¿qué hora es?
The English phrase "what time is it?" is expressed in Spanish as ¿qué hora es?
This phrase is a question used to ask for the current time of day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿qué hora es? literally translates to "what hour is (it)?"
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué hora es? is the standard way to ask for the time in most Spanish-speaking areas, the plural form ¿Qué horas son? is also used in certain regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the plural form ¿Qué horas son? is used to mean "What time is it?"
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the question uses the singular noun hora, the verb es must also be in the singular form.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ¿Qué tiempo es? English speakers often mistakenly use tiempo (which refers to weather or duration) instead of hora when asking for the time of day.
Did you know?
- If you want to be extremely polite when asking ¿qué hora es?, it is customary to start with disculpe or perdón to avoid sounding demanding.
- Using the plural ¿Qué horas son? in some Latin American countries can sometimes imply a sense of 'How late is it?' rather than just asking for the time.
- The word hora comes from the Latin hōra, which was borrowed from the Ancient Greek word hṓrā.
Examples in context
- Perdone, ¿qué hora es?Excuse me, what time is it?
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are waiting for a bus.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿qué hora es?María, what time is it?
- MaríaSon las tres de la tarde.It is three in the afternoon.
- AlejandroEl autobús llega tarde hoy.The bus is late today.
- MaríaSí, es muy frustrante.Yes, it is very frustrating.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, hora, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
