Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ocio | /ˈoθjo/ /ˈosjo/ |
masculine |
| tiempo libre | /ˌtjempo ˈlibɾe/ | masculine |
The term ocio refers to the concept of leisure or recreational activities. For the actual time someone has available, tiempo libre is the most common and natural way to express leisure or free time. If you want to say 'at your leisure' or 'in your free time', use the phrase 'en su tiempo libre' in formal contexts or 'en tu tiempo libre' in informal contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tiempo libre is a literal composition of 'tiempo' (time) and 'libre' (free).
Which one should you use?
While both refer to leisure, ocio is more abstract and formal, often referring to the concept of leisure or recreational activities. In contrast, tiempo libre is the standard way to refer to one's actual free time in everyday conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoθjo/
Did you know?
- In some regions, calling someone ocioso (derived from ocio) is a common way to call them lazy or a slacker rather than just 'at leisure'.
- The word tiempo comes from a root meaning 'to stretch'. It is a distant relative of the English words 'tempo' and 'temperature'.
- The concept of ocio is linked to the Latin ōtium, which described the time a Roman citizen spent away from official duties to pursue philosophy and art.
Examples in context
- Lea este libro en su tiempo libre.Read this book at your leisure.This sentence shows how to use the phrase tiempo libre to say 'at your leisure'.Tatoeba #2042100 by marcelostockle, translation #23954 by trieuho
- ¿Qué hacen ellos con todo su tiempo libre?What do they do with all their leisure time?This sentence shows how to use the phrase tiempo libre to ask about leisure time.Tatoeba #1229084 by marcelostockle, translation #307637 by CK
- Mary no usa su yate para el ocio sino para la investigación oceanográfica.Mary doesn't use her yacht for leisure, but for oceanographic research.This sentence shows how to use the word ocio to describe using something for leisure.Tatoeba #8077260 by Seael, translation #9364398 by Nylez
- Disfruto de actividades de recreación como leer y pintar.I enjoy leisure activities such as reading and painting.
- ¡Vamos a pasar el rato este fin de semana!Let's hang out this weekend!
- Me encanta ir al cine en mi tiempo libre.I love going to the movies in my free time.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking about their weekend plans at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Qué haces en tu tiempo de ocio?What do you do in your leisure time?
- SofíaSuelo leer novelas de misterio.I usually read mystery novels.
- AlejandroA mí también me gusta el ocio tranquilo.I also like quiet leisure.
- SofíaEs la mejor forma de descansar.It is the best way to rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leisure” translations and entries ocio, tiempo libre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries libre, ocio, tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
