Time expressions (market, village, farming)

[thereiam]

Thought this was gonna be interesting.

How do you say 8:15? Quarter after eight or Quarter past eight?
How do you say 8:30? Half past eight or Half after eight?
How do you say 8:45? Quarter of nine, Quarter to nine or Quarter 'til nine?

Of course don't forget to mention where you're from.

[west336]

I say 8:15 or "quarter after 8".

Minneaplis, MN, Midwest, USA

[DinsdalePirahna]

i think after the introduction of digital clocks to the mass market, most people just say 8:15, 8:45, 8:30.

On a side note, an old girlfriends grandfather once told me that when anybody asks what time it is - its always gor to be 20 minutes after or 20 minutes before the hour. You'll see...

[Verseau]

Quarter past, half past, quarter of.

"Quarter of" gets me the most weird looks when I travel to other parts of the country.

I would never say "quarter to," "quarter til," "quarter after," or "half after."

I'm from New Hampshire btw.

[Optional Angel]

8:15 - Quarter past eight
8:30 - Half Past eight
8:45 - Quarter 'til eight

Miami, FL, USA

[GLS2010]

I never say any of that "quarter" or "half" stuff. I say eight fifteen, eight thirty, and eight forty-five.

Orlando FL.

PS I'm 18 so digital clocks have been everywhere all my life, if that has anything to do with it.

[cacto]

My wife is from New England and I'm from Arizona. When she said "quarter of" the first few times I had no idea what she was talking about. I had never heard someone say that before her.

The first way I took it was if you said "quarter of eight", it was the first 15 minutes of the 8 o'clock hour.

[canudigit]

Quarter after eight or eight fifteen

Eight thirty--I never say "half past"

Quarter to nine


Dundee, Michigan (farming village 45 min. southwest of Detroit)

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by thereiam

Thought this was gonna be interesting.

How do you say 8:15? Quarter after eight or Quarter past eight?
How do you say 8:30? Half past eight or Half after eight?
How do you say 8:45? Quarter of nine, Quarter to nine or Quarter 'til nine?

Of course don't forget to mention where you're from.

Honestly I think multiple are used; I know for myself I use different descriptions depending on the circumstance

8:15 could be 8:15 or quarter after 8
8:30 is typically always always 8:30
8:45 would be either 8:45 or quarter of 9

I hear all the derivations and use all on a regular basis

[debzkidz]

I say the time, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45 etc.