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robrt8

Nov 18, 2008, 9:30 AM

Post #1 of 10 (4317 views)

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Asking the time using the verb caer

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I've been asked the time on the street this way. How does it go?
Thanks.

esperanza / Moderator

Nov 18, 2008, 10:40 AM

Post #2 of 10 (4312 views)

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Re: [robrt8] Asking the time using the verb caer

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I've been asked the time on the street this way. How does it go?
Thanks.

I've never heard 'caer' used in regard to the time of day--but of course now that you've mentioned it, I will hear it six times between now and Thursday.

What I hear a lot is 'caer' with regard to a day or date. For example: "En cuál día cae el 26 de noviembre?"

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robrt8

Nov 19, 2008, 10:03 AM

Post #3 of 10 (4283 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Asking the time using the verb caer

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I must be nuts. No one that I know has heard this. Both times I was asked they were teenagers. Maybe it's something new?

Georgia

Nov 19, 2008, 10:35 AM

Post #4 of 10 (4279 views)

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Re: [robrt8] Asking the time using the verb caer

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Don't feel bad. Ask yourself this: do you understand everything teenagers say in English? Now, doesn't that help? Are you sure they weren't saying "trae"?? As is ?Traes la hora? which is a weird way of saying do you have the time (because you brought your watch)?

esperanza / Moderator

Nov 19, 2008, 11:12 AM

Post #5 of 10 (4275 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Asking the time using the verb caer

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"Qué horas trae?"

I bet that's it, Georgia. It's been a while since anyone has said that to me and I forgot about it.

Another one that I hear nearly every day is, "Señora, no me regala la hora?"

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sioux4noff

Nov 19, 2008, 1:57 PM

Post #6 of 10 (4264 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Asking the time using the verb caer

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"Señora, no me regala la hora?"

I understand that concept. But why would it be no me regala vs me regala? Seems to me that no me regala would be "don't give me".

esperanza / Moderator

Nov 19, 2008, 3:19 PM

Post #7 of 10 (4259 views)

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Re: [sioux4noff] Asking the time using the verb caer

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"Señora, no me regala la hora?"

I understand that concept. But why would it be no me regala vs me regala? Seems to me that no me regala would be "don't give me".

"Won't you tell me the time?"

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

robrt8

Nov 19, 2008, 6:08 PM

Post #8 of 10 (4248 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Asking the time using the verb caer

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Thanks for the help. I'm about to give up. Anyone who asks me this again is not going to get away.

Great resource here (check out me cae gordo):

http://buscon.rae.es/..._BUS=3&LEMA=caer

sioux4noff

Nov 19, 2008, 9:30 PM

Post #9 of 10 (4237 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Asking the time using the verb caer

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Esperanza, thank you for the explanation. I appreciate the help you and others provide in this section of Mex Connect.

zaragemca

Nov 16, 2009, 8:36 AM

Post #10 of 10 (2276 views)

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Re: [sioux4noff] Asking the time using the verb caer

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Greerings. The historic background of the this way to ask for the time, was at the countryside, when people were working and did not use watches, they would ask anybody coming from the main house, ( even if the persons were did not bring watches with them), because they would be able to see the time somewhere around the house, and, 'TRAER, la hora mas exacta', que la que ellos pudieran deducir', then it became widely used. Gerry Zaragemca
International Club of Percussionists