How Do You State The Time ?

[Canary42]

Arising as a result of something which arose in the Cluechain thread, it got me wondering how you express the time (say someone stops you in the street and asks you).

You check your digital watch and it says 14:55.

Do you reply :-

* Two fifty five

* Fourteen fifty five

* Five to three

* Almost 3 o'clock

[Toorak]

Five to three

[Canary42]

P.S. It happened to me recently and I used the "Five to three" version.

[Patsy33]

Same..

[Peter Pedant]

two - fifty-five - This is clearer to any foreigner ( with a good accent) it reminds me of  the pain of having to learn ( less) and (and) and fractions - half quarter, third in Arabic - - aaaargh !

bad enough in French

( Arabic teacher this afternoon: there is no escape from having to learn the names of the months) - oh Gawd

[Hazlinny]

Five to three.   

[davebro3]

who wears a watch these days!

[Canary42]

I do.

[Patsy33]

Me!

[SpudMurphy]

5 to 3

[jourdain2]

Most likely '5 to three', but possibly 2.55'.

[Hymie]

My late mother used to express 14:25 as 5 and 20 past 2, so she would probably have expressed 14:55 as 5 and 20 and 30 past 2.

[Togo]

Nope she would have said five and fifty past two. 

[Lie-in King]

Five to three.

[Tuvok]

I work 12 hour clock.

to and from

 

[jourdain2]

davebro - how  can anyone possibly manage to live without wearing a watch!!!?

[rockyracoon]

5 to 3

[Pete65]

Five to three!

[dustypuss]

Five to three.

Or as my dad would have put it  

Three a fifty-five 😳

[dustypuss]

Sorry two and fifty-five 🙄

[Cloverjo]

Five to 3.

Re the 'five and twenty past', I can only recall my mum, her parents, aunties and uncles saying that. No one else, ever. Is it a Welsh thing?