Talking About Time And Daily Routines In English

What does “half past two” mean in English?

To say the time, English speakers often use the words past and to. Past means after the hour. To means before the next hour. So “half past two” is 2:30. “Quarter past two” is 2:15. “Quarter to three” is 2:45. A “quarter” is 15 minutes. This way you say where the clock hands are, not just the numbers.

British speakers like the word past. They say “ten past two” for 2:10. American speakers often say “ten after two” instead. Both are correct. The clip uses the British way: “It’s half past two.”