Spanish Tip - Las una or La una?
| Telling the time in Spanish is not as difficult as it may seem. The first rule to follow is we have to use the singular definite article wit "una", this way: "Es la una." ("It is one o'clock"). Students tend to use the plural form of the definite article, when used with "una". This is the wrong form:"Es las una." In this example, the use of "las" is not correct, as "una" is singular. And some students even use the plural form of the verb "Ser". So, instead of saying "Es la una en punto." (Correct form), the say: "Son las una en punto.". This confussion may be due to the fact that the rest of Spanish "time expressions", from "las dos" to "las doce" (from "two" to "twelve") are used in plural: "las dos", "las tres", etc... So, we think we should also use the plural with "la una", which, I repeat, is completely wrong. Let's review, by the way, the most common forms used to tell the time: - Es la una. (It is one o'clock) - Son las dos. (It is two o'clock.) - Es la una menos cuarto. (It is quarter to one.) - Es la una y cuarto. (It is quarter past one.) - Es la una y media. (It is half past one.) |
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