Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| a qué hora empieza | /a ke oɾa empjeθa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /a ke oɾa empjesa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
standard |
| a qué hora comienza | formal | |
| a qué hora arranca | informal | |
| a qué hora es | common, events |
Add the event after the verb: ¿A qué hora empieza la película? means "What time does the film start?" For events you can also ask ¿A qué hora es la fiesta?, literally "At what time is the party?"
Which one should you use?
empieza and comienza mean the same thing, and comienza is more common in writing, announcements and polite speech. arranca is colloquial and is often used for matches, concerts and races.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb agrees with the thing that starts. For one event use empieza, for several use empiezan: ¿A qué hora empiezan las clases? The answer uses a las plus the hour, or a la una for one o'clock: Empieza a las nueve.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hora is silent, so qué hora sounds like keh OH-ra. The phrase has no sounds that differ between Spain and Latin America, so it sounds the same everywhere.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not drop the a at the start. ¿A qué hora…? needs it, and ¿Qué hora empieza? is not correct. Keep the accent on qué in questions.
Did you know?
- The verb empezar changes its stem: empiezo, empiezas, empieza, but empezamos for "we start".
Examples in context
- ¿A qué hora empieza la película?What time does the film start?
- ¿A qué hora empiezan las clases?What time do the classes start?
- La reunión comienza a las diez.The meeting starts at ten.
- ¿A qué hora arranca el partido?What time does the match kick off?
Example conversation
Lucía and her friend Diego are planning to go to a concert.
- Lucía¿A qué hora empieza el concierto?What time does the concert start?
- DiegoEmpieza a las ocho.It starts at eight.
- Lucía¿Y a qué hora abren las puertas?And what time do the doors open?
- DiegoA las siete.At seven.
- LucíaPerfecto, nos vemos a las siete.Perfect, see you at seven.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
