Quarter past and quarter to

The clock face splits into four equal quarters — like a pizza cut into four slices.

Each slice = 15 minutes = a quarter of an hour.

Quarter past — minute hand on 3

When the minute hand is on 3, it's a quarter of an hour past the hour. We say "quarter past".

• 4:15 — quarter past four ("a quarter past four").
• 7:15 — quarter past seven.
• 10:15 — quarter past ten.

The hour for "quarter past" is the hour you've just passed — at 4:15 you've passed 4, so it's "quarter past four".

Quarter to — minute hand on 9

When the minute hand is on 9, a quarter of an hour is left until the next full hour. We say "quarter to".

• 4:45 — quarter to five.
• 7:45 — quarter to eight.
• 10:45 — quarter to eleven.

The hour for "quarter to" is the next hour coming up — at 4:45 the next hour is 5, so it's "quarter to five".

Watch the hour hand too

At 4:15 the hour hand is just past 4 — it has moved a quarter of the way toward 5.

At 4:45 the hour hand is almost at 5 — it has moved three quarters of the way.

Try it yourself

• 6:15 → quarter past six.
• 6:45 → quarter to seven.
• 9:15 → quarter past nine.
• 11:45 → quarter to twelve.

Summary

• Quarter past X = minute hand on 3, hour hand a bit past X.
• Quarter to X = minute hand on 9, hour hand almost at X.
• "Quarter past" uses the previous hour; "quarter to" uses the next hour.