How to Say “What Time Is It?” in Latin

By •
quota hora est?
[ˈkʷɔ.ta ˈhoː.ra ˈɛst]word by word
The English phrase "what time is it?" is expressed in Latin as quota hora est?
This phrase is used to ask for the current time of day.

What does it mean word for word?

The expression is composed of quota (how much/how many), hora (hour) and est (is).

Did you know?

  • In Ancient Rome, an hora was not a fixed sixty-minute block. Instead, the length of an hour changed throughout the year depending on the season and the daylight available.
  • The word hora is not originally Latin, but was borrowed from the Ancient Greek word hṓrā, which referred to a 'season' or 'year'.
  • The word quota in this phrase is a relative of the English word 'quota', which refers to a fixed share or amount of something.

Example conversation

Gaius and Aurelia are meeting in the forum.

  1. Gaius

    Salve, Aurelia! Quota hora est?
    Hello, Aurelia! What time is it?
  2. Aurelia

    Salve, Gai. Hora sexta est.
    Hello, Gaius. It is the sixth hour.
  3. Gaius

    Ita vero, iam prandium est.
    That's right, it is already lunch time.
  4. Aurelia

    Eamus ad tabernam.
    Let us go to the shop.

Sources

  • IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (quota, hora, est) and can differ in connected speech.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries est, hora, quota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Nancy Billie
Nancy BillieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top