The need for "y" in time.

I see Rocket try to help me learn how to say my time with many “y” for example (1:20) "Es la una y veinte". While this makes sense, I also see other people saying the time with no “y”, for example: "Es la una veinte" Does the “y" really matter much or are can they be used either way?

¡Hola, RileyL-7qb7!

Thanks for your question!

Rocket Spanish teaches you to tell the time in Spanish by placing the word y “and” between the hour and the minutes (e.g. Son las dos y diecisiete “It is two seventeen”) since this is the most standard method of telling the time in Spanish and it is both very widely used and commonly taught to Spanish learners. 

However, there often variations in Spanish depending on the region (and sometimes just on personal preference), and you will indeed hear some native speakers say the time without the y included (e.g. Son las dos diecisiete “It is two seventeen”). So you can use this method too if you like! 

Saludos,

Liss