How to Tell Time in Tagalog

Learning how to tell the time in Tagalog is essential for daily conversations, scheduling appointments, and understanding Filipino time expressions. This guide explains how to say hours, minutes, and periods of the day, including common phrases like “alas siyete ng umaga” (7:00 AM) and “alas tres ng hapon” (3:00 PM). You’ll also find practical examples for asking and telling time in real-life situations, whether you’re traveling, attending meetings, or coordinating with friends and family.

Although native cardinal numbers exist for telling time, the Spanish-derived system is more commonly used in everyday Tagalog, like ‘alas otso diyes ng umaga,’ (8:10AM) or even mixed with English. Learning the native form is still important to understand traditional expressions, formal contexts, and fully grasp the language.

Grammar Tip:

To say the time with minutes using native Tagalog cardinal numbers, use this pattern:

Examples:

8:10AM → Ikawalo at sampu ng umaga

10:26AM → Ikasampu at dalawampu’t anim ng umaga

12:00PM → Ikalabindalawa ng tanghali (without minutes)

2:33PM → Ikadalawa at tatlumpu’t tatlo ng hapon

6:40PM → Ikaanim at apatnapu ng gabi

To indicate ‘half past the hour,’ place ‘at kalahati’ after the hour; it means ‘half’ or 30 minutes past the hour.

12:30PM → Ikalabindalawa at kalahati ng tanghali

11:30PM → Ikalabing-isa at kalahati ng gabi

As mentioned earlier, Spanish-influenced cardinal numbers are the ones Filipinos actually use when telling time. You’ll hear them constantly in daily conversations – sometimes even mixed with English numbers.

This mix comes from centuries of Spanish influence on the language, and today it’s so deeply embedded in everyday speech that many Filipinos don’t even think of it as “Spanish” anymore, it’s simply the most natural way to say the time.

Grammar Tip:

To say the time with minutes in Tagalog using Spanish-influenced numbers, use this pattern:

 Alas~ is a prefix for telling time, used for all hours except 1 o’clock which uses Ala~;

Examples:

6:15AM → Alas-sais kinse ng umaga

7:23AM → Alas-syete bente tres ng umaga

1:40PM → Ala-una kuwarenta ng hapon

9:00PM → Alas-nuwebe ng gabi (without minutes)

To say ‘half past the hour,’ use the connecting word y, pronounced ‘ee,’ before medya, which means ‘half’ or 30 minutes past the hour.

Examples:

8:30AM → Alas-otso y medya ng umaga

1:30PM → Ala-una y medya ng hapon

11:30PM → Alas-onse y medya ng gabi

12:30AM → Alas-dose y medya ng madaling-araw

Can you tell the time in Tagalog? Put your skills to the test with this fun quiz! Try to say the correct Tagalog time before clicking the toggle to reveal the answer. Whether it’s morning, noon, or night, this quiz will help you get more comfortable with telling time in Filipino!