) los domingos on Sundays (every Sunday) |
📌 Important Pattern:
- el lunes = on Monday (specific, one time)
- los lunes = on Mondays (habitual, every Monday)
🗓️ Part 3: Months and Dates
Months of the Year
enero January | febrero February | marzo March | abril April |
mayo May | junio June | julio July | agosto August |
septiembre September | octubre October | noviembre November | diciembre December |
enero January | febrero February |
marzo March | abril April |
mayo May | junio June |
julio July | agosto August |
septiembre September | octubre October |
noviembre November | diciembre December |
📆 Date Format
el + [number] + de + [month]
el cinco de mayo
the 5th of May
el primero de enero
the 1st of January
⚠️ Special case: for the 1st you can say "el primero" - or "el uno", which is more common in Spain!
Examples
Telling Time
One hour
Es la una
It's one o'clock
Other hours
Son las tres
It's three o'clock
Half hour
Son las cuatro y media
It's half past four
Quarter past
Son las cinco y cuarto
It's quarter past five
Quarter to
Son las seis menos cuarto
It's quarter to six
Time of day
Son las ocho de la mañana
It's eight in the morning
Days of the Week
Current day
Hoy es martes
Today is Tuesday
One day
el lunes
on Monday (specific)
Habitual
los lunes
on Mondays (every)
Future day
el viernes próximo
next Friday
Past day
el sábado pasado
last Saturday
Routine
todos los domingos
every Sunday
Dates and Months
Standard date
el cinco de mayo
the 5th of May
1st: uno (primero also correct)
el uno de enero
the 1st of January
Birthday
Mi cumpleaños es el veinte de julio
My birthday is on the 20th of July
Month
en enero
in January
Full date
15 de marzo de 2024
the 15th of March 2024
Question
¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?
What's today's date?
Common Mistakes
Common Time Mistakes
Wrong: Son la una
Correct: Es la una
Use 'Es la' for 1:00 only - it's singular! Use 'Son las' for all other hours.
Wrong: Es las tres
Correct: Son las tres
Use 'Son las' for 2:00-12:00 - they're plural! Only 1:00 uses 'Es la'.
Wrong: ¿Qué tiempo es?
Correct: ¿Qué hora es?
'Tiempo' means weather or duration. 'Hora' means clock time.
Days of the Week Errors
Wrong: en lunes
Correct: el lunes
Use 'el' with days of the week, not 'en'. Spanish says 'the Monday' not 'on Monday'.
Wrong: los lunes (for one specific Monday)
Correct: el lunes
'El lunes' = on Monday (once). 'Los lunes' = on Mondays (every Monday, habitual).
Date Format Mistakes
Wrong: el primer de mayo
Correct: el uno de mayo / el primero de mayo
'Primer' only goes before a noun. For dates say 'el uno' (usual in Spain) or 'el primero'.
Wrong: Mi cumpleaños es en el 5 de mayo
Correct: Mi cumpleaños es el 5 de mayo
Don't use 'en' before dates in Spanish - just use 'el' directly.
Wrong: 5/15 (for the 15th of May)
Correct: 15/5 (15 de mayo)
Spanish uses day/month format, not month/day like US English.
Key Rules to Remember
Time Verbs
Es la una (1:00) vs Son las dos (2:00+)
Days Pattern
el lunes (once) vs los lunes (every)
Quick Test
Test your understanding of time and dates with these questions:
1. How do you say 'It's 1:30' in Spanish?
2. What's the correct way to say 'on Mondays' (habitual)?
3. How do you ask 'What day is it today?'
4. What's the correct way to say 'the 1st of January'?
5. How do you say 'It's quarter to five'?
6. Which phrase correctly means 'at noon'?
7. How do you say 'My birthday is on the 20th of July'?
8. What's the correct response to '¿Qué hora es?' when it's 10 at night?
Useful Resources
Coming soon...