y cuarto
/i kwaɾto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "quarter past" is translated into Spanish as y cuarto.
In Spanish, y cuarto is used to indicate that fifteen minutes have passed after a specific hour. The word cuarto is specifically used to refer to these fifteen minutes.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase y cuarto literally translates to "and quarter".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you may hear Es la una y cuarto to express "It is one and a quarter." In Spain, both Son las tres y cuarto and Son las tres y quince are commonly used to say "It is three fifteen."
How does it change in a sentence?
When telling time, y cuarto is added after the hour to indicate fifteen minutes have passed. Note that while y cuarto is the standard way to say "quarter past" in a time expression, un cuarto is used when referring to a quarter as a noun, such as "a quarter of an hour."
How do you pronounce it?
/i kwaɾto/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Son las ocho y cuarto.It's a quarter past eight.This example shows how to use y cuarto to state the current time.Tatoeba #454509 by Shishir, translation #410463 by CM
- Ceno a las siete y cuarto.I have my supper at a quarter past seven.This example shows how to use y cuarto to indicate the time of a daily activity.Tatoeba #3419160 by Shishir, translation #262100 by CK
- Ocurrió a las once y cuarto.It happened at a quarter past eleven.This example shows how to use y cuarto to indicate when an event occurred.Tatoeba #2419033 by wallebot, translation #42838 by CK
- Son las ocho y cuartoIt is eight fifteen.
- Son las cinco y cuartoIt is five fifteen.
- Es la una y cuartoIt is one fifteen.
- Son las nueve y quinceIt is nine fifteen.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are checking the time before a meeting.
- Sofía¿Qué hora es, Mateo?What time is it, Mateo?
- MateoSon las nueve y cuarto.It is a quarter past nine.
- Sofía¡Ay! La reunión es a las nueve y cuarto.Oh! The meeting is at a quarter past nine.
- MateoEntonces tenemos que correr.Then we have to run.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuarto, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
