ocho y cincuenta y cinco
/ot͡ʃo i θinkwenta i θinko/from spelling rules
The English phrase "eight fifty-five" is translated into Spanish as ocho y cincuenta y cinco.
This is a way to state the time when it is five minutes before nine o'clock.
Which one should you use?
The expression Ocho Cincuenta y Cinco is also used informally.
How does it change in a sentence?
When stating the time in a full sentence, you must use the feminine plural article las before the hour, resulting in las ocho y cincuenta y cinco.
How do you pronounce it?
/otʃo i θinkwenta i θinko/
Did you know?
- While ocho y cincuenta y cinco is literal, Spanish speakers often say las nueve menos cinco to describe this time. This literally means 'nine minus five', treating the hour as a subtraction problem.
- The number ocho shares its ancient roots with the English word 'eight', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European word *oḱtṓw.
- The word las used before ocho y cincuenta y cinco is feminine and plural because it refers to the hidden word horas, meaning 'hours'.
Examples in context
- Ocho cincuenta y cinco es la hora exacta.Eight fifty-five is the exact time.
- ¿Qué hora es? – Son las ocho cincuenta y cinco.What time is it? – It is eight fifty-five.
- ¿Me puedes llamar? Estaré lista a las cinco para las nueve.Can you call me? I will be ready at five to nine (eight fifty-five).
- ¡Apresúrate! Son cinco para las nueve y no queremos llegar tarde.Hurry up! It is five to nine and we don't want to be late.
- El tren sale a las ocho y cincuenta y cinco.The train leaves at eight fifty-five.
- Tengo una cita a las ocho y cincuenta y cinco.I have an appointment at eight fifty-five.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are checking the time before a movie starts.
- Mateo¿Qué hora es, Elena?What time is it, Elena?
- ElenaSon las ocho y cincuenta y cinco.It is eight fifty-five.
- Mateo¡Estamos muy atrasados!We are very late!
- ElenaNo te preocupes, Mateo, todavía hay tiempo.Don't worry, Mateo, there is still time.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinco, cincuenta, ocho, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
