son las doce de la noche
/son las doθe de la not͡ʃe/from spelling rules
To say "it is 12 am" in Spanish, you say son las doce de la noche.
The phrase son las doce de la noche is used to state that the time is midnight.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "they are the twelve of the night" because Spanish uses the plural verb son to agree with the plural number doce.
Which one should you use?
While son las doce de la noche specifies the hour, es la medianoche is a common singular alternative used to state the time is exactly midnight.
How do you pronounce it?
/son las doθe de la notʃe/
Did you know?
- While son las doce de la noche is used for midnight, the phrase las doce is also used in Spanish to refer to a dozen of something, such as eggs.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase dar las doce is used to describe the clock striking twelve, often associated with the arrival of a deadline or a magical change.
- The word doce shares an ancestral root with the English word 'dozen'. Both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'two', reflecting the concept of 'two and ten'.
Examples in context
- ¡Son las doce de la noche! ¡A dormir!It is 12 am! Time to sleep!
- Mira el reloj, son las doce de la noche.Look at the clock, it is midnight.
- No puedo dormir porque son las doce de la noche.I cannot sleep because it is midnight.
- Ya terminó el día, son las doce de la noche.The day is over, it is midnight.
Example conversation
Javier and María are checking the time in the living room.
- Javier¿Qué hora es, María?What time is it, María?
- MaríaSon las doce de la noche.It is midnight.
- Javier¡Qué tarde es!How late it is!
- MaríaSí, es hora de ir a la cama.Yes, it is time to go to bed.
