Learning how to say time expressions in Spanish will help you with your communication skills, allowing you to effectively convey and understand time-related information in Spanish-speaking environments. Using time expressions correctly facilitates interactions in various contexts, such as making appointments, discussing schedules, and expressing time-related concepts in both formal and informal settings.
It will also help you to get language proficiency, enabling a deeper connection with Spanish-speaking communities and their way of life. That’s why, in this article I will teach basic time expressions, time expressions used to talk about the present, past and future. I have also created online exercises to help you practise these new words. Let’s begin!
Basic Time Expressions in Spanish
When learning Spanish, it is essential to know how to express time correctly. Here are some basic time expressions in Spanish that you should know:
¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
This is the most common way to ask for the time in Spanish. You can use it in any situation, whether it’s formal or informal. The response to this question should be in the format of “Son las (hour) y (minutes)”.
Hoy (Today)
“Hoy” is used to refer to the current day, it translates to “today”. For example, “Hoy es martes” means “Today is Tuesday”.
Mañana (Tomorrow)
“Mañana” is used to refer to tomorrow. For example, “Mañana es miércoles” means “Tomorrow is Wednesday”.
Ayer (Yesterday)
“Ayer” is used to refer to the previous day, it translates as “yesterday”. For example, “Ayer fue lunes” means “Yesterday was Monday”.
Ahora (Now)
“Ahora” is used to refer to the present moment. For example, “Ahora estoy hablando español” means “Now I am speaking Spanish”.
Tarde (Afternoon/Evening)
“Tarde” is used to refer to the afternoon or evening. For example, “Tengo clases de español a la tarde.” means “I have Spanish lessons in the afternoon”.
Noche (Night)
“Noche” is used to refer to the night. For example, “El programa de tevé está los lunes a la noche” means “The tv show is on Monday night”.
Mediodía (Noon)
“Mediodía” is used to refer to noon. For example, “Es mediodía” means “It’s noon”.
Medianoche (Midnight)
“Medianoche” is used to refer to midnight. For example, “Es medianoche” means “It’s midnight”.
Today, Tomorrow, and Yesterday in Spanish
When it comes to expressing the concept of today, tomorrow, and yesterday in Spanish, there are a few different ways to go about it. Here are some of the most common phrases you can use:
Hoy – Today
The most straightforward way to say “today” in Spanish is to use the word “hoy.” This is a simple and direct way to express the current day. For example, “Hoy es lunes” means “Today is Monday.”
Mañana – Tomorrow
To express “tomorrow” in Spanish, you can use the word “mañana.” For example, “Mañana es martes” means “Tomorrow is Tuesday.”
Ayer – Yesterday
To express “yesterday” in Spanish, you can use the word “ayer.” For example, “Ayer fue domingo” means “Yesterday was Sunday.”
It’s worth noting that Spanish speakers often use different verb tenses depending on whether they’re referring to past, present, or future events. For example, if you wanted to say “I’m going to the store tomorrow,” you would use the future tense: “Voy a ir a la tienda mañana.” If you wanted to say “I went to the store yesterday,” you would use the past tense: “Fui a la tienda ayer.”
Overall, these three words – hoy, mañana, and ayer – are the most common ways to express the concepts of today, tomorrow, and yesterday in Spanish. By mastering these simple phrases, you’ll be well on your way to speaking Spanish with confidence!
Time Expressions in Spanish examples
When it comes to time expressions in Spanish, there are many different words and phrases that you can use to describe when something happened, how long it lasted, or when something will happen. Here are some examples of time expressions in Spanish that you can use in your conversations:
- Ayer: Yesterday. For example, “Ayer fui al cine” (Yesterday I went to the cinema).
- Mañana: Tomorrow. For example, “Mañana tengo una reunión” (Tomorrow I have a meeting).
- Hoy: Today. For example, “Hoy es jueves” (Today is Thursday).
- Pasado mañana: The day after tomorrow. For example, “Voy a viajar pasado mañana” (I’m going to travel the day after tomorrow).
Additionally, there are other time expressions in Spanish that you can use to describe how long something lasted or how often something happens:
- Durante: During. For example, “Durante el verano, me gusta ir a la playa” (During the summer, I like to go to the beach).
- Desde: Since. For example, “Trabajo aquí desde hace cinco años” (I’ve been working here for five years).
- Hace: Ago. For example, “Hace una hora que llegué” (I arrived an hour ago).
- Cada: Every. For example, “Voy al gimnasio cada dos días” (I go to the gym every two days).
It’s important to note that some time expressions in Spanish use different verb tenses than their English equivalents. For example, to say “It’s 3 o’clock” in Spanish, you would say “Son las tres” instead of “Es tres“. And to say “It’s 10 to 12”, you would say “Faltan 10 para las 12” instead of “Son las 10 para 12“.
If you want to know more about the time in Spanish, here is a guide for Spanish students! Read the guide here
Present Time expressions in Spanish
When talking about the present time in Spanish, there are several expressions that you can use to convey different meanings. Here are some of the most common ones:
Hoy: This means “today” and it refers to the current day. For example, “Hoy es mi cumpleaños” means “Today is my birthday”.
Este lunes: This means “this Monday” and it refers to the current week’s Monday. For example, “Este lunes tengo una reunión” means “This Monday, I have a meeting”.
Todos los días: This means “every day” and it refers to a daily occurrence. For example, “Voy al gimnasio todos los días” means “I go to the gym every day”.
Siempre: This means “always” and it refers to a habitual action. For example, “Siempre como frutas en el desayuno” means “I always eat fruits for breakfast”.
Este fin de semana: This means “this weekend” and it refers to the current week’s weekend. For example, “Este fin de semana vamos a la playa” means “This weekend we’re going to the beach”.
It is important to note that these expressions can be combined with verbs to give more context to the sentence. For example, “Hoy voy al cine” means “Today I’m going to the cinema”, and “Siempre estudio español por la noche” means “I always study Spanish at night”.
Preterite Time expressions in Spanish
When talking about past events that are completed, the preterite tense is used in Spanish. This tense is used to describe actions that occurred at a specific point in time or for a specific duration in the past.
Here are some common preterite time expressions in Spanish:
- Ayer: Yesterday
- El martes pasado: Last Tuesday
- Pasado: Last
- El fin de semana pasado: Last weekend
- Anteayer: The day before yesterday
- Hace años: Years ago
To use these expressions correctly, you need to conjugate the verb in the preterite tense. For example, “I went to the park yesterday” would be “Fui al parque ayer” in Spanish.
It’s important to note that some time expressions can also be used with the imperfect tense, which is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. For example, “I used to go to the park every day” would be “Iba al parque todos los días” in Spanish.
Here is a table summarizing some common preterite time expressions in Spanish:
| Time Expression | Spanish Translation |
|---|---|
| Ayer | Yesterday |
| El martes pasado | Last Tuesday |
| Pasado | Last |
| En el fin de semana pasado | Last weekend |
| Anteayer | The day before yesterday |
| Hace años | Years ago |
Future Time expressions in Spanish
When talking about future events in Spanish, there are several time expressions that you can use to indicate when something will happen. Here are some of the most common ones:
En el futuro: This translates to “in the future” and is a general expression for talking about events that will happen at some point in the future. For example, “En el futuro, quiero viajar por todo el mundo” (In the future, I want to travel around the world).
En el próximo: This means “in the next” and is used to refer to events that will happen in the near future. For example, “En el próximo mes, voy a empezar un nuevo trabajo” (In the next month, I am going to start a new job).
Que viene: This literally means “that comes” and is used to refer to events that are coming up soon. For example, “La semana que viene, voy a visitar a mi familia” (Next week, I am going to visit my family).
Año: This means “year” and can be used to refer to events that will happen in a specific year. For example, “En el año 2040, voy a graduarme de la universidad” (In the year 2025, I am going to graduate from university).
If you want to learn more about how to use verb and expressions to talk about the future, you can read this guide here!
Time Expressions in Spanish Practise
Hi there! I’m Flor, and I’m thrilled to be able to help you with your Spanish! I’m a Spanish online teacher and course creator from the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Whether you’re just starting your language learning journey or looking to further enhance your skills, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s embark on this exciting learning adventure together!
