how do you traslate "la una menos quince " in english?
this kind of sentences its often uses to response when someone ask about time , sometimes in spanish we use x example :1 menos 15 in stead of say 12:45 how I can find a better traslation for english, it could be "one less fifteen"?.

thanx

Question

how do you traslate "la una menos quince " in english?
this kind of sentences its often uses to response when someone ask about time , sometimes in spanish we use x example :1 menos 15 in stead of  say 12:45  how I can find a better traslation for english, it could be "one less fifteen"?.

thanx

Answer

you can translate it as " a quarter to one" (15 minutos para las una).  quarter means fifteen minutes.

Answer

Marvin is right about saying "It's a quarter to one." "Quarter" means 1/4 (one fourth) and 1/4 of 60 minutes is 15 minutes. There are other ways to say "12:45," we may say "It's fifteen to one," or simply "it's fifteen 'till," but the most popular way of all is to say "It's twelve forty five." Also, if it's 1:15, we say "It's one fifteen" or "It's a quarter past one."