Beleza, galera?

What do you do when your phone is out of battery and you do not have a watch or a clock to check the time? It is easy: just ask someone on the streets.

A good way of practicing it is to ask people on the streets what time it is even if you know the time. This way you can get some practice in for when you actually really need it as well as gain confidence.

 

 

 

1. Asking what time it is:

 

There are two ways of asking and they both mean the same.

• Que horas são? – What time is it?
• Quantas horas são? – What time is it?

 

2. Answering:

You will always use the verb SER to answer, in some cases you will use É and in other cases you will use SÃO:

 

For one o’clock, midday and midnight you will use é because they are considered singular:

• É uma hora. – It’s one o’clock.
• É meio dia. – It’s midday.
• É meia noite. – It’s midnight.

 

For all other hours you use são because they are considered plural:

• São duas horas. – It’s two o’clock.
• São dez horas. – It’s ten o’clock.

 

3. Other ways of telling time:

When you are saying the hour and the minutes, the use of the words “hora” and “minutos” is optional:

• São três (horas) e quinze (minutos). – It’s three fifteen.

= São três e quinze.

• São cinco (horas) e trinta (minutos). It’s five thirty.

= São cinco e quinze.

 

Brazilians do not use a quarter to mean 15 minutes. However, we do have the word meia (meaning half):

• São nove e meia. – It’s nine and a half.

 

When it is five minutes to a certain hour we say:

• São cinco minutos para as quatro horas. – It’s five to four.

= São cinco para as quatro

 

4. In Brazil people use the 24-hour time a lot, so it is worth learning it in case you do not already know. Although it seems confusing, it is just a matter of getting used to. All you have to do is subtract 12 hours to the time given:

• São quatorze (horas) e vinte e três (minutos) – It’s two twenty three. (14-12=2)
• São vinte e três e quarenta e cinco – It’s eleven forty five. (23-12=11)

 

5. When to use às (at):

We use at whenever we are talking about activities done in the past, future or present at a specific time.

• Meu dentista é às seis horas. – My dentist appointment is at 6 o’clock.
• O ônibus passa às oito e quarenta e cinco – There is a bus at eight forty five.
• Minha aula começa às nove horas. – My classes start at nine o’clock.

 

Tenham uma boa semana, pessoal! – Have a nice week everyone!