diez y cincuenta
/djeθ i θinkwenta/from spelling rules
In Spanish, diez y cincuenta is used to say 'ten fifty'.
This phrase is a way to state the time when it is ten hours and fifty minutes.
Which one should you use?
While diez y cincuenta is mathematically correct, native speakers more commonly express this time as las once menos diez (ten to eleven).
How does it change in a sentence?
When stating the time in a full sentence, the phrase is usually preceded by the feminine plural article las, as in las diez y cincuenta.
How do you pronounce it?
/djeθ i θinkwenta/
Did you know?
- The word cincuenta is a direct descendant of the Latin word cīnquāgintā, which also gives rise to the English word 'cinquain' used in poetry.
- The feminine plural article las in las diez y cincuenta is used because it refers to the implicit word horas, meaning 'hours'.
- In official or professional settings in Latin America, 10:50 PM is often expressed as las veintidós y cincuenta using a 24-hour clock.
Examples in context
- Son las diez y cincuenta.It is ten fifty.
- El tren sale a las diez y cincuenta.The train leaves at ten fifty.
- Son exactamente las diez y cincuenta.It is exactly ten fifty.
- La película termina a las diez y cincuenta.The movie ends at ten fifty.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are checking the time before a flight.
- Daniel¿A qué hora es el vuelo?What time is the flight?
- SofíaEs a las diez y cincuenta.It is at ten fifty.
- DanielTodavía tenemos tiempo.We still have time.
- SofíaSí, Daniel, no te preocupes.Yes, Daniel, don't worry.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cincuenta, diez, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
