Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
Time for Cuddles in Spanish
A beginner's guide to using time and daily routines to connect with your child in Spanish. You will learn how to announce activity times throughout the day.
What you'll learn
- Tell the time using 'Son las'
- Learn vocabulary for daily routines like meals and naps
- Express half-past and quarter-hour intervals
Spanish phrases for time for cuddles
Son las siete, dormilón.
It's seven o'clock, sleepyhead.
Use 'dormilona' if you are speaking to a girl.
Son las siete y media, la hora de la leche.
It's half past seven, milk time.
'Y media' is the standard way to say 'half past'.
Son las ocho, la hora del desayuno.
It's eight o'clock, breakfast time.
'Del' is a contraction of 'de' (of) and 'el' (the).
Son las nueve y cuarto, la hora del baño.
It's quarter past nine, bath time.
'Y cuarto' literally means 'and a quarter'.
Son las diez y media, la hora de la siesta.
It's half past ten, nap time.
'La siesta' is a very common term for a daytime nap.
Son las doce, la hora del almuerzo.
It's twelve o'clock, lunch time.
'Almuerzo' is the main meal of the day in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
Son las tres menos cuarto, la hora de los mimos.
It's quarter to three, cuddle time.
'Menos cuarto' is used for 'quarter to' the next hour.
Son las seis, la hora de dormir.
It's six o'clock, bedtime.
'Hora de dormir' literally translates to 'hour of sleeping'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Dormilón / Dormilona
Sleepyhead
An affectionate term for someone who likes to sleep.
Mimos
Cuddles / Affection
Specifically refers to physical displays of love like snuggling.
La hora de...
Time for...
Used to announce that it is time for a specific activity.
Telling Time with 'Son las'
In Spanish, we use 'Son las' (They are the...) for all hours except one o'clock. Minutes are added after the hour.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General Hour | Son las + [number] | Son las dos. |
| Half Past | y media | Son las cuatro y media. |
| Quarter Past | y cuarto | Son las cinco y cuarto. |
| Quarter To | menos cuarto | Son las ocho menos cuarto. |
More examples
Es la una, la hora del cuento.
It's one o'clock, story time.
We use 'Es la una' because one is singular.
¿Qué hora es?
What time is it?
The standard question to ask for the time.