Telling time · Five minutes

12:20 on a Clock

Twelve twenty. The long hand points to 4 and the short hand is between 12 and 1.

A clock showing 12:20123456789101112

12:20

twenty past twelve

How to read 12:20

  • The short hour hand has moved a little past the 12, on its way to the 1.
  • The long minute hand points at the 4. Count by 5s from the 12: 5, 10, 15, 20. That's twenty minutes past the hour.

Ways to say it

  • twenty past twelve
  • twelve twenty

Where children slip

Swapping the hands

If you mix up the hands, this clock looks like 4:00. The short hand always gives the hour.

Reading the number under the long hand

The long hand is on the 4, but that means 20 minutes, not 4. The time is 12:20, not 12:04.

What comes after 12:20

WhenTime
5 minutes later12:25
15 minutes later12:35
Half an hour later12:50
One hour later1:20
Minutes until 1 o'clock40

Morning or afternoon?

A clock with hands looks the same twice a day. 12:20 a.m. is just after midnight. 12:20 p.m. is just after noon, around lunchtime. There's more in the guide to a.m. and p.m.

Play with 12:20

Every question in this game has this time in it, as the answer or as one of the choices.

12:20 comes up in every question

Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers

Open the game full screen

Quick quiz: no game, just clocks

12:20 questions

What does 12:20 look like on a clock?

The long hand points to 4 and the short hand is between 12 and 1.

How do you say 12:20?

Most people say twenty past twelve. You'll also hear twelve twenty.

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