{"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\/zh\/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> \u548c <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 \u4e0d\u786e\u5b9a\u81ea\u5df1\u7684\u6c34\u5e73\u5982\u4f55\uff1f<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.95;\">\u53c2\u52a0\u6211\u4eec\u7684\u514d\u8d39\u5206\u7ea7\u6d4b\u8bd5\uff0c\u83b7\u5f97\u7531\u5251\u6865\u8ba4\u8bc1\u8003\u5b98\u63d0\u4f9b\u7684\u4e2a\u6027\u5316\u53cd\u9988\u3002.<\/p><a href=\"\/zh\/%e8%8b%b1%e8%af%ad\/%e5%ad%a6%e9%99%a2\/%e5%85%8d%e8%b4%b9%e6%b5%8b%e8%af%95\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#0A2540;color:#fff;\">\u53c2\u52a0\u6211\u4eec\u7684\u514d\u8d39\u5206\u7ea7\u6d4b\u8bd5<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>The Basics: \"O'clock\"<\/h2>\n<p>\u6211\u4eec\u4f7f\u7528 <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 <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>, \u7136\u540e\u662f\u5c0f\u65f6\u3002.<\/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> \u6216 <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> \u6216 <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>\u4f8b\u5982\uff0c, <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>\u65f6\u95f4<\/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>\u793a\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>\u7ec3\u4e60<\/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;\">\u51c6\u5907\u597d\u83b7\u5f97\u8bc1\u4e66\u4e86\u5417\uff1f<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.92;\">Langcom \u8bfe\u7a0b\u65e8\u5728\u5e2e\u52a9\u5b66\u751f\u5907\u8003\u5251\u6865\u8003\u8bd5\u3001IELTS\u3001TOEFL\u3001DELE\u3001SIELE \u548c Michigan \u8003\u8bd5\u3002.<\/p><a href=\"\/zh\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#F2B705;color:#0A2540;\">\u5f00\u59cb\u4f7f\u7528 Langcom<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>\u897f\u73ed\u7259\u8bed\u6bcd\u8bed\u8005\u5e38\u72af\u7684\u9519\u8bef<\/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> \u6216 <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> \u6216 <span data-no-translation>It's two forty-five<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Confusing 'past' and 'to':<\/strong> \u8bf7\u8bb0\u4f4f <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>\u5e38\u89c1\u95ee\u9898<\/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 <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>\u76f8\u5173\u8bfe\u7a0b<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/zh\/?p=272582\">\u65f6\u95f4\u8868\u8fbe<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/zh\/?p=273010\">\u65f6\u95f4\u8868\u8fbe<\/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 [&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":"\u52b3\u5c14","avatar_url":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/nsl_avatars\/1de86ea706740d324aaef3dd8bf0843b.png","archive_link":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/zh\/blog\/author\/raulmaguinahamann\/","biodata":""},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"A2 Key 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