how to tell time?

Question

sometimes when i ask what time it is? they say like 20 of, quarter after, etc. what does that mean? i usually want to ask what time that is but i feel like a dummy if i did cuz lots of people say it that way am im the only one who doesn't. expalin please.

Answer 1

that girl who said a quarter of means 25, umm she dosent know what shes talking about. a quarter past is a quarter of an hour, which would obviously be 15 minutes past, not 25 past. (duh.) half past, is half of an hour past, which is 30 minutes. and quarter of, is 15 minutes before the next hour. kayy? =]

Answer 2

There are 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. So if someone says it is a quarter to two, it means a quarter of an hour before two, which would be 1:45 since a quarter of an hour would be 15 minutes. Similarly a quarter past two would be 2:15.
Similarly if one says 20 to five, it would mean the time is 4:40 and 20 past five would mean 5:20.
I hope this is a serious question.

Answer 3

well if you look at a clock, (the round ones with the two hands, sometimes three if its a second hand) if you divide the circle up in four quadrants, then you have 15 minute intervals, so if someone says a quarter till 5, that means there is 15 minutes left till five(4:45), or a quarter past 3, thats 3:15, or if they say 20 till 12, that means theres 20 minutes till it is 12

Answer 4

that ^ dude is making it sound so0o0o0oo complicated when its really not.

when someone says::

A QUARTER PAST- that means its 25 minutes past the hour..just think about a QUARTER[it is 25 cents]

HALF PAST- means it is 30 minutes past the hour [there are 60 minutes on a clock, so if yooh folded the clock in half..it would be 30]

A QUARTER TIL- means it will be 25 minutes until the next hour [25 minutes until ____ ]

..dont worry about it, teenagers dont really say that anymore b/c its so0o0ooo..outdated i guess♥