Spanish
Grade 3
15 min
La Hora (The Hour)
Introduce the concept of telling time and the question '¿Qué hora es?'
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Ask '¿Qué hora es?' (What time is it?).
Correctly state the time for 1:00 using 'Es la una.'
State the time for all other hours using 'Son las...'
Use 'y media' to say it is half-past the hour (e.g., 2:30).
Use 'y cuarto' to say it is a quarter past the hour (e.g., 3:15).
Use 'menos cuarto' to say it is a quarter to the hour (e.g., 4:45).
Add 'de la mañana', 'de la tarde', or 'de la noche' to specify the time of day.
Have you ever wondered how to ask for the time when you're getting ready for a fun fiesta? 🕒 Let's learn how!
In this lesson, we will learn the magic words to ask for and tell the time in Spanish. Knowing how to tell time helps you know whe...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
¿Qué hora es?This is the question you ask when you want to know the time. It means 'What time is it?'A friend asks you, '¿Qué hora es?'
Es la unaThis is the special phrase used ONLY for 1 o'clock. 'Es la' is singular because 'una' (one) is singular.For 1:00, you say, 'Es la una.'
Son las...This is the phrase you use for every other hour of the day (2 through 12). 'Son las' is plural because the other numbers are plural.For 3:00, you say, 'Son las tres.'
y mediaThis means 'and a half' and is used for 30 minutes past the hour.For 6:30, you say, 'Son las seis y media.'
y cuartoThis means 'and a quarter' and is used for 15 minutes past the hour.For 9:15, you say, ...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
The 'Es la una' Rule
If the hour is 1, always use 'Es la una'. For all other hours (2-12), always use 'Son las...'
This is the most important rule for telling time. 'Una' (one) is a singular number, so we use the singular verb 'es'. All other hours are plural, so we use the plural verb 'son'.
The 'Y' Formula (For Past the Hour)
Son las [hour] y [minutes].
Use this formula for any time from 1 to 30 minutes past the hour. 'Y' means 'and'. For example, 2:10 is 'Son las dos y diez'.
The 'Menos' Formula (For Before the Hour)
Son las [NEXT hour] menos [minutes until the hour].
Use this formula for any time from 31 to 59 minutes past the hour. 'Menos' mean...
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Challenging
Yo desayuno a las siete y cuarto. El autobús escolar llega una hora después. ¿A qué hora llega el autobús?
A.las ocho y cuarto
B.las siete y media
C.las ocho en punto
D.las seis y cuarto
Challenging
Which of these times is the earliest? "Son las tres menos diez" or "Son las dos y media"?
A.Son las tres menos diez
B.Son las dos y media
C.They are the same time.
D.It is impossible to know.
Challenging
A friend says, "El sol baja y yo como una pizza pequeña. Es la hora de mirar la televisión." Which time phrase best fits this description?
A.Son las siete de la mañana.
B.Es el mediodía.
C.Son las ocho de la noche.
D.Es la una de la tarde.
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