How to say what time is it ? Telling the time in English
In English, it is possible to tell the time in a mutiple ways.
Basic time related terms:
30 minutes - is half an hour. It is usually said as "half past", but also simply just "thirty".
15 minutes - is quarter of an hour. It is usually said as "quarter past" or "quarter to", but also simply just "fifteen" or "forty-five".
AM - means Ante meridiem. Used in relation to time from middnight to midday.
PM - means Post meridiem. Used in relation to time from midday to middnight.
Here are some examples how to tell the time:
You can use a “past / to” method. Past is used for up to 30 minutes. To is used for more than 30 minutes. Examples:
10:05 - It’s five past ten.
10:15 - It’s quarter past ten. It’s fifteen (minutes) past ten.
10:25 - Is’ twentyfive past ten.
10:30 - It’s half past ten. It’s thirty (minutes) past ten.
10:35 - It’s twentyfive to eleven.
10:45 - It’s quater to eleven. It’s fifteen (minutes) to eleven.
10:55 - It’s five to eleven.
You can also tell the time by using a “hours and minutes” method. Examples:
10:15 - It’s ten fifteen.
10:25 - It’s ten twentyfive.
10:30 - It’s ten thirty.
10:35 - It’s ten thirtyfive.
10:45 - It’s ten fortyfive.
Saying time in the morning or afternoon. Examples:
10:15 AM - It’s quarter past ten in the morning.
04:30 PM - It’s half past four in the afternoon.