Welcome to Lesson 11 of your English journey! In this lesson, we will learn how to tell time in English. Knowing how to express the time is essential for scheduling meetings, catching a bus, or simply organizing your day. There are two main ways to tell time in English: the digital (simple) way and the analog (traditional) way. We will explore both so you can feel confident in any situation.
To begin, the most basic way to ask for the time is by using the phrase: [[pronounce:What time is it?:en]] You can also ask: [[pronounce:Do you have the time?:en]] When answering, we always start the sentence with "It is" or the contraction "It's". For example, if the clock shows 5:00, you would say: [[pronounce:It is five o'clock.:en]]
Let's look at the vocabulary we need for telling time. We use "o'clock" only for exact hours. When we talk about the minutes, we use "past" for minutes 1-30 and "to" for minutes 31-59. Here is a basic vocabulary list:
| English Word | Phonetic (Approx) | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hour | /ˈaʊər/ | Hour |
| Minute | /ˈmɪnɪt/ | Minute |
| Second | /ˈsɛkənd/ | Second |
| Quarter | /ˈkwɔːrtər/ | Quarter (15 min) |
| Half | /hæf/ | Half (30 min) |
In the digital method, you simply say the hour first, then the minutes. This is the easiest method and is very common in modern conversation. For example, 2:10 is "two ten" and 7:45 is "seven forty-five". [[pronounce:It is two ten.:en]] [[pronounce:It is seven forty-five.:en]]
The traditional analog method is a bit more complex. We use "past" to describe how many minutes have gone by after the hour, and "to" to describe how many minutes remain before the next hour. For example, 8:10 is "ten past eight" and 8:50 is "ten to nine". [[pronounce:It is ten past eight.:en]] [[pronounce:It is ten to nine.:en]]
Special terms are used for 15 and 30 minutes. Instead of saying "fifteen", we usually say "quarter". Instead of saying "thirty", we usually say "half". [[pronounce:It is a quarter past four.:en]] (4:15) [[pronounce:It is half past six.:en]] (6:30) [[pronounce:It is a quarter to ten.:en]] (9:45)
English does not typically use a 24-hour clock in casual conversation. Instead, we use "a.m." (ante meridiem) for the morning and "p.m." (post meridiem) for the afternoon and evening.
| Period | Designation | Time Range |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | a.m. | Midnight to 11:59 AM |
| Afternoon/Evening | p.m. | Noon to 11:59 PM |
If you want to be more descriptive, you can use the words "noon" for 12:00 p.m. and "midnight" for 12:00 a.m. [[pronounce:I will eat lunch at noon.:en]] [[pronounce:The party ends at midnight.:en]]
Let's practice with a short dialogue between two friends, Sarah and Mark, who are trying to meet for coffee. Sarah: [[pronounce:What time is it?:en]] Mark: [[pronounce:It is a quarter past three.:en]] Sarah: [[pronounce:Oh! The cafe opens at four o'clock.:en]] Mark: [[pronounce:Let's go now then.:en]]
Grammar Rule: Using "At" for Specific Times. When we talk about the time an event happens, we always use the preposition "at". We do not use "in" or "on" for specific clock times. Example Conjugation/Usage:
Cultural Note: In English-speaking cultures, punctuality is often very important, especially in professional settings. If you are "on time," you arrive exactly at the scheduled hour. If you are "early," you arrive before the time. If you are "late," you arrive after the time. Saying "I'm running five minutes late" is a common way to apologize for a small delay.
To summarize, remember that you have a choice. You can be simple (Digital: 6:15 -> "six fifteen") or traditional (Analog: 6:15 -> "a quarter past six"). Both are correct and understood by all native speakers. Keep practicing by looking at your watch throughout the day and saying the time out loud in English!
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