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.
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.
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.