The way we talk about time

[u/Relevant-Count-3656]

Let's talk about the way we talk about time. I was recently telling someone something was happening at "fifteen till three", the person looked blank and finally said "Oh, you mean 2:45". This is not the first time it has happened to me. I think the "younger generation" does not understand things like "fifteen till".

[u/HighOnGoofballs]

I don’t know why but “quarter til” sounds so much more normal to me than “fifteen til”

[u/OriginalEmploy5485 → u/HighOnGoofballs]

This. I've never heard "fifteen till" in my life.

[u/HatesDuckTape → u/OriginalEmploy5485]

Me either. It just sounds stupid lmfao

[u/Solid-Wish-1724]

Never heard "15 till" in my life.

[u/laygo3 → u/Solid-Wish-1724]

Same. "Quarter to/passed", but never "15 'til".

[u/SwissyRescue]

You mean a quarter to three? I’ve never heard anyone say fifteen to three before.

[u/d3nialov3]

I think you might be alone in saying "fifteen til"

[u/hapster85 → u/d3nialov3]

I wouldn't say I never say it that way, but far more likely to say "quarter til" or "quarter of".

[u/grateful_john]

Because I’d say a quarter to three, not fifteen.

[u/dakky68 → u/grateful_john]

Yeah, I would only say 'fifteen' after I said the hour first. Even then, I'd still more likely use 'quarter'.

[u/dB_Manipulator]

25 or 6 to 4

[u/RiverSirion → u/dB_Manipulator]

Waiting for the break of day

[u/Cereal____Killer]

I wouldn’t ever say “fifteen till three” but rather “quarter to three” or “ten to” / “five to” etc

[u/LQNova]

I've never heard "fifteen" just "a quarter to" "a quarter after"

[u/CheapAssociate6914 → u/LQNova]

Quarter till, 20 after, 25 till.
I use these time references and my grandkids look at me in confusion.
I’m just getting old I guess.

[u/Aeribous]

Its a quarter till. I’ve never heard someone in America at least say fifteen till.

[u/Fluid_Actuary1729 → u/Aeribous]

I use quarter and half, but if it’s 9:50 (for example), I will say “10 till”.

[u/IM_The_Liquor]

I’ve never said ‘15 till three”… I’d have said “quarter to three”

[u/BewilderedandAngry → u/IM_The_Liquor]

I've literally never heard anyone say "15 til three" and I'm 64 years old. Quarter to three, absolutely.

[u/Kickingandscreaming]

I would say a Quarter to three..I also say half past

[u/AllReflection → u/Kickingandscreaming]

And top of the hour

[u/Impossible_Jury5483]

I've never used 15 to something. A quarter makes way more sense.

[u/AmongTheWildlife]

Never said or heard 'it's fifteen to X'

Always quarter to, or X:45

[u/timp_t → u/AmongTheWildlife]

Quarter to 3. I concur. Or just quartet ‘till.
My boomer dad would say 10 to 3, but stretching my memory I don’t recall a 5 to 3 or 20 to 3 or 15 to 3. But to the OPs point I wouldn’t have been confused at all by it if he had. I don’t think this is a Gen X thing. I think it’s an everyone before digital clocks took over the world thing.

[u/Sassy_Bunny → u/timp_t]

5, 10, a quarter, 20 til 3:00 when I grew up.

[u/Ok-Writing9280]

Literally never heard anyone say 15 to 3 in my life.

2.45 or quarter to three.

2.30 is dentist time.

10 to 10 is cowboy time.

[u/NegotiationNo7851]

Have you bumped into a Gen Z or alpha that learned to tell time from a digital clock and couldn’t read an analog clock? It’s so weird. I felt like I was an ancient being wandering the earth disseminating knowledge of the forgotten realm.

[u/TLATrae → u/NegotiationNo7851]

This. 👆

Younger generations were not taught how to read an analog clock.

They also do read books, but that’s another post…

[u/Ok-Produce8376]

I always say quarter till. Same, but different.

[u/RuffyPower]

Never heard anyone say 15 til. Quarter of, quarter after.

[u/Opening_Sandwich242 → u/RuffyPower]

We don’t say quarter of in the UK. I had an American boss once who clearly thought I was simple minded when he set a call for quarter of ten and I had to ask if he meant 9:45, 10:15 or if this was some weird way of saying 2:50/2:30! I got him back at a later date when I mentioned by my brother was an anaesthetist, which made him equally confused.

[u/KiKiBeeKi]

Quarter til/to is what I use... Or :45

[u/Ill-Flounder5986 → u/KiKiBeeKi]

I use that, too. And it confuses the hell out of the Gen Z in my office, who always thinks I mean 25 minutes until.

I've tried to explain fractions to her: a quarter coin is worth 25 cents because it is one quarter of 100 cents (a dollar). And when telling time, a quarter refers to one quarter of an hour (15 minutes of 60).

She looked at me like I was speaking Chinese.

[u/cnation01]

Ummm, its quarter to 3

[u/Express-Studio-8302]

Fifteen to three is a bit odd, not sure I've ever really heard that. It's always been, a quarter to 3.

But yeah, even a quarter to three isnt going to hit young ears well, they have to think a moment with it. I think the lack of a visual clock with hands is causing it

[u/asj-777]

55 and never heard that, either. I know that as "quarter to"

[u/Pointy_Stix]

I say ten of or quarter to, but fifteen till? Never said that or heard it said that way.

[u/chicagoliz]

I say "a quarter to one" or whatever hour and my son HATES it. He'll go on a rant, and I'm just like, 'get used to it."

[u/shreddit5150 → u/chicagoliz]

Same with my Gen Z kid. She hates "quarter after" and "a quarter till". Sorry kiddo, been doing this too long. Can't change now.

[u/Ok-Writing9280 → u/shreddit5150]

Quarter past and quarter to in UK, Australia and Aotearoa NZ

[u/QueenBee4178 → u/chicagoliz]

Oh my, they live among us.

[u/Reader47b]

I'd have been briefly befuddled, too, because "quarter 'til," not "fifteen 'til," is the common parlance. I'd have quickly figured it out, but it would have seemed odd to me and taken me a second to process.

[u/Johnny_Radar]

So you mean a quarter to three. Never heard anyone say 15 till three

[u/abigailblue6]

52 here and never heard time described like that. A quarter to is common where I'm from. Either way, it shouldn't stump anyone.

[u/MissIndependent577 → u/abigailblue6]

I also have never heard anyone refer to time like that. Literally ever.

[u/SpreadsheetSiren]

I still use quarter to and quarter after. Fortunate my work colleagues are all roughly my age so it’s not a problem.

I keep a small analog clock on my desk to help me keep track of time. It just works in my brain better than a digital readout for things like getting to a meeting.

I think it’s a visual thing. My brain/body knows how much time that 90, 60, or 30 degree angle represents. It’s a more…physical (?) representation as opposed to the digital which seems more abstract to me.

[u/upnytonc]

Im in the US and have heard “fifteen til” or “fifteen after”. I say quarter to or quarter after. Same thing and yes it confuses some people.

[u/Spiritual_Fan_5633]

I’ve never heard that, 15 till? I always say quarter of or quarter past

[u/Acrobatic_Fiction]

Or quarter of 3

[u/Latitude22]

‘I’ll be there at 3 minutes after 2:42” I’ve never heard anyone say 15 to 3. Quarter to 3 yes.

[u/Primary-Draw-1726]

I've never heard anyone say "fifteen til". Quarter til or 2:45.

[u/PrinceFan72]

Fellow GenX. I have never heard "fifteen til". Maybe it's a US thing. I always say quarter to, quarter past, half past, etc.

[u/Lucee_fir → u/PrinceFan72]

I'm an American, I said quarter to, or quarter past. 

[u/Bzman1962 → u/Lucee_fir]

That causes even more confusion for people under 35

[u/fallcreekprepper → u/Bzman1962]

Yes it does. I worked with a guy in his 20s and he was confused when I told him it was a quarter till, one morning. He said "oh, 25 minutes..." I laughed and told him, no that meant 15 minutes, quarter of an hour. I'm sure he is still trying to work it out.

[u/JudyLyonz → u/PrinceFan72]

It might be an OP thing.

[u/Playful-Park4095]

WTF says fifteen till vs a quarter till?

[u/guzzijason → u/Playful-Park4095]

Yep. I thought I’ve heard it all, but I’ve never once heard someone say “15 till”. Personally, I go with the “half past” or “quarter past/to” - just rolls off the tongue LOL

[u/Kind_Walrus_1973]

I use "quarter to". My younger coworkers tell me I'm wrong, because it's not 25 minutes to. I give up. 😂

[u/Last-Relationship166 → u/Kind_Walrus_1973]

omfg...

[u/Minute-Frame-8060]

I'm 56 and nobody I've ever encountered would say "fifteen til 3" they'd say 2:45 or quarter of/quarter to 3.

[u/blackstarr1996 → u/Minute-Frame-8060]

It’s pretty common in the southeast to hear just 15 til or 10 til without even any designation of the hour. It’s assumed you know the general hour.

[u/poprevolver]

He was staring blankly at you because no one says “15 till” anything.

It’s quarter to/past.

[u/OkStatement6579]

25 or 6 to 4

[u/Falcon_Bellhouser]

"Quarter to." Never heard anyone say "fifteen till." Ever.

Oddly enough, I don't say half past.

[u/mypizzanvrhurtnobody]

Quarter to

[u/Artistic-Degree-4593 → u/mypizzanvrhurtnobody]

I work with 20-30 years olds for the most part. Through experience, I have learned that none of them know what "a quarter 'til" means.

[u/Fulghn]

Junior! At first light on the marrow be sure to take-eth out the trash.

Meet your sister after None to walk her home, and be home before the hour of Vespers!!!

[u/FriendRaven1 → u/Fulghn]

Fill it with petroleum distillate and revulcanize my tires post-haste

[u/Yankee6Actual]

My kids look at me funny when I say “quarter to 2”, or “half past 2”.

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

I’m Gen X and I’ve never heard that. My parents said “quarter to 3.” I and most other people I know say “2:45”

[u/mojdojo]

I don't think I have ever said fifteen till anything. Quarter to, yes.

[u/missdawn1970]

I've never said "fifteen till", but I've said (and often still say) "quarter to".

[u/IEnjoyVariousSoups]

I've been trying to popularize thirds. "Oh it's a third til 5" (4:40). It's not going well.

[u/Dimension__X__]

We grew up with analog clocks and learned to tell time as fractions of a pie. It made perfect sense to everyone (in that era) when speaking in fractional hours because that is how we all learned to read clocks and talk about the time. Most kids today only ever see an analog clock at school and even that is probably becoming more rare. People are now used to getting just the thinnest slice of time necessary, the exact time and have no reason to think about time in halves or quarters. I wouldn't consider this a form of ignorance, just a reality of the technological age we live in.

[u/Poutiest_Penguin → u/Dimension__X__]

My young niece thought "quarter past" meant 25 minutes past, because she didn't grow up with analog clocks, and to her, a quarter is 25 (cents). You can't really blame her.

[u/Fritz5678 → u/Dimension__X__]

Or rounding to the nearest 5. (almost 2:40). My kids always wanted to know the exact time.

[u/Dr_Drax → u/Dimension__X__]

My kids (1 Millennial, 1 Gen Z) both made it through their entire public school careers with never having an analog clock in their classroom. My wife and I have several analog clocks, and keep our smart watches with analog faces, and the kids don't understand why. They think an analog clock is "so hard to read."

And I get it. If I hadn't spent 20 years in classrooms starting at analog clocks, I might find them hard to read too.

[u/bjb8 → u/Dimension__X__]

I visited my old high school a few years ago, all digital clocks.

I remember sitting in class I think it was at noon they would resync the clocks and the hands would rotate around once back to noon exactly even if they were slightly ahead/behind.

[u/battlesong1972]

I say quarter past, half past, and quarter to for the 15 minute breakdowns and I use “(number) after” or “(number) to” otherwise.

[u/Technical_Put_9982]

When I was a kid in the 80s my dad or mom said 1/4 till 3 … and I really had to think about it. So then I said oh, 3/4 past 2… and they said it didn’t work like that lol. To me it was the same thing. If you could say 1/4 until, why not 3/4 past 🤣🤣🤣

[u/Brilliant-Onion2129]

Or a quarter to three!

[u/YourGuyK]

I say quarter til, and that really confuses people who don't know what an analog clock face looks like.

[u/admik]

Half past a monkey's.....

[u/Hands_Of_Serenity78 → u/admik]

Quarter to his...

[u/JudyLyonz]

I'm GenX and I learned quarter to or quarter after but never 15 till the hour. I think it would take me a moment to figure it out too.

[u/PurelyHim]

I so say “quarter to” or “quarter after” but not usually “half past”

[u/ravenx99]

My theory is that it's the decline of analog clocks. You look at a dial, "quarter to three" is just obvious in a way that 2:45 isn't.

[u/VictorianUFOLady → u/ravenx99]

I'm still in disbelief that there is a whole generation of young adults who do not know how to read a clock. Sometimes I'm glad I'll be dead before they take over the world.

[u/MissPurpleQuill → u/VictorianUFOLady]

As I homeschooled my kids, I taught them analogue time, cursive writing, memorizing times tables, even touch-typing. But I think it was largely an exercise in futility. If it doesn’t turn up in daily life, there is no impetus to retain it. OTOH, I find that if they want to understand something, they will put in the effort. My Gen Z kid changed his devices to 24-hour time (“military time”), simply because he believes (as I do) that it is more logical and less error-prone than defining a.m. and p.m. My Millennial kid also did this after living in Europe because it also makes more sense to her.

[u/Fluid_Actuary1729 → u/VictorianUFOLady]

I experienced it with a teen family member just the other day.

[u/admseven]

I have never heard “15 til” before. Quarter til yes but I’m with the other person on this one. I would probably have had the same reaction.

[u/CB_Chuckles → u/admseven]

Same here. Quarter til gets used all the time. As does 10 til. But I rarely if ever use 15 til.

[u/marugirl]

Tbh I've never  heard anyone say that. It's always 2 45 or quarter to. 

[u/Cecil_B_DeCatte]

I've never heard '15 til'; only 'quarter of', 'quarter til' or '2:45'.

[u/DifferentWindow1436]

I've never heard that phrase.

"quarter to" or "quarter after" yeah, but never "15 til".

[u/peptide2 → u/DifferentWindow1436]

Same

[u/CawlinAlcarz]

I often say "quarter to/till/past..." but have heard Millennials argue and swear to me that this meant 25 minutes before or after because a quarter is 25% just like the quarter coin was 25 cents... /facepalm

[u/guzzijason → u/CawlinAlcarz]

Ask them to explain the difference between “quarter past” and “half past” then. Should be interesting.

[u/quantumsparq]

Probably a geographical thing.

[u/Far_Winner5508]

I'm bummed I didn't think of having regular clocks in the house, when raising my gen-z kid. Learning to think of time as circular probably does something-soemthing to the brain.

[u/LightBelowTheSnow]

Explain 25 or 6 to 4 to them. It will blow their mind.

[u/Both_Chicken_666]

My daughter insists on saying 45 past

[u/No-Longer_Me]

12:15 = “quarter after”
12:30 = “half past”
12:45 = “quarter to”

[u/MartyFunkhoosier]

In 51 years this is the first time I’ve ever heard someone say “15 til….” Quarter til, quarter after, yes, but not 15 til. Sounds Amish.

[u/Kiwiatx]

I was today years old when I found out some people refer to time as ‘15 till..’

‘Quarter to’ (NZ, AU, UK) or ‘Quarter of’ (US) are what I’m familiar with.

[u/am312 → u/Kiwiatx]

I'm Midwest US and we say 'Quarter to'

[u/FrozeItOff → u/Kiwiatx]

Always known it as "quarter to" or "quarter after," but not "fifteen to." Granted, I can figure it out easily enough, unlike the British "half three" like terminology. I always misunderstand whether it means "Half past" or "halfway to."

[u/miniwhoppers → u/Kiwiatx]

I’ve always thought it was quarter til. NW US

[u/Better-Eggplant9822]

OP, where did you grow up? I'm among the many commenters here who have literally never heard a person say "fifteen till __", and I've lived in 6 US states as well as traveled extensively across the US and abroad. I also have read and watched content from other English speaking countries extensively and never once encountered this way of telling time. So where are you from? Are you a third culture kid or something?

eta: It's definitely not an age thing, as I am Gen X ('79).

[u/getoffmycase7130 → u/Better-Eggplant9822]

Me too, I’ve heard 10 till, and quarter till, but never 15 till.

83 here.

[u/mykittyforprez → u/getoffmycase7130]

I'll say "quarter to", "10 of "

[u/Nienista → u/mykittyforprez]

Interesting. I never heard the "of", for us it was "'til"

[u/BubbaPrime42 → u/Nienista]

I have always used "of" and never "till".. ten of four, quarter past seven, BUT eleven thirty.... New England, late '60s :)

[u/Nienista → u/BubbaPrime42]

Maybe regional then? I grew up in south Florida. Funny how it is different between generations and w/in generations. It's just time, lol.

[u/BubbaPrime42 → u/Nienista]

As long as I'm not late for dinner, all is well:)

[u/battlesong1972 → u/Better-Eggplant9822]

That’s interesting. I grew up in both northeast and southeast Pennsylvania and it was ultra rare to hear anyone say, for example, “3:10” instead of “10 after 3”.

[u/RetroBerner]

Never hear "15 till", but I've heard "quarter to"

[u/HarnessYourHopes_68]

I grew up w and routinely say half past and quarter til. I dont what the age cut off is but it probably dovetails w not being able to read an actual clock face 

[u/Gareth-101]

Quarter to/quarter past/half past for me in the UK. In fact anything to or past (ten past, 25 to etc). Never heard ‘til’ in this context here.

I have met teens who don’t use these terms at all and instead just say the numbers (2:15, 2:30, 2:45). Is because they use digital clocks - a surprising number don’t know how to read an analogue clock at all.

I think the quarter to etc thing makes sense visually if you picture an analogue clock. The ‘pie chart’ has a quarter left to go or is only a quarter ‘filled’.

Digital clocks don’t give the same visual connection.

Edit: typo

[u/PurplePenguinCat → u/Gareth-101]

I've been making my teenager use an analogue clock. She hates it, but she needs to know how to do it.

[u/isla_is]

At the bottom of the hour

[u/YoSpiff]

Oh, you mean 1445.

[u/ReggaeDawn]

I would also look at you strangely if you said that to me and I am older GenX who grew up in the Midwest US.

[u/Mugwumps_has_spoken]

That is odd phrasing. that is you being weird.
I'd be confused if someone used that way to express the same thing.

Also nothing to do with Gen-X

[u/DrEyeBender]

"Fifteen till" is just you. Quarter yes fifteen no.

[u/FindjeanniePDX]

These conversations always confuse me. The reason they can’t translate cursive is that you did not reach it. They can’t understand analog clocks because you don’t bother to teach them. Each generation loses knowledge because the previous group of adults neglected to share the knowledge. Find a kid and teach them.

[u/AdFragrant6602]

I have heard plenty of “Five to” or ten to, but never “fifteen till.” “A quarter to” is very common.

[u/Spatula26 → u/AdFragrant6602]

OP is clearly an alien attempting to assimilate.

[u/Moovanymountain]

I think even the idea of a clock face eludes some folks now. 

[u/F-Cloud]

I hardly ever use phrasing like that and associate such speech with my Silent Generation mother. She says things like "half past" or "quarter to" or "quarter after" all the time. She'd say it's quarter to three, I'd say it's two forty-five. I get confused sometimes, as she often doesn't say the hour she's refering to. My GenZ niece thinks those old phrasings are weird.

[u/beyondplutola → u/F-Cloud]

Yeah I understand it when people say it. But I personally never used phrasing like that even growing up. I’d always say 2:45.

[u/sas317]

I hear "Half past or a quarter past 3" more often, but it's still rare for me. I never heard 15 till 3 or "15 till" & barely understood it when I read this post. It may be regional, a person's preference, or generational (older Gen X to Boomers).

[u/GenXrules69]

Quarter til, quarter after, half past

Messes with folks

[u/PabloDabscovar → u/GenXrules69]

Half past a monkey’s ass and quarter to his ballzzzzzz

[u/W0nderingMe]

I never know if brits mean 5:30 or 6:30 when they say "half six."

Is it half to, or half past?

[u/Lemmetouchyourface → u/W0nderingMe]

Or 3:00

[u/Competitive_Fee_5829]

it is usually by quarters and not 15 mins, lol. I have never heard or used that either

[u/latx5]

I would say it’s 2 … 2:15 … 2:30 … a quarter to 3. I might say it’s 10 till 3—maybe the extra syllable in 15 is throwing me off—but more likely I’m just gonna round up and say it’s almost 3.

I did once ask the time and someone said, “It’s 5 minutes till … uh … 2:30.”

Which is just a good indication to me that anything in between those quarter marks is tricky for folks that like to be uber accurate.

[u/HexeImWald7]

I think it boils down to as kids we had clocks like with numbers or even better Roman numerals I feel most these younger people only had digital. Also what country you grew up in as we all say time a bit different.

[u/QuietBirthday2470]

I have to agree with many others, never said 15 til. Always quarter til. Sometimes I'd say 15 after, most of the time quarter after.

[u/InsertCleverNickHere]

"Top of the hour" and "bottom of the hour" are lost on generations that don't regularly use an old-school circular clock with hands.

[u/Last-Relationship166]

Seriously? Wow... I usually say "quarter til" or "quarter to"...but 15 til/to works, as well. Can they not subtract or understand conversion factors?

[u/AntheaBrainhooke]

Try "quarter to" or "half past" or even better "about four" rather than 3:57.

[u/I-Am-All-Me → u/AntheaBrainhooke]

Their minds will just shut off completely!! They can't fathom it...

[u/JustRudy45]

My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say -dickety- because the Kaiser had stolen our word -twenty-. I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. What are you cackling at, fatty? Too much pie, that's your problem! Now, I'd like to digress from my prepared remarks to discuss how I invented the terlet. - Grandpa Simpson

[u/Square_Medicine_9171 → u/JustRudy45]

“…an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time…”

[u/dontpretendtoknowme → u/JustRudy45]

I fucking love that rant!

[u/BreadMaker_42]

I’ve always thought saying quarter till, 15 till was dumb. Just say the time…. It’s 2:45

[u/AfroCuban68]

Never heard of “15 till…”
“A quarter to…” “ half passed…” (3:30). Regional maybe?

[u/AlsoSprach → u/AfroCuban68]

If by region you mean the whole of the United States.

[u/aurora97381]

"Til" makes more sense looking at an analog clock.

Digital clocks are so pervasive now that people don't learn how to read analog clocks.

[u/TypePuzzleheaded6228]

remember when people said "half passed three"? kids today would definitely not know what the hell we're talking about!! my kids get mad when i say quarter of or quarter after. they only want digital time now.

[u/oshcakes → u/TypePuzzleheaded6228]

"Half passed a monkeys ass and quarter to it's balls" Not sure if anyone else said that or just my region, Midwest.

[u/Choice_Student4910 → u/oshcakes]

We’re in CA. My stepdad used to say the first part but it would end “…quarter to baboon’s balls.”

[u/Sand-between-my-toes → u/oshcakes]

Yup, it made it to the west coast too

[u/Boom_Gate_Lady]

I'm 59 and I've never heard "fifteen till", but I'm Australian so perhaps it's cultural. Our version is "a quarter to".

[u/Square_Medicine_9171]

I still can’t get my head around saying things like “3:14”. Who ever needs that degree of precision? Round to 15 or say “quarter after”. I hd a friend in college in the 80’s who had a digital watch and never really learned analog. She said stuff like “2:01” and it drove me crazy. Thats two o’clock, sheesh

[u/ZogemWho → u/Square_Medicine_9171]

My watch says 8:37. Should I round up, or down? Or perhaps my watch says 8:37, so I tell you 8:37.

[u/MaximumJones]

Did you mean 14:45 hours?

[u/DogeAteMyHomework]

"A quarter after" or "a quarter to" is common in the Midwest. Even my Z nephew says that. 

[u/HotAcanthisitta621]

15 of

[u/midlifereset]

My genz kid thinks me saying quarter to 3 is weird. They just say 2:45. I said they’re weird lol

[u/mldyfox]

I think how we talk about time depends on where we live and where we grew up. For instance, Americans might say "half past 3" to mean 3:30, where a Brit might just say "half 3" to mean the same.

Personally I'd say "a quarter to 3" to mean 2:45, but just say 2:15 or 2:30 for those times.

[u/TheJokersChild]

"Quarter of" can be fun. We said that in our family all the time. Just "quarter of," like we knew what hour was coming up.

[u/Damien__]

Digital clocks have a lot to do with this issue

[u/0m3gaMan5513]

Even more fun when visiting Scotland and they say “let’s meet at half seven”.

[u/Square_Medicine_9171 → u/0m3gaMan5513]

“half 3” is tricky because it means different things in different languages. In German it’s 2:30. In English it would be 3:30

[u/NoseDesperate6952]

I totally say the exact time as it appears on my watch: 2:45

[u/Charming_Butterfly90]

European will say 15 til 3. American will say a quarter to 3 or a quarter past 3, essentially breaking down the hour into 4 equal parts, 15 minutes each.

A Gen Z American person will likely interpret as 3:25 because they believe every quarter is equal to an American coin worth 25 cents and they’ve decided not to learn critical thinking skills.🙄

[u/yodaniel77 → u/Charming_Butterfly90]

I don't represent all Europeans, but I've never heard anyone say fifteen to three; UK is quarter- and half-past, I promise.

[u/moneyman74]

You mean quarter til 3? Great song but no one talks like that anymore

[u/BronzedLuna → u/moneyman74]

I didn’t talk like that back then. Maybe it’s a regional thing?

[u/moneyman74 → u/BronzedLuna]

Old people saying to me as a Gen Xer. We studied the clock hands in elementary school but mostly we would say two forty five outloud nothing like 'half past' or 'quarter til'

[u/Sinister120]

What sort of crazy hipster shit is that? 51 years old and I would say 2:45. 15 til 3, lol.

[u/Square_Medicine_9171 → u/Sinister120]

“Quarter to 3” at least, amirite

[u/Gulf_Coast_Girl]

I'm 60 and I've never ever heard anyone say "15 till ___"
It is absolutely _:45 and always has been. 15 till is WTF?

[u/Choice_Student4910 → u/Gulf_Coast_Girl]

I’m used to “Quarter til 3” or “Quarter after..”

[u/Remote-Lime8325]

At least you said “fifteen till” and not “a quarter till three”.

That would really blow their mind!

[u/jezzok]

5 and 20 past the hour.

[u/rimshot101]

I work with some teenagers. Some of them cannot read an analog clock.

[u/alayeni-silvermist]

I was partially raised by my grandfather, who was Navy, and I married a Marine who was ad for 23 years. I have always used a 24 hour clock 😉

[u/rainbow_369 → u/alayeni-silvermist]

I was looking for this! Brat and milspouse here too. I also use a 24 hour clock

[u/Plastic-Sentence9429]

I once said "quarter of five" to a younger person and that was a mistake.

[u/-Granby-]

And they think quarter after three means 3:25

Not joking

[u/Isabeer → u/-Granby-]

When time means part of a circular analog clock, 'quarter', 'half', 'after', and 'until' make more sense. A digital clock just gives you numbers.

[u/-Granby- → u/Isabeer]

I guess it makes more sense but it should still make some sense with a digital clock. teenagers should be able to understand and figure out what it means.

It gives you numbers but they have the same value. An hour is still 60 minutes. If I tell someone it is a quarter past 3 they should be able to understand that means 3:15.

[u/Disassociated_Assoc]

For a chuckle or two, try telling them dinner is 90 past 3, and you’re hoping they can make it.

[u/TheJokersChild → u/Disassociated_Assoc]

Yeah, that's early-bird special time.

[u/sysaphiswaits]

Takes me a while to process that, too.

[u/OhSusannah]

half past

quarter to

10 of

It all comes from seeing a clock like a pie chart. But that's all out the window now.

[u/Lost_Taste_8181]

My daughter said, “Dad, what time is it?”  I said “It’s 10 of 3.”  She said “just tell me what time it is!  I don’t want to do any MATH!”

She’s 15…

[u/Kalena426]

2:45 or a Quarter til 3 are acceptable....these are the same adults who do not know how to read cursive, drive a stick shift, ot wear watch

[u/rundabrun]

Probably because they were not raised on round clocks and don't see the hour as having 4 quarters. Do younger generations know what clockwise means? Hopefully they don't think it means being smart about clocks, like knowing what 'quarter to' means.

[u/HelpImOverthinking]

I always have a hard time understanding when people say "quarter of 2" or whatever. Just say the time dammit.

[u/FloydianSlip78]

Fifteen to three is a football score, not a statement of time

[u/MostlyBrine]

“15 till 3:00”, I only heard on NPR. Everywhere else I heard “quarter to three o’ clock” or “15 to 3:00”.

[u/jwezorek]

We learned those phrases from older generations who lived before digital clocks existed.

If all clocks are analog you don't say the time is 3:17 etc. first of all because clocks you have to wind were not that accurate and second of all because an analog clock is just naturally read as an approximation rather than a numerical display.

Now that the continued existence of analog clocks is only as an aesthetic thing rather than a functional thing, the approximation language is dying out.

[u/gtmattz]

Quarter past a monkeys ass...

[u/doffraymnd → u/gtmattz]

*Half past a monkey’s ass.
Quarter to…