For clock time, Spanish usually says “las cuatro y veinte”; for the date 4/20, you’ll hear “el veinte de abril” or “cuatro veinte” in slang.
If you’ve ever tried to say 4:20 in Spanish and paused mid-sentence, you’re not alone. Spanish time-telling has a few moving parts: the hour, the minutes, and a choice between “y” (and) or “menos” (minus). Once you get the pattern, 4:20 becomes one of the easier times to say.
This guide gives you the most natural ways to say 4:20, when to add “de la mañana” or “de la tarde,” how people write it, and how to handle the separate meaning of “4/20” as a date or slang reference.
How Time Works In Spanish In One Minute
Spanish typically tells time with a simple structure: article + hour + connector + minutes. For most times up to :30, speakers use y (and). After :30, many speakers switch to menos (minus) and count down to the next hour.
- It’s 4:20 → Son las cuatro y veinte.
- It’s 4:40 → Son las cinco menos veinte. (twenty to five)
One more piece: Spanish uses es la only for one o’clock (Es la una). For every other hour, it uses son las (Son las dos, Son las cuatro).
How To Say 4:20 In Spanish For Clocks And Dates
When you mean the time on a clock, the most common, neutral phrasing is:
Standard, widely understood
Son las cuatro y veinte.
This works in classrooms, travel, work settings, and casual chat. It’s clear and sounds normal across Spanish-speaking regions.
More conversational shortcuts you’ll hear
In speech, people often drop words when the context is obvious. These are common variants:
- Las cuatro y veinte. (dropping son)
- Son las cuatro veinte. (less formal, heard in some places)
If you want to sound careful and clear, stick with son las cuatro y veinte. If you’re repeating times in a schedule, the shorter las cuatro y veinte fits well.
Pronunciation That Helps You Be Understood
Perfect accent isn’t required. Clear rhythm matters more. Here are simple pronunciation cues:
Las cuatro y veinte
- las: like “lahs”
- cuatro: “KWAH-tro” (the r is a quick tap)
- y: a short “ee” sound
- veinte: “BAYN-teh” in many regions, “VEYN-teh” in others
If you’d like a clean, classroom-friendly pace, say it as four beats: Son / las / cua-tro / y vein-te. Keep it steady and you’ll be understood.
Adding Morning, Afternoon, Or Night
Spanish can be specific about the part of day. You can add a phrase after the time when it matters.
Common options
- 4:20 a.m. → Son las cuatro y veinte de la mañana.
- 4:20 p.m. → Son las cuatro y veinte de la tarde.
- 4:20 at night (late evening) → Son las cuatro y veinte de la noche.
Many places use de la noche for evening and early night, then switch to de la mañana after midnight. If you’re unsure, de la tarde for p.m. and de la mañana for a.m. keeps things clear.
When Speakers Use “Menos” Instead
At 4:20, y veinte is the natural choice. Still, it helps to know the “menos” pattern since you’ll hear it all the time for later minutes.
Quick pattern
Son las + next hour + menos + minutes remaining.
So if you’re approaching 5:00, you’d say Son las cinco menos veinte for 4:40. This doesn’t replace 4:20, it just rounds out the system so you can recognize what others say.
How To Write 4:20 In Spanish
In writing, Spanish uses the same digits you use in English. The difference is the punctuation can vary by country and style guide.
Common written formats
- 4:20 (common in everyday use)
- 4.20 (seen in parts of Latin America and Spain)
- 16:20 (24-hour clock, common in schedules)
If you’re writing for a mixed audience, 4:20 and adding a. m. or p. m. avoids confusion. If you’re following a formal schedule, 16:20 is clear and widely used.
When To Say “Minutos” And When To Skip It
Textbooks sometimes teach Son las cuatro y veinte minutos. People do say it, yet it can feel stiff in casual speech. Most of the time, the minutes are assumed, so Son las cuatro y veinte lands better.
There are two moments when adding minutos helps. First, when a phone line is noisy and you want each word to be clear. Second, when you’re reading a written schedule out loud and matching what’s on the page.
If you say it, keep it light: Son las cuatro y veinte minutos. If you skip it, nothing breaks. Native speakers skip it all day long.
Extra Time Phrases You’ll Hear Around 4:20
Not everyone says minutes in the same way. Some regions lean on “quarter” and “half,” and some speakers prefer counting to the next hour once the minutes pass thirty.
Useful nearby phrases
- 4:15 → Son las cuatro y cuarto.
- 4:30 → Son las cuatro y media.
- 4:45 → Son las cinco menos cuarto.
These sit right next to 4:20 in daily life, so learning them makes your 4:20 feel less like a one-off phrase and more like part of a system.
Common Situations And The Best Phrase To Use
Different situations call for slightly different phrasing. Use this table to pick the cleanest option fast.
| Situation | Spanish phrase | Notes on tone |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral time on a clock | Son las cuatro y veinte. | Safest choice across regions. |
| Quick answer in a chat | Las cuatro y veinte. | Natural when context is clear. |
| Setting a meeting (p.m.) | A las cuatro y veinte de la tarde. | Use a las for “at.” |
| Alarm time (a.m.) | Pon la alarma a las cuatro y veinte de la mañana. | Clear and specific. |
| Train or class schedule | Sale a las 16:20. | 24-hour clock sounds official. |
| Answering “What time is it?” | Son las cuatro y veinte. | Full form, easy to hear. |
| Double-checking time | ¿Son las cuatro y veinte, verdad? | Friendly confirmation. |
| Talking about a time range | De cuatro a cuatro y veinte. | Good for short windows. |
The “A Las” Rule When You Mean “At 4:20”
There’s a small switch when you’re not stating the time, but pointing to a time. English uses “at.” Spanish uses a las (or a la for one o’clock).
Two clean pairs to memorize
- What time is it? → ¿Qué hora es? → Son las cuatro y veinte.
- At 4:20 → A las cuatro y veinte.
You’ll see a las all over schedules: La clase empieza a las cuatro y veinte and Nos vemos a las cuatro y veinte.
Regional Notes Without Overthinking It
Most Spanish speakers will understand the same core time phrases. The differences are small: some people prefer dropping son, some prefer the 24-hour clock, and pronunciation shifts from place to place.
If you’re learning for travel or study, your best bet is consistency. Pick the standard form first, then add the casual shortened form once it feels easy. Clarity wins, even in relaxed conversation.
4/20 As A Date In Spanish
Now the twist: “4/20” can mean a date, not a time. Spanish dates are usually “day of month.” That means April 20 is:
Standard date format
El veinte de abril.
If you’re writing it with numbers, many Spanish-speaking countries use day/month order, so April 20 often appears as 20/4 or 20/04. In U.S. contexts, “4/20” may be read the American way, so be clear when it matters.
“Cuatro Veinte” And The Slang Meaning
You may hear cuatro veinte as a pop reference tied to cannabis. That meaning exists in Spanish too, mainly in casual talk, music, and internet slang. It’s not a phrase you need for everyday Spanish, and it can land poorly in formal settings.
If your goal is to say the time, las cuatro y veinte is the safe choice. If someone makes a joke about “cuatro veinte,” you can understand the reference without repeating it.
| Meaning | Spanish you’ll hear | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Clock time 4:20 | Las cuatro y veinte | Any setting |
| Meeting time “at 4:20” | A las cuatro y veinte | Plans, schedules |
| April 20 (date) | El veinte de abril | School, writing, news |
| “420” slang reference | Cuatro veinte | Only casual, slangy contexts |
| 24-hour format | Dieciséis veinte | Announcements, timetables |
| Clarifying a.m./p.m. | De la mañana / de la tarde | When confusion is likely |
Mini Practice Drills That Stick
Practice works best when it’s small and repeatable. Try these quick drills out loud. Keep your pace steady.
Drill 1: Say it three ways
- Son las cuatro y veinte.
- A las cuatro y veinte.
- Son las cuatro y veinte de la tarde.
Drill 2: Swap minutes, keep the frame
Say: Son las cuatro y diez, son las cuatro y quince, son las cuatro y veinte, son las cuatro y veinticinco. Your mouth learns the pattern faster than your brain does.
Drill 3: Listen for “menos”
When you hear menos, picture the next hour right away. That mental shift makes real conversations easier to follow.
Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes
Saying “es” for every hour
Use es only with one o’clock: Es la una. For 4:20, it’s son las.
Mixing up date and time
If someone wrote “4/20” and you’re not sure, ask what they mean: ¿La fecha o la hora? That one line can save a full misunderstanding.
Forgetting “a las” when scheduling
If you’re inviting someone, switch to a las: Quedamos a las cuatro y veinte. It sounds natural and avoids the “statement vs. appointment” confusion.
A Clear Script You Can Reuse
Here are a few ready-to-use lines that cover the most common real-life moments. Read them once, then steal the pattern.
- ¿Qué hora es? — Son las cuatro y veinte.
- Nos vemos a las cuatro y veinte.
- La clase empieza a las cuatro y veinte de la tarde.
- El veinte de abril es mi examen.
If you can say those smoothly, you can handle 4:20 as a time, as an appointment, and as a date without second-guessing yourself.
Stick with “Son las cuatro y veinte,” and your Spanish time talk will sound clear in conversations.