hora

Lemma Details

Translation: hour; time; o'clock

Part of Speech: noun

Etymology: From Latin 'hora', which came from Greek 'ὥρα' (hṓra), meaning 'time' or 'season'. The English word 'hour' shares this same Latin root, making them cognates. The concept of dividing the day into hours originated in ancient civilizations, with the Romans standardizing the 12-hour system that influenced Spanish timekeeping traditions.

Commonality: 95%

Guessability: 80%

Register: neutral

Mnemonics

  • Think of an 'hourglass' to remember 'hora' means 'hour'
  • The word 'hora' sounds like the beginning of 'horary' (relating to hours) in English

Related Words, Phrases & Idioms

horario

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No translation

a la hora

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No translation

a todas horas

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No translation

hora punta

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No translation

en hora buena

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No translation

a última hora

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No translation

Synonyms

momento

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No translation

instante

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No translation

tiempo

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No translation

Antonyms

eternidad

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No translation

Cultural Context

In Spanish-speaking countries, time is often perceived more flexibly than in some English-speaking cultures. The phrase 'la hora española' (Spanish time) refers to the cultural tendency to be less strict about punctuality. Additionally, Spain has a unique daily schedule with later meal times and the concept of 'siesta' affecting how hours of the day are utilized.

Easily Confused With

ahora

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No translation

Commonality: 0%

Explanation: 'Hora' means 'hour' or 'time', while 'ahora' means 'now'. They look and sound similar but have different meanings and uses.

Notes: The confusion often happens because 'ahora' contains the word 'hora' within it, but they function differently in sentences.

Mnemonic: Think of 'ahora' as 'a + hora' meaning 'at this hour' = 'now'

oro

Unknown

No translation

Commonality: 0%

Explanation: 'Hora' means 'hour' or 'time', while 'oro' means 'gold'. They look somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.

Notes: These words might be confused by beginners due to their similar appearance, but their pronunciation is distinct.

Mnemonic: Remember 'oro' by thinking of the English word 'or' with an 'o' at the end, and gold is often an OR-ange color.