Spanish Phrase
¿Qué hora es?
Meaning
A direct way to ask for the current time, equivalent to the English ‘What time is it?’. The question uses the verb *ser* because time is considered an inherent characteristic, not an action.
When to use
Use this phrase whenever you need to know the exact time—on the street, in a café, or during a conversation with a native speaker. It works in both formal and informal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quéhoraes?
¿Qué?
Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what', always carries an accent to differentiate it from the conjunction 'que'.
hora
Feminine noun meaning 'hour' or 'time'. In this phrase it functions as the subject.
es
Third‑person singular of the verb *ser*. When telling time, *ser* is used with the subject *la hora* (singular) or *las horas* (plural).
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hora es?
What time is it?
Son las tres y cuarto.
It's three fifteen.
✕Common Mistakes
Que hora es?
Missing the accent on *qué* changes the meaning to the conjunction ‘that’, making the sentence ungrammatical.
Son la hora es.
When the subject is singular (*la hora*), the verb must be *es*, not *son*.
¿Qué hora tienes?
While understandable, using *tener* for time is informal and can sound odd in some regions; *¿Qué hora es?* is the standard form.
↔Alternatives
¿Me puedes decir la hora?
Can you tell me the time?
¿Tienes hora?
Do you have the time?
¿Qué hora tienes?
What time do you have?
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries people answer with *Son las…* for any hour except 1 o’clock, where they say *Es la una*. The answer often includes minutes using *y* (and) for numbers 1‑30 and *menos* (to) for 31‑59, e.g., *Son las ocho y diez* (8:10) or *Son las nueve menos veinte* (8:40).