Telling time · Five minutes
12:40 on a Clock
Twelve forty. The long hand points to 8 and the short hand is between 12 and 1.
12:40
twenty to one
How to read 12:40
- The short hour hand is more than halfway from the 12 to the 1.
- The long minute hand points at the 8. Count by 5s from the 12: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40. That's forty minutes past the hour.
Ways to say it
- twenty to one
- twelve forty
Where children slip
If you mix up the hands, this clock looks like 8:00. The short hand always gives the hour.
The long hand is on the 8, but that means 40 minutes, not 8. The time is 12:40, not 12:08.
The short hand looks close to the 1, so it's tempting to say 1:40. It hasn't reached the 1 yet, so the hour is still 12.
Morning or afternoon?
A clock with hands looks the same twice a day. 12:40 a.m. is just after midnight. 12:40 p.m. is just after noon, around lunchtime. There's more in the guide to a.m. and p.m.
Play with 12:40
Every question in this game has this time in it, as the answer or as one of the choices.
12:40 comes up in every question
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
Keep going
12:40 questions
What does 12:40 look like on a clock?
The long hand points to 8 and the short hand is between 12 and 1.
How do you say 12:40?
Most people say twenty to one. You'll also hear twelve forty.
Is the telling time game really free?
Yes. The whole game plays free in your browser, with no signup, no ads and no time limit. An iPhone app is on the way with offline play, a forest trail and a parent view, but the web game stays free.
Coming soon to iPhone
We're building a Clockwood app with what needs a real app: every time read aloud, offline play, and a parent view of which times have stuck and which are still tricky. The full game stays free here on the web.
Coming soon on theApp Store