diez y media
/djeθ i medja/from spelling rules
Ten thirty in Spanish is diez y media.
This phrase is used to state the time when it is thirty minutes past ten o'clock. To specify the time of day, you can add de la mañana for 10:30 AM or de la noche for 10:30 PM. If you want to emphasize that it is exactly the specified time, you can add en punto after the phrase.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase diez y media literally translates to 'ten and half'.
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 phrase, such as in las diez y media, because the implied noun is las horas.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you might hear people use the word media to refer to a 'stocking' or 'sock', a completely different noun that is spelled identically.
- The word diez shares a very ancient root with the English word 'ten', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European word *déḱm̥.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, media is used for any hour that ends in thirty, but you can also say y treinta to sound more digital or precise.
Examples in context
- "¿Qué hora es?" "Son las diez y media.""What time is it?" "It is ten-thirty."This example shows how to answer the question "¿Qué hora es?" using diez y media.Tatoeba #506790 by Shishir, translation #73747 by CK
- Sra. Rodriguez, son las diez y media.Mrs. Rodriguez, it is ten thirty.
- Oye, son las diez y media.Hey, it is ten thirty.
- La clase termina a las diez y media.The class ends at ten thirty.
- Nos vemos en la estación a las diez y media.We'll see each other at the station at ten thirty.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are planning their morning meeting.
- ElenaMateo, ¿a qué hora es la cita?Mateo, what time is the appointment?
- MateoEs a las diez y media.It is at ten thirty.
- ElenaEstá bien, llegaré temprano.All right, I will arrive early.
- MateoPerfecto, nos vemos allí.Perfect, see you there.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries diez, media, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
