tiempo
duration
Spanish uses three words for "time". Use tiempo for time as a span or in general, hora for the time on the clock and vez for an occasion, as in "one time".
Meaning: time as duration, clock time or occasion (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| tiempo | duration |
| hora | clock time |
| vez | occasion |
Say No tengo tiempo for "I have no time" and ¿Qué hora es? for "What time is it?" For "this time" or "three times" you need vez: esta vez, tres veces.
How does it change in a sentence?
Tiempo and hora take their own articles: el tiempo is masculine and la hora is feminine. The plural of vez is veces.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use tiempo everywhere. ¿Qué tiempo es? is wrong for asking the clock time, and it would sound like a question about weather or grammar tense.
Did you know?
- Spanish uses tiempo for both time and weather, so ¿Qué tiempo hace? asks about the weather and not the clock.
Examples in context
- No tengo tiempo hoy.I have no time today.
- ¿Qué hora es?What time is it?
- Es la primera vez que viajo solo.It is the first time I travel alone.
- Hace mucho tiempo que no te veo.I have not seen you for a long time.
Example conversation
Elena asks her colleague Diego about a meeting in the office.
- ElenaDiego, ¿qué hora es?Diego, what time is it?
- DiegoSon las tres.It is three o'clock.
- ElenaYa es hora de la reunión.It is time for the meeting.
- DiegoTranquila, tenemos tiempo.Relax, we have time.
