“What Time Is It?” in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, French

Knowing how to ask for the time is one of the most practical questions when traveling, navigating daily life, or simply practicing conversations.

Lets look at “What Time Is It?” in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, French

Spanish

1. Word Overview

• Native Phrase: ¿Qué hora es?
• English Translation: What time is it?
• Part of Speech: Interrogative sentence
• Gender: Hora is feminine
• IPA Pronunciation: /ke ˈo.ɾa es/

2. Example Sentence

• ¿Qué hora es? Ya casi es la una.
• What time is it? It’s almost one o’clock.

Use singular verb es even when time is plural: Es la una, Son las dos.

3. Mini Grammar or Culture Note

The structure is fixed: ¿Qué hora es? not ¿Cuál hora? Always use the feminine article because hora is a feminine noun.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Ask ¿Qué hora es? out loud and respond with a time (real or made up): Son las tres y media.

Italian

1. Word Overview

• Native Phrase: Che ora è?
• English Translation: What time is it?
• Part of Speech: Interrogative sentence
• Gender: Ora is feminine
• IPA Pronunciation: /ke ˈɔː.ra ɛ/

2. Example Sentence

• Che ora è? Sono le cinque.
• What time is it? It’s five o’clock.

Use è for 1 o’clock (È l’una), sono for all other hours.

3. Mini Grammar or Culture Note

Italian uses the 24-hour clock in formal settings (like transport), but the 12-hour clock in speech. The noun ora is feminine.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Practice saying Che ora è? and reply with times throughout your day in Italian.

Portuguese

1. Word Overview

• Native Phrase: Que horas são?
• English Translation: What time is it?
• Part of Speech: Interrogative sentence
• Gender: Horas is feminine plural
• IPA Pronunciation: /ki ˈɔ.ɾas sɐ̃w/ (Brazilian)

2. Example Sentence

• Que horas são? São três e meia.
• What time is it? It’s half past three.

Portuguese uses são (they are) for all times except 1:00 (É uma hora).

3. Mini Grammar or Culture Note

In Brazil, people usually say the hour followed by e meia (and a half) or e quinze (and fifteen). Use feminine forms because horas is plural and feminine.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Write or speak three different times in Portuguese, using São… or É… as needed.

German

1. Word Overview

• Native Phrase: Wie spät ist es?
• English Translation: What time is it?
• Part of Speech: Interrogative sentence
• IPA Pronunciation: /viː ʃpɛːt ɪst ɛs/

2. Example Sentence

• Wie spät ist es? Es ist halb vier.
• What time is it? It’s 3:30. (literally: half to four)

Halb vier means 3:30, not 4:30—German counts half toward the next hour.

3. Mini Grammar or Culture Note

German expresses time in reference to the next hour: Viertel vor vier (quarter to 4), Viertel nach drei (quarter past 3). 24-hour time is common in public schedules.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Record yourself saying Wie spät ist es? and answer with times using Es ist… (It is…).

French

1. Word Overview

• Native Phrase: Quelle heure est-il ?
• English Translation: What time is it?
• Part of Speech: Interrogative sentence
• Gender: Heure is feminine
• IPA Pronunciation: /kɛl œʁ e.til/

2. Example Sentence

• Quelle heure est-il ? Il est deux heures et quart.
• What time is it? It’s 2:15.

Start answers with Il est… (It is…). Use et quart, et demie, moins le quart for 15, 30, and 45 minutes.

3. Mini Grammar or Culture Note

In informal speech, many French speakers drop est-il and just say Il est quelle heure ?—still grammatically correct, just more relaxed.

4. Daily Practice Challenge

Write three clock times in French and say them aloud using Il est… structure.

Multilingual Bonus