The time

[Iris]

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?

[poli]

Oh, yes. Un cuarto para las ocho se usa. Quince minutos para las ocho también.

[gatitoverde]

Yeah, I've heard that at work before.

[Marcos]

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.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Iris

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.

[Iris]

David, you should say a lo mejor.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Iris

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).

[Iris]

I didn't know, sorry.

[Tomisimo]

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!

[Escarabajo]

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?)

[Tomisimo]

Puede ser. Yo no tengo la menor idea de dónde proviene.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Escarabajo

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?)

This is a good question for a native speaker. I actually think tal vez viene sounds better. To use the subjunctive (venga), You'd say something like: Es posible que "a la mejor" venga de ...

[WMX]

It's funny because the textbook tell you it is las ocho meno cuarto, but on the street you hear cuarto pa las ocho.