las once y cincuenta y cinco
/las onθe i θinkwenta i θinko/from spelling rules
Eleven fifty-five in Spanish is las once y cincuenta y cinco.
This phrase is used to state the time when it is five minutes before twelve o'clock.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built using the standard Spanish structure for telling time: [hour] + y + [minutes]. The component once means eleven, and cincuenta y cinco means fifty-five, which is composed of cincuenta (fifty) and cinco (five).
How does it change in a sentence?
When stating the time, the phrase follows the [hour] + y + [minutes] pattern. If you want to say 'at eleven fifty-five' to refer to a specific point in time, you must add the preposition a before the article, resulting in a las once y cincuenta y cinco.
How do you pronounce it?
/las onθe i θinkwenta i θinko/
Did you know?
- While las once y cincuenta y cinco is correct, many Spanish speakers would say las doce menos cinco, which literally means 'twelve minus five'.
- The word once is linked to a cultural tradition of taking a mid-morning snack, often referred to as las once.
- The word once in this phrase, meaning eleven, shares the same Latin root 'undecim' as the English word 'undecillion'.
Examples in context
- La reunión es a las once cincuenta y cinco.The meeting is at eleven fifty-five.
- Llego a las once cincuenta y cinco.I'll arrive at eleven fifty-five.
- El tren sale a las once y cincuenta y cinco.The train leaves at eleven fifty-five.
- La clase termina a las once y cincuenta y cinco.The class ends at eleven fifty-five.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are checking the time before a meeting.
- María¿Qué hora es, Mateo?What time is it, Mateo?
- MateoSon las once y cincuenta y cinco.It is eleven fifty-five.
- María¡Es casi el mediodía!It is almost noon!
- MateoSí, María, tenemos que irnos.Yes, María, we have to go.
