Telling The Time In English

Introduction

In English, time can be conveyed using either the digital or classical format. This lesson equips you with essential phrases for telling the time in English accurately and confidently.

Telling The Time In English

There are two common ways of telling the time in English. For 2:40 you can use one of these two ways.

• Digital: the easier way – “Two forty “
• Classical: you say the minutes first then the hour – “twenty to three“

Here are the different ways to ask for and tell the time.

Asking about the time:

• What time is it?
• What time do you make it?
• What’s the time?
• Have you got the right time?
• Could you tell me the time?
• Do you have the time?
• Can you let me know what time it is?
• May I ask for the time?
• Would you mind informing me of the time?

Telling the time:

Digital	It’s …	It’s …
2.00	two o’clock	two
2.06	six minutes past two	two oh six
2.09	nine minutes past two	two oh nine
2.12	twelve past two	two twelve
2.15	a quarter past two	two fifteen
2.20	twenty past two	two twenty
2.25	twenty-five past two	two twenty-five
2.30	half past two	two thirty
2.35	twenty-five to three	two thirty-five
2.40	twenty to three	two forty
2.45	a quarter to three	two forty-five
2.50	ten to three	two fifty
2.55	five to three	two fifty-five
2.57	three minutes to three	two fifty-seven
2.58	nearly three o’clock	two fifty-eight
3.00	three o’clock	three

Example Exchange

Question:	What’s the time, please?
Answer:	It’s two o’clock.

Related Pages:

• More speaking lessons