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Old May 14, 2008, 02:06 PM
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The time

My husband has just told me a South American colleague of his says un cuarto para las ocho instead of las ocho menos cuarto. Is that what everybody says on the other side of the Atlantic?
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Old May 14, 2008, 02:26 PM
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Oh, yes. Un cuarto para las ocho se usa. Quince minutos para las ocho también.
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Old May 14, 2008, 03:51 PM
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Yeah, I've heard that at work before.
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Old May 15, 2008, 06:52 AM
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I have heard that as well both in Mexico (Guadalajara, Monterrey and the Yucatan) as well as the Dominican Republic. I can't recall if I have ever heard a native speaker in any of these places use the "son las ocho menos cuarto" form. It seems to be either "un cuarto para las ocho" or even "siete y cuarenta y cinco".

I found this very odd at first because learning in school it was stressed that this form was not used. I always learned the "las ocho menos cuarto" form. Conversationally at least, this has been my experience. I have no idea if this holds true for the rest of Latin America or Spain.
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Old May 15, 2008, 07:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iris View Post
My husband has just told me a South American colleague of his says un cuarto para las ocho instead of las ocho menos cuarto. Is that what everybody says on the other side of the Atlantic?
Absolutely. I don't think I've ever heard a native Mexican Spanish speaker say las ocho menos cuarto, aunque a la mejor hay uno que otro que así lo diga.
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Old May 15, 2008, 01:12 PM
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David, you should say a lo mejor.
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Old May 15, 2008, 11:34 PM
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David, you should say a lo mejor.
Duly noted.

In México it seems they use both a lo mejor and a la mejor. (at least when speaking).
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Old May 16, 2008, 06:39 AM
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I didn't know, sorry.
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Old May 17, 2008, 10:25 AM
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No need to be sorry, probably only a lo mejor is used in Spain. To be on the safe side, I'll stick with a lo mejor. Thanks!
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Old May 17, 2008, 01:32 PM
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Tal vez a la mejor venga de la frase a la mejor hora.

(Cambié palabras. ¿Venga es mejor que viene, no? ¿Sugeréncias? ¿Existe otra forma de decirlo mejor?)
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