Spanish Phrase
Mi despertador suena a las 6.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘My alarm clock rings at 6.’ It tells the listener the exact time when the speaker’s alarm goes off, a common piece of information when discussing daily routines.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re talking about your morning schedule, setting a meeting, or explaining why you’ll be up early. It’s also handy when a friend asks ‘¿A qué hora te levantas?’ (What time do you get up?).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Midespertadorsuenaalas6
Mi (possessive adjective)
‘Mi’ means ‘my’ and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it modifies the masculine singular noun ‘despertador’.
despertador (noun)
A masculine singular noun meaning ‘alarm clock’; it takes the article ‘el’ in the singular but here it is preceded by the possessive ‘mi’.
suena (verb)
Third‑person singular present of ‘sonar’, used for sounds that occur on their own (the alarm ‘rings’).
a (preposition for time)
The preposition ‘a’ introduces the exact time when something happens.
las (definite article)
Plural feminine article used before the hour; Spanish uses ‘las’ for every hour except 1 (which uses ‘la’).
6 (numeral)
The cardinal number for the hour; can be written as a digit or spelled out ‘seis’.
🗨In Conversation
¿A qué hora suena tu despertador?
What time does your alarm clock go off?
Mi despertador suena a las 6.
My alarm clock rings at 6.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi despertador suena a la 6.
Use the plural article ‘las’ for all hours except 1 o’clock.
Mi despertador suena a las 6 horas.
‘Horas’ is redundant; the hour itself already conveys the time.
Mi despertador suena a las seis.
While not grammatically wrong, beginners often mix digits and words inconsistently; choose one style for clarity.
↔Alternatives
Mi alarma suena a las 6.
My alarm goes off at 6.
Mi reloj despertador suena a las 6.
My alarm clock (literally ‘wake‑up clock’) rings at 6.
Mi despertador suena a las seis.
My alarm clock rings at six.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish, the preposition ‘a’ is always used before the hour to indicate when something happens. The article ‘las’ is plural for every hour except 1 o’clock, which uses ‘la’. While many Spaniards use the 24‑hour clock in formal contexts, in everyday speech the 12‑hour format with ‘a.m.’/‘p.m.’ is common, especially when talking about personal routines like waking up.