Explanation
There are two common ways of telling the time.
Formal but easier way
Say the hours first and then the minutes.
Example: 7:45 -It's quarter to eight
For minutes 01 through 09, you can pronounce the '0' as oh.
Example: 11:06 - eleven (oh) six
More popular way
Say the minutes first and then the hours. Use past and the preceding hour for minutes 01 through 30. Use to and the forthcoming hour for minutes 31 through 59, but .
Example: 7.15 - fifteen minutes past seven
Example: 7.45 - fifteen minutes to eight
Another possibility of saying '15 minutes past' is: a quarter past
Another possibility of saying '15 minutes to' is: a quarter to
Another possibility of saying '30 minutes past' is: half past
Example: 5:30 - half past five
Watch
Note
Use o'clock only at the full hour.
Example: 7:00 - seven o'clock (but 7:10 - ten past seven)
For times around midnight or midday you can use the expressions midnight or midday / noon instead of the number 12.
Beispiel: 00:00 - midnight
Beispiel: 12:00 - midday or noon
It is not usual to use a.m. and p.m. with past/to.
Example: 3:15 - fifteen minutes past three OR a quarter past three
American English
Beside past Americans often use after.
Example: 06:10 - ten past/after six
But: in time expressions with half past it is not usual to replace past by after.
Beside to Americans often use before, of or till.
Example: 05:50 - ten to/before/of/till six
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