This deep dive covers Horas y fechas — Times and Dates in Detail within Numbers, dates and times (listening) for GCSE Spanish. Revise Numbers, dates and times (listening) in Listening Traps for GCSE Spanish with 16 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔍 Horas y fechas — Times and Dates in Detail
Section A — Times
- Es la una (1 o'clock — singular)
- Son las dos / tres / cuatro... (all others — plural)
- y cuarto = quarter past; y media = half past; menos cuarto = quarter to
- Example: Son las tres y cuarto (3:15); Son las ocho menos cuarto (7:45)
Section B — Dates
- 1st of month: el primero de (month) — ordinal for 1st ONLY
- All other dates: el dos / tres / cuatro... de (month) — cardinal numbers
- Example: el primero de enero; el quince de agosto
⭐ Key rule
Es la una (SINGULAR — 1 o'clock). Everything else is Son las... (PLURAL). This is the #1 time error at GCSE — examiners see it every year.
Practice questions for Numbers, dates and times (listening)
Listen to the recording, then answer: How many students are in the class?
Quick recall flashcards
How do you say the years 2007 and 1999 in Spanish?
2007 = dos mil siete (never 'dos mil y siete'). 1999 = mil novecientos noventa y nueve. Pattern for years: thousands + hundreds + tens + units, joined naturally.
How do you say 16, 17, 18 and 19 in Spanish?
dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve — each is ONE word. Never write 'diez y seis' (two words). Note the accent on dieciséis.