# How to say "9:30" in British English **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942 "2016-06-09T18:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/1 "2016-06-09T18:14:55Z")
I recently watched Broadchurch on Netflix and heard something that sounded like “half nine” or “nine half”. I always keep subtitles turned on (I’m losing my hearing), so I glanced down to the subtitle, only to see that the statement had been translated as “9:30.” Sometimes, in the US, we will say, “half past nine.” Do Brits have another way of expressing 9:30, other than “nine-thirty” or"half past nine?" ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/2 "2016-06-09T18:17:17Z")
Nine thirty, half past nine or half nine would all be normal. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/3 "2016-06-09T18:17:44Z")
“half nine” is a slightly informal way of saying “9:30” ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/4 "2016-06-09T18:26:35Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/5 "2016-06-09T18:37:11Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > “half nine” is a slightly informal way of saying “9:30” But wouldn’t “half nine” be 4:30? ---
**Author:** ![mr\_wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@mr\_wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/6 "2016-06-09T19:04:10Z")
No. It is 0:39. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/7 "2016-06-09T19:17:39Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > But wouldn’t “half nine” be 4:30? “Half nine” isn’t math, it’s a shortened way of sating “half past nine.” ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/8 "2016-06-09T19:38:27Z")
Thanks for posting this question. I heard this usage on an old episode of Cracker a few days ago. I intended, but forgot, to look up whether it mean half an hour before or half an hour after the stated hour. Now I’ll be eternally confused because it’s opposite the German usage. _Halb neun_ (literally “half nine”) refers to 8:30, because it’s half an hour _before_ 9:00. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/9 "2016-06-09T20:10:28Z")
There are other differences. I’ve lived in the US for long enough that I’m not completely sure that this is right, but I think: Quarter to nine - UK & US Quarter of nine - US only Quarter past nine - UK & US Quarter after nine - US only Is that right? And I think similar for numbers of minutes less than 30? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/10 "2016-06-09T20:49:16Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > There are other differences. I’ve lived in the US for long enough that I’m not completely sure that this is right, but I think: > > Quarter to nine - UK & US > Quarter of nine - US only > Quarter past nine - UK & US > Quarter after nine - US only > > Is that right? And I think similar for numbers of minutes less than 30? In my experience, the UK norm is to use the “x past/to” only for the five minute increments - 5, 10, quarter, 20, 25, half, 25, 20, quarter, 10, 5. Anything more precise tends to be “x _minutes_ past/to”, or just the likes of “9:38”. There are almost certainly regional dialect variations, but everyone will understand the above. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/11 "2016-06-09T20:56:11Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > There are other differences. I’ve lived in the US for long enough that I’m not completely sure that this is right, but I think: > > Quarter to nine - UK & US > Quarter of nine - US only > Quarter past nine - UK & US > Quarter after nine - US only > > Is that right? And I think similar for numbers of minutes less than 30? I (US, grew up in New England) usually say Quarter 'til nine. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-say-9-30-in-british-english/756942/12 "2016-06-09T21:09:39Z")
I say “quarter to” here, but “quarter till” and “quarter of” are acceptable, too. ETA, oh, and “quarter before.”