What's the time VS Do you have the time?

[hirashin]

Dear native English speakers,

(a) What time is it?
(b) What's the time?
(c) Do you have the time?
(d) Have you got the time?
(e) Can/Could you tell me the time?
(f) Can/Could you tell me waht time it is?

I hear there are some difference in asking the time between the U.S. and the U.K.
(Would it be better to say "there is a difference" instead? )

Which one of the six sentences above would be commonly used in your area when asking the time?

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin

 

[Buntaro]

In America, A and F are most common.

For a curious oddity, in ハワイ英語弁 they often ask, "What time?" (definitely not 標準英語)

 

[hirashin]

Thanks, Buntaro. I'd like to hear other people's opinions.

 

[mdchachi]

(Would it be better to say "there is a difference" instead? )

Yes.

All of these sound fine. I ranked them in order of what I think I'd hear most commonly around here.
(a) What time is it?
(f) Can/Could you tell me what time it is?
(b) What's the time?
(c) Do you have the time?
(e) Can/Could you tell me the time?
(d) Have you got the time?

 

[hirashin]

Thank you for the interesting information, mdchachi. My dictionaries say (b) is used in Britain and (c) is used in the U.S. That seems to be wrong. I'd also like to know about what British people commonly say.

 

[mdchachi]

Well I'm from the Beastie Boys generation so "what's the time" sounds perfectly natural to me. ;-)

 

[Lothor]

Thank you for the interesting information, mdchachi. My dictionaries say (b) is used in Britain and (c) is used in the U.S. That seems to be wrong. I'd also like to know about what British people commonly say.

All acceptable to me. A common joke reply in Britain to "Do you have the time?" is "Yes, if you have the energy!"

 

[hirashin]

Thanks for the help, Lothor. Which ones are more commonly heard in Britain?

 

[Buntaro]

According to my British contacts:

(a) What time is it? -- good
(b) What's the time? -- good
(c) Do you have the time? -- OK
(d) Have you got the time? -- not used, unless you ask, "Have you got the time to go shopping?"
(e) Could you tell me the time? -- good
(f) Could you tell me what time it is? -- used rarely

So the differences: Americans prefer A and F whereas Brits prefer A, B and E

 

[hirashin]

Thanks for your effort, Buntaro. That's a great help. (Am I using "effort" properly here? )

 

[Buntaro]

Am I using "effort" properly here?

It sounds a little stuffy but it is ok. I would say, "I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this."

Another issue is that you concentrate on written English ("test-taking English") whereas I concentrate on conversational English. The two forms are often different.