Read the Hour Hand on an Analog Clock

The short hand names the hour.

Look at the clock beside this page.

Read it: O'clock and half past

The long hand on 12 means o'clock: 3:00. The long hand on 6 means half past: 3:30.

1. Find the short hand. It points at 3, so the hour is 3.
2. Find the long hand. It points at 12, so it is o'clock.
3. Say the hour, then o'clock: 3 o'clock. We write 3:00.

The short hand moves slowly, from 1 numeral to the next in 1 hour. It shows the hour.

The long hand goes all the way round in 1 hour. On 12, a new hour has just begun.

On 6, the long hand is half way round. That is half past the hour.

The short hand tells the hour. The long hand tells o'clock or half past.

The short hand has just passed 5. The long hand is on 4. What hour is it? — 5. The short hand tells the hour: 5.