¿Qué hora es?
The English phrase "what is the time?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Qué hora es?
¿Qué hora es? Is a common and versatile way to ask for the time in Spanish. When responding to the question, use the singular verb es for 1:00 (Es la una) and the plural verb son for all other hours (Son las dos, Son las tres, etc.). For example, one o'clock is expressed as es la una, while two o'clock is son las dos and three o'clock is son las tres. To say two thirty, you say son las dos y media.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿Qué hora es? literally translates to 'What hour is it?'
How does it change in a sentence?
While ¿Qué hora es? is the standard way to ask the time, ¿Qué horas son? is a grammatically acceptable alternative used in some dialects.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ¿Cuál es la hora? English speakers often use this because it follows the English structure 'What is the time?', but it is not a natural way to ask for the time in Spanish.
Did you know?
- If you are in a very formal setting, you might use Disculpe, ¿tiene la hora? instead of the standard ¿Qué hora es?
- The Spanish word hora is a distant relative of the English word 'hour', but both trace their roots back to the Ancient Greek word ὥρᾱ, which meant 'season' or 'time of day'.
- When answering ¿Qué hora es?, Spanish speakers use media for thirty minutes, which is the same root used for the English word 'medium' meaning the middle.
Examples in context
- Perdone, ¿qué hora es?Excuse me, what is the time?
Example conversation
Lucía asks Javier for the time in a cafe.
- LucíaJavier, ¿qué hora es?Javier, what is the time?
- JavierSon las tres de la tarde.It is three in the afternoon.
- Lucía¡Gracias! Es muy tarde.Thanks! It is very late.
- JavierDe nada, Lucía.You're welcome, Lucía.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, hora, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
