Telling Time: Hours

Portuguese treats hours as feminine nouns. This is because the word for hour, hora, is feminine. This hidden word influences everything. It changes the numbers you use. You say uma instead of um. You also use feminine articles like a or as. The most important part is the verb ser. You must choose between é and são. Use é for the number one. Use é for noon and midnight too. For every other number, use são. It is like a scale. One is light, so it stays singular. Two to twenty-four are heavy, so they become plural. Yes, even native speakers get sleepy and forget sometimes. Just keep the number in mind. If the number is bigger than one, go plural. It is that simple.

1. 1Start with the correct form of the verb ser.
2. 2Add the definite article a or as if needed.
3. 3State the number of the hour.
4. 4Add the word hora or horas for extra clarity.
5. 5Use e to connect hours and minutes.
6. 6Example for 1:00: É uma hora.
7. 7Example for 2:00: São duas horas.
8. 8Example for 1:30: É uma e meia.
9. 9Example for 8:15: São oito e quinze.

You will use this rule constantly. Use it when checking your watch. Use it when asking for the time in the street. It is essential for making appointments. "What time is our meeting?" requires this grammar. Use it when reading bus or flight schedules. It is perfect for telling someone when a party starts. You will use it at the doctor's office. You will use it at the cinema. Even in job interviews, timing is everything. It helps you navigate the rhythm of Portuguese-speaking cultures. Knowing the time shows respect for others. It makes you a reliable friend and colleague.

Do not use this pattern for dates. Dates use a different structure entirely. Do not use it for counting items. "Two hours of waiting" is different from "Two o'clock." Do not use it for prices or money. Avoid this pattern when talking about age. Portuguese uses the verb ter for age, not ser. If you are saying "I am 20," don't use são. Also, don't use it for durations without context. If you want to say "The movie lasts two hours," use durar. This rule is specifically for the point on the clock. It is a snapshot of the current moment.

Many people say São uma hora. This is a classic mistake. One is singular, so use é. Another mistake is using the masculine um. Always use the feminine uma for time. People often forget the article as when saying "at." They might say No duas horas. The correct way is Às duas horas. Don't forget that meia means half. Some say meio for 1:30, but that is wrong. It should be uma e meia because meia refers to meia hora. It is like wearing mismatched socks. People will understand you, but it looks a bit funny. Take your time and check your plurals.

English uses "It is" for every single hour. "It is one" and "It is two" both use "is." Portuguese is more flexible and dynamic. It mirrors the quantity of the hours. Spanish is very similar to Portuguese in this regard. Both languages change the verb based on the number. However, Portuguese uses meia for thirty minutes. English says "half past." Portuguese just adds it with e. In French, you always say Il est. Portuguese feels more connected to the actual count. It treats hours like objects you can count. This makes the language feel very logical once you start.