Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| cuánto tiempo | /ˌkwanto ˈtjempo/ |
| desde cuándo | /desde kwando/ (from spelling rules) |
cuánto tiempo is used to inquire about a duration or length of time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cuánto tiempo is a literal translation of 'how much time'.
Which one should you use?
Use cuánto tiempo to ask about the total duration of an event or period. In contrast, use desde cuándo when you want to ask about the starting point of an action, which translates to 'since when'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Latin America, the phrase ¿Cuánto rato? can be used to mean 'how long'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When discussing a duration that began in the past and is still continuing in the present, Spanish typically uses the present tense combined with 'desde hace' instead of the English present perfect construction.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkwanto ˈtjempo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use que largo to ask about time. que largo refers to physical length or distance.
Did you know?
- While cuánto tiempo asks about duration, the word tiempo can also mean 'weather' in Spanish. This can lead to confusion for beginners when hearing the word in different contexts.
- The word tiempo is a distant relative of the English word 'temperature'. Both come from the Latin root meaning 'to stretch' or 'to string'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying ¡Cuánto tiempo! when meeting a friend is not just a question about duration but a warm social ritual used to express how much someone has been missed.
Examples in context
- ¿Por cuánto tiempo vas?How long are you going for?This example shows how to ask about the duration of a trip using cuánto tiempo.Tatoeba #6714872 by UsuarioX, translation #436135 by lukaszpp
- ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte!How long has it been!This example uses cuánto tiempo as an exclamation to express how much time has passed since seeing someone.Tatoeba #1240530 by wallebot, translation #1241253 by xellugis
- ¿Cuánto tiempo tiene Tom?How long does Tom have?This example uses cuánto tiempo to ask about the amount of time someone possesses.Tatoeba #5689122 by arh, translation #3636366 by CK
- ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que comiste?How long ago did you eat?
- ¿Hace cuánto tiempo estudias español?How long have you been studying Spanish?
- ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que juegas al fútbol?How long have you been playing soccer?
- ¿Cuánto rato llevas esperando?How long have you been waiting?
- 258 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking about a movie at the cinema.
- Daniel¿Cuánto tiempo dura la película?How long is the movie?
- LucíaDura dos horas, Daniel.It lasts two hours, Daniel.
- DanielEs bastante tiempo.That is a long time.
- LucíaSí, pero la historia es muy buena.Yes, but the story is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how long” translations and entries cuánto tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuándo, cuánto, cuánto tiempo, desde, tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
