The Clock

[AnnaC]

El reloj mide el tiempo/the clock measures the time

en punto/ o'clock

y media ó 30 minutos / and a half or 30 minutes

1/4 un cuarto


In telling the time it's mostly plural except for 1 o'clock

son las......and for 1 o'clock.....es la una

[mofi]

You might also want to remind people although it does happy they don't usually say its 3:40 or 3:45 after 30 min, they generally saying minutes until the next hour. For example; 3:40- Veinte para las quatro.

[AnnaC]

or is it .... cuarto antes de las cuatro?

How is it said in DR?

[hollywood north]

I have heard quatro menos cinco/cuarto/veinte

[mkohn]

Son las cuatro menos cuarto is the format I learned too.
And the 24hour clock wasn't used.
But we would say son las cuatro de la tarde (afternoon), medianoche and mediodia, for example.
mkohn

[AnnaC]

Well "menos" makes better sense to me.

[hugoke01]

It's the only way I have heard it in Spain

Originally Posted by Anna Coniglio

Well "menos" makes better sense to me.

[Mirador]

son las......and for 1 o'clock.....es la una

In most places in the DR, particularly in the countryside (campo) you won't go wrong if you say 'son las unas' for 'it's one o'clock'.

[mkohn]

cuatro para las cuatro

son las cuatro is ok

I'm thinking en punto is for emphasis. It's exactly 4 o'clock.

mkohn