las ocho
/las ot͡ʃo/from spelling rules
Eight o'clock in Spanish is las ocho.
The phrase las ocho is used to indicate the time when the clock shows eight hours.
Which one should you use?
While 'eight o'clock' uses the plural las ocho, 'one o'clock' uses the singular la una because it refers to a single hour. To specify that it is exactly eight o'clock sharp, you can add the phrase en punto to get las ocho en punto.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the feminine plural article las because the implied noun is las horas (the hours). To say 'at' a specific time, you must use the preposition a before the phrase to get a las ocho.
How do you pronounce it?
/las otʃo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone says a party starts at las ocho, it is often understood as a suggestion rather than a strict rule, and guests may arrive much later.
- The word las in this phrase is actually a fossilized version of the Latin word illās, which was used to point something out.
Examples in context
- Despiérteme a las ocho.Wake me up at eight o'clock.This sentence is useful for requesting a wake-up call at las ocho.Tatoeba #2269045 by Shishir, translation #2269044 by _undertoad
- Se va a la cama a las ocho.He goes to bed at eight o'clock.This sentence is useful for describing a habit of going to bed at las ocho.Tatoeba #2292040 by Shishir, translation #47532 by CK
- La obra es a las ocho en punto.The play is at eight o'clock.This sentence is useful for stating the time of an event, such as a play, being at las ocho.Tatoeba #1355699 by marcelostockle, translation #371412 by saeb
- Son las ocho de la mañanaIt is eight o'clock in the morning.
- Son las ocho en punto de la nocheIt is exactly eight o'clock at night.
- Empieza a las ocho en punto de la noche.It starts at eight o'clock at night.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are planning a dinner reservation.
- Daniel¿A qué hora es la cena?What time is dinner?
- SofíaEs a las ocho.It is at eight o'clock.
- DanielPerfecto, estaré listo para las ocho.Perfect, I will be ready by eight o'clock.
- SofíaMuy bien, Daniel.Very well, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries las, ocho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
