tómate tu tiempo
/tomate tu tjempo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, tyt is an abbreviation for the phrase meaning 'take your time'.
The phrase is used to tell someone there is no need to hurry, serving as a polite reassurance to reduce pressure on the listener.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tómate tu tiempo is composed of the reflexive verb tomarse (to take for oneself), the possessive tu (your) and the noun tiempo (time).
Which one should you use?
While tómate tu tiempo is a direct command, it is used as a polite reassurance to reduce pressure on the listener.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal phrase Sin prisas, hazlo cuando puedas is used to express the same sentiment.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the form tómate tu tiempo, tómate is the imperative (command) form of the reflexive verb tomarse used for the informal second-person singular tú. To use the phrase formally with usted, change the form to tómese su tiempo.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word tiempo is used for both 'time' and 'weather'. Depending on the context, tómate tu tiempo could theoretically be interpreted as 'take your weather', though the meaning is always clear in context.
- The word tiempo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'tempo' and 'temperature', as both trace back to a root meaning 'to stretch'.
- Using the formal tómese su tiempo in a casual text message can seem unexpectedly stiff or even sarcastic to a friend.
Examples in context
- Tómese su tiempo para completar el informe.Take your time to complete the report.
- Tómate tu tiempo para responder, no hay afán.Take your time to respond, no rush.
- No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo.There is no rush, take your time.
- Tómate tu tiempo para decidir qué comer.Take your time deciding what to eat.
- Puedes leerlo con calma, tómate tu tiempo.You can read it calmly, take your time.
Example conversation
Javier is finishing a task while Lucía waits for him.
- Lucía¿Todavía te falta mucho para terminar?Do you still have much left to finish?
- JavierSí, lo siento, me falta un detalle.Yes, I'm sorry, I'm missing one detail.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, tómate tu tiempo.Don't worry, take your time.
- JavierGracias, Lucía, ya casi acabo.Thanks, Lucía, I'm almost done.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tiempo, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
