Weekly Lesson 003, 12.15.2008 "la Hora"

la Hora [O rah] - literally "the hour," is used to refer to "current time" in Spanish more than in English.

el Tiempo [tee em PO] - can mean "time," in the general sense, but also refers to "current weather", or the "tense" of a verb.

Tiempos del dia - "Times of the day"

la mañana [ma NYA na]- "the morning"

medio dia [ME dee o DI ah]- "noon" (literally "middle of the the night")

la tarde [TAHR de]- "afternoon" (literally "[when its] late")

la noche [NO che]- "night"

medianoche [ME dee ah NO che]- "midnight"

Tiempos Specificos - "Specific Times," Spanish expresses times of the day with an article las (las ocho "eight [o'clock]").

Examples:

Que horas son?

What time is it?

(literally "What hour is it?/What hours are they?")

Son las tres.

It is three [o'clock].

No tengo tiempo para eso!

I don't have time for that!

Asking "When?"/Preguntando "Cuándo?"

Some question words and phrases referring to time.

Cuándo . . . ? [KWAHN do] - "When . .. ?"

Hasta cuándo . . . ? [ahs TAH KWAHN do] - "Until when . . . ?"

A que hora . . . ? - "At what time . . . ?"

[Por] cuanto tiempo . . . ? - "How long?" (literally "[For] how much time . . . ?")

Answering "When"/Respondiendo "Cuando"

As in English, questions of time can be answered with a similar phrase as used in the question.

Cuando . . . - "When . . ."

Hasta . . . - "Until . . ."

A (tiempo specifico) - "At (specific time)"

Por (duración de tiempo) - "For (duration of time)"

Examples:

Cuándo vas a casa?

When do you go (to) home?

Cuando (yo) termino mi trabajo.

When I finish my work.

Hasta cuando vas estar alla?

Until when will you be over there?

Hasta las tres.

Until three.

A que hora regressas?

At what time do you return?

Cuanto tiempo estuviste en el resturante?

How long were you in the restaurant?

Por cinco horas!

For five hours!

Tu deber ("Your Assignment"), Responde completamente ("Answer completely")

At what time did you eat lunch? Write down when you did other things today. Say in general and specifically. Tell how long it took you to do something. Finally, what time is it RIGHT, RIGHT NOW?