Spanish
Grade 3
15 min
¡A cocinar! (Let's cook!)
Role-play ordering food at a restaurant and discussing food preferences.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Ask 'What time is it?' in Spanish.
Tell time on the hour (e.g., 'Son las dos').
Tell time at the half-hour using 'y media'.
Tell time at the quarter-hour using 'y cuarto'.
Correctly use 'Es la una' for one o'clock.
State when a cooking action happens using 'A las...' (e.g., 'A las tres, yo preparo la cena').
¡Ding! 🍪 The timer for our cookies just went off! To be a great chef, you need to know the time. ¿Qué hora es?
In this lesson, we will learn how to ask for and tell the time in Spanish. Knowing the time is very important in the kitchen so we know when to mix the ingredients, when to check the oven, and when it's time to eat our delicious food!
Real-World Applications...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
¿Qué hora es?This is the question you ask when you want to know 'What time is it?'.Mamá, ¿qué hora es? Tengo hambre.
Es la...This phrase means 'It is...' and is ONLY used for one o'clock because 'una hora' (one hour) is singular.Es la una.
Son las...This phrase means 'It is...' and is used for all hours EXCEPT one o'clock (from 2 to 12) because they are plural.Son las cinco.
...y cuartoThis means 'and a quarter' or 'quarter past'. You say it after the hour when the time is 15 minutes past the hour.Son las dos y cuarto. (It's 2:15).
...y mediaThis means 'and a half' or 'half past'. You say it after the hour when the time is 30 minutes past the hour.Son las cuatro y media. (I...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
The 'Es la' vs. 'Son las' Rule
Use 'Es la' for 1:00. Use 'Son las' for 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, and all other hours.
Think of it like this: 'una' (one) is a single hour, so we use the singular form 'es'. All other numbers are for multiple hours, so we use the plural form 'son'.
Formula for Telling Time
(Es la / Son las) + [Hour Number] + y + (cuarto / media)
Start with the correct phrase for the hour ('Es la' or 'Son las'). Then say the number for the hour. If it's 15 or 30 minutes past, add 'y cuarto' or 'y media'.
The 'A las...' Rule for Scheduling
A + la(s) + [Hour Number]
To say that you do something *at* a certain time, always start with 'A&...
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Challenging
For the party, the schedule is: 4:00 - cut vegetables, 4:30 - prepare the salad, 5:15 - cook the chicken. What happens at 'las cuatro y media'?
A.Cocinamos el pollo.
B.Cortamos las verduras.
C.Preparamos la ensalada.
D.Comemos el postre.
Challenging
A cake recipe says: 'Mix for 10 minutes, then bake for 30 minutes.' If you start mixing at 'las dos en punto', at what time is the cake finished baking?
A.las dos y media
B.las tres menos veinte
C.las tres en punto
D.las dos y cuarenta
Challenging
The family always eats dinner at 7:00. Today, the clock says it is 7:30 and they haven't started cooking. Papá says, '¡Necesitamos cocinar muy rápido!' Why are they in a hurry?
A.Porque la comida está lista.
B.Porque es treinta minutos tarde para la cena.
C.Porque es la hora de almorzar.
D.Porque no tienen comida.
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