dos horas
/dos oɾas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "two hours" is translated into Spanish as dos horas.
dos horas is used to describe a duration of time consisting of two sixty-minute periods.
Which one should you use?
While dos horas is the standard way to express this duration, the informal expressions dos horitas or un par de horitas can also be used to mean two hours.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun hora is feminine. While the number dos is used with this feminine noun, the number itself does not change gender. Note that if you are referring to a single sixty-minute period, you should use the singular form una hora.
How do you pronounce it?
/dos oɾas/
Did you know?
- The word dos is a linguistic relative of the Persian word دو, as both trace back to an ancient ancestral language.
- In Spanish, the word hora can refer to both the duration of sixty minutes and a specific time of day, meaning dos horas could potentially be confused with 'two o'clock' depending on the preposition used.
- While 'two' is the literal meaning, saying un par de horas is often a social cue that the speaker's arrival time is a loose estimate rather than a precise commitment.
Examples in context
- Canté por dos horas.I sang for two hours.This sentence is useful for describing the duration of an activity using dos horas.Tatoeba #2110484 by marcelostockle, translation #1098515 by cntrational
- Vuelvo en dos horas.I'll be back in two hours.This sentence is useful for stating a return time in the future using dos horas.Tatoeba #2704593 by Shishir, translation #72863 by CK
- Solo dormí dos horas.I only slept two hours.This sentence is useful for expressing a limited amount of sleep using dos horas.Tatoeba #2011986 by Shishir, translation #1202377 by CK
- Esperaré dos horas antes de salir al cine.I will wait for two hours before going to the movies.
- Voy a necesitar dos horitas para terminar esta tarea.I will need about two hours to finish this task.
- 115 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are discussing a movie they want to see.
- María¿Cuánto dura la película?How long is the movie?
- DanielDura dos horas, María.It lasts two hours, María.
- MaríaEs un poco larga.It is a bit long.
- DanielPero es muy buena.But it is very good.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
