{"id":273112,"date":"2026-08-04T03:07:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T08:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=273112"},"modified":"2026-08-04T03:07:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T08:07:26","slug":"telling-time-english-a2-a2-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/ja\/blog\/telling-time-english-a2-a2-key\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell the Time in English (A2 Vocabulary)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lc-answer\"><strong>To tell the time in English, you can use two main ways: the &#8216;traditional&#8217; way with words like <span data-no-translation>past<\/span> \u305d\u3057\u3066 <span data-no-translation>to<\/span>, or the &#8216;digital&#8217; way using numbers.<\/strong> The traditional method is common in spoken English and uses a 12-hour clock. For example, <span data-no-translation>It&#8217;s ten past three<\/span> means 3:10. The digital method is simpler, just saying the numbers you see, like <span data-no-translation>three ten<\/span>. Both are correct, but understanding the traditional way is important for everyday conversations and exams like the A2 Key. We also use <span data-no-translation>AM<\/span> for morning and <span data-no-translation>PM<\/span> for afternoon\/night to avoid confusion with the 12-hour clock. This lesson will help you master both methods easily.<\/div>\n<h2>How Do We Ask About the Time?<\/h2>\n<p>When you want to know the time, you can ask in a few simple ways.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The most common question is: <span data-no-translation>What time is it?<\/span><\/li>\n<li>You can also ask: <span data-no-translation>Do you have the time?<\/span><\/li>\n<li>If you want to be polite, you can add <span data-no-translation>Excuse me, &#8230;<\/span> at the beginning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-placement\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#2B87DA,#29C4A9);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\u270d\ufe0f \u81ea\u5206\u306e\u30ec\u30d9\u30eb\u304c\u308f\u304b\u3089\u306a\u3044\uff1f<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.95;\">\u7121\u6599\u306e\u30ec\u30d9\u30eb\u5224\u5b9a\u30c6\u30b9\u30c8\u3092\u53d7\u3051\u3066\u3001\u30b1\u30f3\u30d6\u30ea\u30c3\u30b8\u8a8d\u5b9a\u8a66\u9a13\u5b98\u304b\u3089\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306b\u5408\u308f\u305b\u305f\u30d5\u30a3\u30fc\u30c9\u30d0\u30c3\u30af\u3092\u53d7\u3051\u53d6\u308a\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046\u3002.<\/p><a href=\"\/ja\/%e3%82%a4%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b0%e3%83%aa%e3%83%83%e3%82%b7%e3%83%a5\/%e3%82%a2%e3%82%ab%e3%83%87%e3%83%9f%e3%83%bc\/%e7%84%a1%e6%96%99%e4%bd%93%e9%a8%93\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#0A2540;color:#fff;\">\u7121\u6599\u30d7\u30ec\u30a4\u30b9\u30e1\u30f3\u30c8\u30fb\u30c6\u30b9\u30c8\u3092\u53d7\u3051\u308b<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>The Basics: \"O'clock\"<\/h2>\n<p>\u5f53\u793e\u3067\u306f <span data-no-translation>o'clock<\/span> for exact hours. This means there are zero minutes past the hour.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u4f7f\u7528\u65b9\u6cd5 <span data-no-translation>o'clock<\/span> only with full hours, like 1, 2, 3, etc.<\/li>\n<li>It is always <span data-no-translation>number + o'clock<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Minutes Past the Hour: \"Past\"<\/h2>\n<p>When the minutes are from 1 to 30, we use the word <span data-no-translation>past<\/span>. We say the minutes first, then <span data-no-translation>past<\/span>, then the hour.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For example, for 7:10, we say <span data-no-translation>It's ten past seven.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For 2:25, we say <span data-no-translation>It's twenty-five past two.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Minutes To the Hour: \"To\"<\/h2>\n<p>When the minutes are from 31 to 59, we use the word <span data-no-translation>to<\/span>. We say how many minutes are left until the next hour.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For example, for 7:50, there are 10 minutes until 8 o'clock. We say <span data-no-translation>It's ten to eight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For 2:40, there are 20 minutes until 3 o'clock. We say <span data-no-translation>It's twenty to three.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Special Times: \"Half Past\" and \"Quarter\"<\/h2>\n<p>Some times have special words:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For 15 minutes past the hour, we say <span data-no-translation>a quarter past<\/span>. For example, 3:15 is <span data-no-translation>a quarter past three.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For 30 minutes past the hour, we say <span data-no-translation>half past<\/span>. For example, 5:30 is <span data-no-translation>half past five.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For 45 minutes past the hour (which is 15 minutes to the next hour), we say <span data-no-translation>a quarter to<\/span>. For example, 6:45 is <span data-no-translation>a quarter to seven.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Digital Time: The Easy Way<\/h2>\n<p>You can also tell the time by simply saying the numbers you see. This is often called 'digital time' and is very common.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Say the hour, then say the minutes.<\/li>\n<li>For example, 7:10 is <span data-no-translation>seven ten.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>2:45 is <span data-no-translation>two forty-five.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For exact hours, you can say <span data-no-translation>seven o'clock<\/span> \u307e\u305f\u306f <span data-no-translation>seven hundred<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>AM and PM: Morning or Night?<\/h2>\n<p>English often uses a 12-hour clock. To avoid confusion, we add <span data-no-translation>AM<\/span> \u307e\u305f\u306f <span data-no-translation>PM<\/span>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>AM<\/span> means 'ante meridiem' (before midday). It is for times from midnight (00:00) to midday (12:00).<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>PM<\/span> means 'post meridiem' (after midday). It is for times from midday (12:00) to midnight (00:00).<\/li>\n<li>For example, <span data-no-translation>7 AM<\/span> is seven in the morning. <span data-no-translation>7 PM<\/span> is seven in the evening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<caption>Common Ways to Tell the Time<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Time<\/th>\n<th>Traditional Way<\/th>\n<th>Digital Way<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>7:00<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's seven o'clock.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's seven hundred.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>9:15<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's a quarter past nine.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's nine fifteen.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>1:30<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's half past one.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's one thirty.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>4:45<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's a quarter to five.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's four forty-five.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>6:50<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's ten to seven.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It's six fifty.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>\u4f8b<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's nine o'clock.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's twenty past one.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's a quarter past four.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's half past ten.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's five to six.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's a quarter to two.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It's three thirty-five.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>My class starts at 8 AM.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>The shop closes at 9 PM.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u7df4\u7fd2<\/h2>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-890\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"890\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"KET01 L5 VOCABULARY Time\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-exam\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:#0A2540;\"><h3 style=\"color:#F2B705;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\u8a8d\u5b9a\u8a3c\u3092\u53d6\u5f97\u3059\u308b\u6e96\u5099\u306f\u3067\u304d\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.92;\">Langcom\u306f\u3001\u30b1\u30f3\u30d6\u30ea\u30c3\u30b8\u8a66\u9a13\u3001IELTS\u3001TOEFL\u3001DELE\u3001SIELE\u3001\u304a\u3088\u3073Michigan\u306e\u8a66\u9a13\u5bfe\u7b56\u30b3\u30fc\u30b9\u3067\u3059\u3002.<\/p><a href=\"\/ja\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#F2B705;color:#0A2540;\">Langcom\u306e\u4f7f\u3044\u65b9<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>\u30b9\u30da\u30a4\u30f3\u8a9e\u8a71\u8005\u304c\u3088\u304f\u72af\u3059\u9593\u9055\u3044<\/h2>\n<p>Many Spanish speakers make a few common mistakes when telling the time in English:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Using 'the' with time:<\/strong> Do not say <span data-no-translation>at the five o'clock<\/span>. The correct way is <span data-no-translation>at five o'clock<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Direct translation of 'y cuarto' or 'menos cuarto':<\/strong> Do not say <span data-no-translation>it's two and quarter<\/span> for 2:15. The correct way is <span data-no-translation>It's a quarter past two<\/span> \u307e\u305f\u306f <span data-no-translation>It's two fifteen<\/span>. For 2:45, do not say <span data-no-translation>it's two less quarter<\/span>. Say <span data-no-translation>It's a quarter to three<\/span> \u307e\u305f\u306f <span data-no-translation>It's two forty-five<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Confusing 'past' and 'to':<\/strong> Remember <span data-no-translation>past<\/span> is for minutes 1-30, and <span data-no-translation>to<\/span> is for minutes 31-59 (to the next hour).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u3088\u304f\u3042\u308b\u8cea\u554f<\/h2>\n<h3>What is \"o'clock\"?<\/h3>\n<p><span data-no-translation>O'clock<\/span> means 'of the clock'. We use it only for exact hours, like <span data-no-translation>It's three o'clock<\/span> (3:00).<\/p>\n<h3>When do I use \"past\" and \"to\"?<\/h3>\n<p>\u4f7f\u7528\u65b9\u6cd5 <span data-no-translation>past<\/span> for minutes 1 to 30 after the hour (e.g., <span data-no-translation>ten past five<\/span> for 5:10). Use <span data-no-translation>to<\/span> for minutes 31 to 59, referring to the minutes before the next hour (e.g., <span data-no-translation>ten to five<\/span> for 4:50).<\/p>\n<h3>What is the difference between \"AM\" and \"PM\"?<\/h3>\n<p><span data-no-translation>AM<\/span> is for times from midnight to noon (morning). <span data-no-translation>PM<\/span> is for times from noon to midnight (afternoon and night). For example, <span data-no-translation>7 AM<\/span> is morning, <span data-no-translation>7 PM<\/span> is evening.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I tell the time for the A2 Key exam?<\/h3>\n<p>For the A2 Key exam, you should understand both traditional (e.g., <span data-no-translation>half past<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>quarter to<\/span>) and digital ways (e.g., <span data-no-translation>three thirty<\/span>). You might hear or need to say the time in listening or speaking tasks.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I use numbers only to tell the time?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, saying the numbers (e.g., <span data-no-translation>It's four thirty<\/span> for 4:30) is very common and perfectly acceptable in most situations. This is the 'digital' way of telling time.<\/p>\n<h2>\u95a2\u9023\u30ec\u30c3\u30b9\u30f3<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/ja\/?p=272582\">Expressions of time<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/ja\/?p=273010\">Expressions of time<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To tell the time in English, you can use two main ways: the &#8216;traditional&#8217; way with words like past and to, or the &#8216;digital&#8217; way using numbers. The traditional method is common in spoken English and uses a 12-hour clock. For example, It&#8217;s ten past three means 3:10. The digital method is simpler, just saying the numbers you see, like three ten. Both are correct, but understanding the traditional way is important for everyday conversations and exams like the A2 Key. We also use AM for morning and PM for afternoon\/night to avoid confusion with the 12-hour clock. This lesson will help you master both methods easily. How Do We [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":273900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bwfblock_default_font":"","langcom_teaches":"Expressions of time","langcom_cefr":"A2","langcom_type":"vocabulary","langcom_faq":"[{\"q\": \"What is \\\"o'clock\\\"?\", \"a\": \"<span data-no-translation>O'clock<\/span> means 'of the clock'. We use it only for exact hours, like <span data-no-translation>It's three o'clock<\/span> (3:00).\"}, {\"q\": \"When do I use \\\"past\\\" and \\\"to\\\"?\", \"a\": \"Use <span data-no-translation>past<\/span> for minutes 1 to 30 after the hour (e.g., <span data-no-translation>ten past five<\/span> for 5:10). Use <span data-no-translation>to<\/span> for minutes 31 to 59, referring to the minutes before the next hour (e.g., <span data-no-translation>ten to five<\/span> for 4:50).\"}, {\"q\": \"What is the difference between \\\"AM\\\" and \\\"PM\\\"?\", \"a\": \"<span data-no-translation>AM<\/span> is for times from midnight to noon (morning). <span data-no-translation>PM<\/span> is for times from noon to midnight (afternoon and night). For example, <span data-no-translation>7 AM<\/span> is morning, <span data-no-translation>7 PM<\/span> is evening.\"}, {\"q\": \"How do I tell the time for the A2 Key exam?\", \"a\": \"For the A2 Key exam, you should understand both traditional (e.g., <span data-no-translation>half past<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>quarter to<\/span>) and digital ways (e.g., <span data-no-translation>three thirty<\/span>). You might hear or need to say the time in listening or speaking tasks.\"}, {\"q\": \"Can I use numbers only to tell the time?\", \"a\": \"Yes, saying the numbers (e.g., <span data-no-translation>It's four thirty<\/span> for 4:30) is very common and perfectly acceptable in most situations. This is the 'digital' way of telling time.\"}]","_kiss_seo_title":"Tell Time in English (A2) | Langcom","_kiss_seo_excerpt":"Learn how to tell the time in English for A2 Key. Master common phrases like 'o'clock', 'past', 'to', 'half past', and 'quarter'. Improve your daily conversations.","_mwseo_canonical":"","_mwseo_keywords":null,"_mwseo_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[618],"tags":[781,649],"formats":[],"class_list":["post-273112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a2-key-ket","tag-time","tag-vocabulary"],"dsm_author":{"name":"\u30e9\u30a6\u30eb","avatar_url":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/nsl_avatars\/1de86ea706740d324aaef3dd8bf0843b.png","archive_link":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/ja\/blog\/author\/raulmaguinahamann\/","biodata":""},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"A2 Key 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