Numbers, Time, and Prices in English
How to say and understand times, prices, and numbers — the everyday details you need for travel and shopping.
Numbers appear in almost every practical conversation: what time, how much, which platform. Here is the core you need.
Telling the time
The simplest method works everywhere: say the hour, then the minutes.
- 7:15 — seven fifteen
- 9:30 — nine thirty
- 10:45 — ten forty-five
You will also hear the traditional forms:
- 7:15 — quarter past seven
- 9:30 — half past nine
- 10:45 — quarter to eleven
Use past for the first half of the hour and to for the second half.
am and pm
- am = morning (00:00–11:59)
- pm = afternoon and evening (12:00–23:59)
The shop opens at 9 am and closes at 6 pm.
Asking about time
- What time is it?
- What time does it open?
- How long does it take? — About twenty minutes.
Prices
Say the currency after the number, or use the symbol before it.
- £5 — five pounds
- $12.50 — twelve dollars fifty
- €3.99 — three euros ninety-nine
Asking:
- How much is it? — for one thing.
- How much are they? — for several things.
- How much does it cost?
Numbers that sound alike
These four pairs cause the most confusion. The stress is the clue:
| thirteen (13) | thirty (30) |
| fourteen (14) | forty (40) |
| fifteen (15) | fifty (50) |
| eighteen (18) | eighty (80) |
Teen numbers end with a clear -teen sound. If you're unsure, ask: One-three or three-zero?
Try it yourself
The quiz below covers times, prices, and the numbers most often misheard.