Telling time vocabulary includes words and phrases that help you ask for, tell, and understand what time it is in English. These words cover hours, minutes, parts of the day, and common expressions used in everyday conversation about time.
Hours
These are the numbers used for the hours on a clock, from 1 to 12.
- The hours are expressed as "one o’clock," "two o’clock," and so on.
- Use "o’clock" when referring to the exact hour (e.g., 3:00).
- In casual speech, you can say the number alone when it’s clear you’re talking about time.
Singular vs. Plural
- Use "o’clock" only with singular hour numbers (one to twelve).
- For times with minutes, don’t use "o’clock."
| English Hours |
|---|
| one o’clock |
| two o’clock |
| three o’clock |
| four o’clock |
| five o’clock |
| six o’clock |
| seven o’clock |
| eight o’clock |
| nine o’clock |
| ten o’clock |
| eleven o’clock |
| twelve o’clock |
Minutes
These are the words used to talk about minutes before or after the hour.
- Use "past" to mean minutes after the hour.
- Use "to" to mean minutes before the next hour.
- Use "quarter" for 15 minutes and "half" for 30 minutes.
- For other minutes, just say the number (one, two, three, etc.).
| English Minutes Examples |
|---|
| five past …
| ten past …
| quarter past … |
|---|
| twenty-five past … |
| half past … |
| twenty-five to … |
| twenty to … |
| quarter to … |
| ten to … |
| five to … |
How do you say 10:15 using minutes vocabulary?
It’s quarter past ten.
'Quarter past ten' means 15 minutes after 10:00. 'Quarter to ten' would mean 15 minutes before 10:00, which is 9:45.
Parts of the Day
These are common terms for different times of day.
- Use "in the morning" for times between sunrise and noon.
- Use "in the afternoon" for times after noon until about 6 PM.
- Use "in the evening" for times from about 6 PM until bedtime.
- Use "at night" for late evening and nighttime hours.
- Use "midnight" for 12:00 AM and "noon" for 12:00 PM.
| Parts of the Day |
|---|
| in the morning |
| in the afternoon |
| in the evening |
| at night |
| midnight |
| noon |
Common Expressions
These are some common ways to tell time in English.
- Use "exactly" to emphasize the exact time.
- "Around" or "about" means the time is approximate.
- "Sharp" means exactly on time.
- Use “What time is …?” to ask for the time.
- Use “It’s …” to tell the time.
| English Expressions |
|---|
| What time is it? |
| It’s … o’clock. |
| It’s … past … |
| It’s … to … |
| It’s quarter past … |
| It’s half past … |
| It’s quarter to … |
| It’s about … |
| It’s exactly … |
| It’s … sharp |
What question do you use to ask for the time?
What time is it?
The standard way to ask for the time in English is 'What time is it?'
Using “AM” and “PM”
AM and PM are abbreviations that help specify whether a time is in the morning or evening.
- AM means the time between midnight and noon (00:00 to 11:59).
- PM means the time between noon and midnight (12:00 to 23:59).
- When writing, AM and PM are usually capitalized.
- In speech, you can say “a.m.” as “ay em” and “p.m.” as “pee em” or simply say “in the morning/afternoon/evening.”
| English Usage Examples |
|---|
| :00 AM (seven a.m.) |
| :30 AM (nine thirty a.m.) |
| :00 PM (twelve noon) |
| :45 PM (three forty-five p.m.) |
| :00 PM (six p.m.) |
| :59 PM (eleven fifty-nine p.m.) |
Full Sentences
Here are some example sentences that combine grammar and vocabulary for telling time.
- Use the pronoun "it’s" for time.
- Use "past" or "to" with the correct hour.
- Include the part of the day for clarity, especially in speaking.
- Use "a.m." or "p.m." in writing for clarity.
- Use "about" or "around" for approximate times.
| English Sentences |
|---|
| It’s three o’clock in the afternoon. |
| It’s twenty past seven a.m. |
| It’s half past eleven at night. |
| It’s quarter to five in the evening. |
| What time is your meeting? |
| My meeting is at 2:30 p.m. |
| I wake up at six o’clock every morning. |
| The train leaves at ten o’clock sharp. |
| Let’s meet around four thirty. |
| Dinner is at seven o’clock p.m. |
Summary
Telling time in English involves:
- Using hour numbers with “o’clock” for exact hours (1–12).
- Using past and to to describe minutes before or after the hour.
- Using quarter for 15 minutes and half for 30 minutes.
- Using parts of the day (in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night) for clarity.
- Using AM (midnight to noon) and PM (noon to midnight) for formal or written time.
- Using common expressions to ask for and tell the time naturally.
With these rules and vocabulary, you can confidently tell and understand time in everyday English.
Flashcards (1 of 38)
- English Hours: one o’clock
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
