Spanish Phrase
Mi primera clase empieza a las ocho y media.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘My first class starts at half past eight.’ It tells the listener the exact time when a scheduled lesson begins.
When to use
Use this phrase when you talk about your daily or weekly schedule, especially when introducing the first class of the day or explaining a timetable to a friend, teacher, or colleague.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Miprimeraclaseempiezaalasochoymedia
Possessive adjective (Mi)
Mi means 'my' and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; it never changes form.
Ordinal adjective (primera)
Primera is the feminine singular form of the ordinal 'first' and must match the gender of clase.
Verb empezar (empieza)
Empieza is the third‑person singular present form of empezar, used for scheduled events.
Time expression (a las ocho y media)
Use the preposition a + article las + hour + y media to say 'at half past eight.' Note that media is feminine, matching the implied word hora.
🗨In Conversation
¿A qué hora empieza tu primera clase?
What time does your first class start?
Mi primera clase empieza a las ocho y media.
My first class starts at half past eight.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi primera clase empieza a la ocho y media.
The article must be plural (las) because the hour is expressed with the feminine noun hora.
Mi primera clase empieza a las ocho y medio.
‘Media’ is feminine to agree with hora; using medio is incorrect in this time expression.
Mi primera clase empieza a las ocho y media.
If you want to use the verb comenzar, you must change the verb form accordingly.
↔Alternatives
Mi primera lección comienza a las ocho y media.
My first lesson begins at half past eight.
La primera clase del día inicia a las ocho y media.
The first class of the day starts at half past eight.
Empiezo mi primera clase a las ocho y media.
I start my first class at half past eight.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries the expression ‘y media’ (literally ‘and half’) is used for the half‑hour. You’ll also hear ‘y cuarto’ for quarter past and ‘menos cuarto’ for quarter to. Remember that the article is always plural (las) because the implied word is hora (feminine).