6:20 PM in Spanish | How To Say It Correctly

In Spanish, 6:20 p.m. is most often said as “son las seis y veinte de la tarde,” with shorter options that fit the setting.

You see “6:20 PM” on a phone, a boarding pass, a calendar invite, or a text. Then the brain freeze hits: do you say the numbers, spell it out, use de la tarde, or drop the “PM” part?

This page clears it up in plain Spanish you can actually use. You’ll get the most common spoken forms, the cleanest way to write it, what changes by country, and the small details that make you sound natural.

What People Usually Say For 6:20 P.M.

In everyday conversation, the most standard way is:

• Son las seis y veinte de la tarde.

That line works in most Spanish-speaking places. It’s clear, it’s polite, and it fits speech and writing.

You’ll also hear shorter versions when the context already makes the time window clear:

• Son las seis y veinte.
• Seis y veinte. (casual, often used as a quick reply)

If the person you’re talking to knows you mean evening, the shorter forms sound normal. If there’s any chance of confusion, add de la tarde.

Why It’s “Son Las” And Not “Es La”

Spanish treats “one o’clock” as singular and most other hours as plural:

• Es la una y veinte.
• Son las seis y veinte.

So at 6:20, it’s always son las.

What “De La Tarde” Really Does

De la tarde marks the afternoon/evening slot. It’s useful when:

• You’re setting plans (“Nos vemos a las seis y veinte…”)
• You’re confirming an appointment time
• The listener could mistake it for morning

When it’s obvious you mean evening, people often skip it. When it’s not obvious, it saves a follow-up question.

6:20 PM in Spanish In Real Situations

Knowing the “correct” phrase is one thing. Using it smoothly is another. Here are common situations and the natural way to say it.

When You’re Answering “What Time Is It?”

If someone asks ¿Qué hora es?, you can answer:

• Son las seis y veinte.
• Son las seis y veinte de la tarde. (if it helps)

When You’re Talking About A Schedule

For events, departures, or meeting times, Spanish often uses a las:

• La reunión es a las seis y veinte de la tarde.
• Sale a las seis y veinte.

In day-to-day speech, many people drop “tarde” once the day is set (“el martes,” “hoy,” “esta noche”).

When You’re Writing A Message

Texts usually go short, but still clear:

• 6:20 (if both people share the same context)
• 6:20 p. m. (when you need the “PM” marker)
• 18:20 (common in formal schedules and travel)

If you want the cleanest spelling rules for time expressions, the Real Academia Española lays out the recommended formats and the “don’t mix words with digits” rule on its entry for “hora” in the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas.

When You’re Reading It Out Loud From A Screen

If you see “6:20 PM” on a phone or app and you’re reading it aloud, you have two natural options:

• Son las seis y veinte de la tarde. (most natural)
• Seis veinte p. m. (more literal, less common in speech)

That second style shows up when someone is being extra literal, like reading a timetable quickly. In normal conversation, Spanish prefers the “hour and minutes” pattern.

How To Write 6:20 P.M. In Spanish Without Looking Odd

Spanish has two big “tracks” for time: the 12-hour style (often with words) and the 24-hour style (often with digits). Both are standard. The trick is choosing the right one for the setting.

Option 1: Words

When you write it out fully, this is clean and widely accepted:

• las seis y veinte de la tarde

Spanish style guides often recommend sticking to one system in a single expression: either all words or all digits. The RAE repeats that guidance in its orthography note on writing time with words or figures.

Option 2: Digits (12-hour)

If you’re keeping the “PM” label, Spanish typically writes it with lowercase letters, periods, and spacing:

• 6:20 p. m.

The RAE also has a clear note on how a. m. and p. m. work (and what to do at 12:00) on its Español al día page.

Option 3: Digits (24-hour)

For travel, work calendars, and anything formal, the 24-hour clock is common:

• 18:20
• 18:20 h (seen in schedules)

If you use 24-hour time, you don’t need p. m. or de la tarde. The hour already tells you it’s evening.

Which Format Fits Which Context

Here’s a quick way to choose:

• Friend text: “6:20” or “6:20 p. m.”
• Work message: “18:20” or “6:20 p. m.”
• Formal notice: “18:20”
• Speaking: “son las seis y veinte (de la tarde)”

FundéuRAE also summarizes the common models for writing hours (12-hour with “de la mañana / de la tarde / de la noche” and 24-hour with digits) on its note about horas, grafía.

Common Time Phrases You Can Copy

Once you get 6:20 down, the rest of the clock gets easier. This table gives you a set of ready-to-use patterns, mixing straight minutes (y veinte) and the “to the hour” style (menos).

Time	Natural Spoken Form	Notes
6:00 p.m.	Son las seis de la tarde.	Drop “tarde” only if context is clear.
6:05 p.m.	Son las seis y cinco de la tarde.	Also heard: “seis y cinco,” casual.
6:10 p.m.	Son las seis y diez de la tarde.	Clear and neutral.
6:15 p.m.	Son las seis y cuarto de la tarde.	“Y quince” exists, “y cuarto” is common.
6:20 p.m.	Son las seis y veinte de la tarde.	Short form: “son las seis y veinte.”
6:30 p.m.	Son las seis y media de la tarde.	“Y treinta” is understood, less used in speech.
6:40 p.m.	Son las siete menos veinte.	Spanish often switches to “menos” after :30.
6:45 p.m.	Son las siete menos cuarto.	Also: “seis y cuarenta y cinco,” more literal.
6:55 p.m.	Son las siete menos cinco.	Great for speech; short and clear.

Small Details That Make You Sound Natural

Spanish time-telling has a “feel.” These small choices matter more than people expect.

Minutes After Thirty Often Switch To “Menos”

In many places, speakers tend to use menos after the half hour:

• 6:40 → Son las siete menos veinte.
• 6:50 → Son las siete menos diez.

You can still say seis y cuarenta. People will understand you. Menos just sounds more conversational in many regions.

Don’t Overuse “En Punto”

En punto means “exactly,” on the dot. It’s fine when accuracy matters:

• Son las seis en punto.

At 6:20, you don’t need anything like that. Keep it simple.

“De La Noche” Vs “De La Tarde” At 6:20

At 6:20 p.m., both can appear depending on place and season. Many speakers still say de la tarde at that hour. Others say de la noche once it’s dark.

If you want a safe default, de la tarde works well for 6:20 p.m. in general usage. If your local Spanish uses de la noche earlier, copy the locals in that area.

Regional Preferences You’ll Run Into

Spanish is shared by many countries, so you’ll hear different habits. The good news: the core forms stay the same, and differences are small.

Spain

In Spain, the 24-hour clock is common in writing (transport, events, offices). In speech, people still say “son las seis y veinte,” and context often tells you it’s evening.

Mexico, Central America, And Much Of The Caribbean

The 12-hour model is common in everyday talk and texts. You’ll hear de la tarde a lot when people are making plans.

Southern Cone (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile)

Both systems appear. Some speakers lean on the 24-hour clock in work settings, and menos forms show up often after :30.

Want a tidy overview of how Spanish presents time in both major models (12-hour and 24-hour) and how they’re used? The RAE lays it out in its usage guide section on la expresión de la hora.

Quick Checks So You Don’t Slip Up

These are the mistakes that show up the most when people write or say 6:20 p.m. in Spanish.

Mixing Words And Digits In One Expression

You’ll sometimes see “las 6 de la tarde” written out. People will get it, but style references often prefer either all words or all digits in a single time expression.

Using “Son Las Seis Veinte” Without “Y”

In speech, Spanish links the hour and the minutes with y:

• Son las seis y veinte.

Dropping y can sound like you’re reading digits in a rush.

Writing “PM” In English Style

English often uses “PM” with no punctuation. Spanish style references often present it as p. m. with periods and spacing. If you’re writing for a Spanish audience, 6:20 p. m. is a safer choice than “6:20 PM.”

At-A-Glance Choices For 6:20 P.M.

This table is a quick picker. Choose the row that matches what you’re doing, then copy the format.

Situation	Best Spanish Form	Why It Fits
Speaking in a neutral tone	Son las seis y veinte de la tarde.	Clear and standard.
Speaking with shared context	Son las seis y veinte.	Short, still natural.
Casual reply	Seis y veinte.	Common in quick chats.
Texting someone	6:20 p. m.	Keeps the evening marker.
Work calendar or travel time	18:20	Unambiguous, widely used.
Formal schedule line	18:20 h	Often used in timetables.

Practice Lines That Stick

If you want this to feel automatic, read these out loud a few times. Keep your pace relaxed. Spanish time phrases sound best when they flow.

• Son las seis y veinte de la tarde.
• La cita es a las seis y veinte.
• Llego a las seis y veinte.
• El tren sale a las 18:20.

Once these feel easy, you’ll notice a pattern: Spanish time-telling is built on a small set of repeatable pieces. Swap the minutes, keep the structure, and you’re set.