toque de queda
official
An official curfew in Spanish is a toque de queda. For a family rule about getting home on time, Mexicans just say the time, or use hora de llegada.
Meaning: time by which people must be home (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| toque de queda | official |
| hora de llegada | family |
News and governments use toque de queda for orders that keep people off the streets. At home a parent might say Tienes que llegar a las once.
How does it change in a sentence?
Toque de queda is masculine: el toque de queda. The verb is imponer: imponer un toque de queda.
What mistakes should you avoid?
There is no single everyday word for a teenager's curfew in Mexico, so use a phrase with the time.
Did you know?
- The phrase toque de queda literally means a "touch of quiet", from the old custom of ringing bells to signal the end of the day.
Examples in context
- Hay toque de queda desde las diez.There is a curfew from ten.
- Mi hora de llegada es a las once.My curfew is at eleven.
- Impusieron un toque de queda en la ciudad.They imposed a curfew in the city.
Example conversation
Camila asks her father Roberto for a later time to be home from a party in Guadalajara.
- CamilaPapá, ¿puedo llegar a la una?Dad, can I get home at one?
- RobertoNo, tu hora de llegada es a las doce.No, your curfew is at twelve.
- CamilaEstá bien, gracias.Okay, thanks.
