Dates and time
Days, months, the date and the time.
Days and months
Days and months are written without capitals. The week starts on Monday.
| Day | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lunes | Monday |
| martes | Tuesday |
| miércoles | Wednesday |
| jueves | Thursday |
| viernes | Friday |
| sábado | Saturday |
| domingo | Sunday |
| Month | Meaning | Month | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| enero | January | julio | July |
| febrero | February | agosto | August |
| marzo | March | septiembre | September |
| abril | April | octubre | October |
| mayo | May | noviembre | November |
| junio | June | diciembre | December |
"On Monday" is el lunes, with no word for "on"; "on Mondays" is los lunes.
- See you on Monday.
- I don't work on Saturdays.
The date
The date is the day, de, and the month: el 5 de mayo "May 5th", said el cinco de mayo. The first is el uno in Spain and el primero in much of Latin America. Years are said as whole numbers: 2024 is dos mil veinticuatro.
- What day is it today? —It's Tuesday.
- Today is April 3rd.
- I was born on October 12th, 1990.
The time
Time takes ser and the article la or las, for hora "hour": es la una, but son las dos, son las tres.
| Spanish | Time |
|---|---|
| Es la una. | It's one o'clock. |
| Son las dos. | It's two o'clock. |
| Son las tres y cinco. | It's 3:05. |
| Son las cuatro y cuarto. | It's 4:15. |
| Son las cinco y media. | It's 5:30. |
| Son las seis menos cuarto. | It's 5:45, a quarter to six. |
| Son las siete menos diez. | It's 6:50. |
"At" a time is a las: a las ocho "at eight". de la mañana, de la tarde and de la noche say which part of the day: a las ocho de la noche "at 8 p.m." Timetables use the 24-hour clock: a las veinte horas.
In Latin America, 6:50 is often diez para las siete, "ten to seven".
Today, tomorrow, yesterday
hoy "today", mañana "tomorrow", ayer "yesterday", pasado mañana "the day after tomorrow". la mañana is "the morning", so "tomorrow morning" is mañana por la mañana.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Numbers and time cards.
Do Spanish days and months take a capital letter?
No: lunes, enero.
How do you say 'on Monday'?
el lunes
How do you say 'May 5th'?
el cinco de mayo
How do you ask what time it is?
¿Qué hora es?
Why is it es la una but son las dos?
One o'clock is singular; the others are plural.
How do you say 'it's half past five'?
Son las cinco y media.
How do you say 'it's a quarter to six'?
Son las seis menos cuarto.
How do you say 'at eight o'clock'?
a las ocho
How do you say 'at 8 p.m.'?
a las ocho de la noche
How do you say 'tomorrow morning'?
mañana por la mañana