Telling the time and reading the clock
Decir la hora y leer el reloj
- Ask and tell the time
- Read the clock
- How to tell the time?
Learn how to tell time and read clocks in Spanish with practical expressions for exact hours and fractions of an hour, including dialogues and verb practice at the beginner A1 level.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (24) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the following words into two categories related to telling the time: one with expressions for exact hours and another with expressions for minutes.
Expresiones para horas exactas
Expresiones para minutos y fracciones de hora
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Llegar
To arrive
2
De la noche
At night
3
Menos cuarto
Quarter to
4
Menos veinte
Twenty to
5
De la tarde
In the afternoon
Ejercicio 5: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- What time is it in the pictures? (What time is it in the pictures?)
- What time is it right now? (What time is it right now?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Son las tres y media. It's half past 3. |
|
Son las cuatro de la tarde. It is four o'clock in the afternoon. |
|
Son las doce menos cuarto. It's a quarter to twelve. |
|
Son las cinco y diez. It is ten after five. |
|
Son las diez y cuarto de la mañana. It's quarter past ten in the morning. |
|
Es la una de la madrugada. It is one o'clock at night. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. ¿Qué hora _______ en el reloj de la oficina?
(What time _______ does the office clock show?)2. Normalmente, el tren ______ a las ocho de la tarde y llegamos puntuales.
(Normally, the train ______ at eight in the evening and we arrive on time.)3. Siempre ______ el periódico para saber el momento exacto del día.
(I always ______ the newspaper to know the exact moment of the day.)4. A las nueve de la noche, ella normalmente ______ para la cena con amigos.
(At nine in the evening, she normally ______ for dinner with friends.)Exercise 8: The Meeting and the Clock
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Llegar - Arrive
Presente
- yo llego
- tú llegas
- él/ella/Usted llega
- nosotros/nosotras llegamos
- vosotros/vosotras llegáis
- ellos/ellas/Ustedes llegan
Leer - Read
Presente
- yo leo
- tú lees
- él/ella/Usted lee
- nosotros/nosotras leemos
- vosotros/vosotras leéis
- ellos/ellas/Ustedes leen
Decir - Say
Presente
- yo digo
- tú dices
- él/ella/Usted dice
- nosotros/nosotras decimos
- vosotros/vosotras decís
- ellos/ellas/Ustedes dicen
Exercise 9: ¿Cómo decir la hora?
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: How to tell the time?
Show translation Show answerscuatro y cuarto, once y cinco, diez menos cuarto, la una, dos y cinco, cinco, ocho y media
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Leer to read Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) leo | I read |
| (tú) lees | You read |
| (él/ella) lee | he reads/she reads |
| (nosotros/nosotras) leemos | we read |
| (vosotros/vosotras) leéis | You read |
| (ellos/ellas) leen | they read |
Llegar to arrive Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) llego | I arrive |
| (tú) llegas | You arrive |
| (él/ella) llega | he/she arrives |
| (nosotros/nosotras) llegamos | we arrive |
| (vosotros/vosotras) llegáis | You arrive |
| (ellos/ellas) llegan | they arrive |
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Welcome to Your Spanish Time-Telling Lesson
This lesson is designed for beginners at level A1 and focuses on telling the time and reading clocks in Spanish. You will learn how to ask and answer questions about time, such as ¿Qué hora es? and how to use common expressions when referring to specific times or fractions of an hour.
Key Learning Points
- Exact hour expressions: Learn phrases like A las nueve de la noche, En punto, and De la tarde.
- Minute and fraction expressions: Understand how to say Y cuarto (quarter past), Menos cinco (five to), and Y media (half past).
- Useful dialogues: Practice real-life scenarios such as asking train arrival times, scheduling meetings, and confirming class times with dialogue cards.
- Verb conjugation practice: Engage with exercises focusing on verbs like llegar (to arrive), leer (to read), and decir (to say), which are essential for telling the time and discussing schedules.
Understanding Spanish Time Expressions
In Spanish, telling time often requires using expressions that differ from English, especially with the use of menos (minus) for minutes before the next hour. For example, Es la una menos cuarto means "It is a quarter to one." This contrasts with English which tends to say "a quarter to one" rather than "one minus a quarter."
It's also common in Spanish to specify the part of the day: de la mañana (morning), de la tarde (afternoon), and de la noche (night), which helps clarify the exact time spoken about.
Examples and Highlights
Practice sentences like Son las nueve de la noche (It is nine at night) and La reunión es a las ocho de la tarde (The meeting is at eight in the evening). Recognizing these patterns will improve your fluency both in telling the time and understanding daily schedules.
Summary
This structured lesson offers a comprehensive approach to mastering time-telling in Spanish, combining vocabulary, verb conjugation, conversational practice, and cultural nuances to prepare you for everyday communication.
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