¿Que hora es?

If the answer is 1 o'clock or any number related to 1, like 1:15, 1:30, etc. the answer would be:

Es la una. Es la una y quince, etc.

If the answer is not a variation of 1 o'clock, you answer with "SON," since it is plural.

Son las dos. Son las ocho y quince. Son las diez y media.

Do you see the pattern? You take the hour, plus the word "y" and add the minutes. Son las cuatro y cinco. It's 4:05. Notice that you answer using the articles, la & las as well.

In Spanish, use the word "menos" or less, to indicate time before the hour.  Whereas in English we might say "it's 10 till 8," to indicate 10 minutes until 8 o'clock, or 7:50, - they would say "it's 8 less 10" - or "son las ocho menos diez." This actually highlights one of the differences between Anglo and Latin culture....whereas we tend to focus on the future, they spend a lot more time looking backwards to the past.

They also frequently use the word "media" or half, in place of the word thirty. For example, "son las cinco y media" = it's 5:30.

Remember, time is feminine!  That is why it is PINK on this sheet.