Welcome to Flavors of Spanish. Ready to sound more natural when you speak Spanish? Mastering time expressions is one of the fastest ways to improve your fluency. It’s not just about telling time; it’s about perfectly describing the past, present, and future in your conversations. For many English speakers learning Spanish, expressions of time can be tricky. What’s the real difference between ahora and ahorita? When should you use por la mañana instead of en la mañana? This guide will clear up all that confusion. We'll cover everything from "yesterday" to "next week" so you can use these phrases with confidence. Let's get started!
Part 1: The Present Moment
Let's begin with the words you'll use to talk about what's happening right now.
Hoy (Today)
Hoy es miércoles. (Today is Wednesday.)
Tengo una cita hoy. (I have an appointment today.)
Ahora (Now)
This is the most standard way to say "now."
Necesito irme ahora. (I need to leave now.)
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Ahorita (Right now / In a little bit)
This little word is a big deal! Its meaning changes depending on where you are. In some countries, like Spain or Mexico, it can mean "immediately" or "right this second."
Pro Tip for Central America: In many parts of Latin America, ahorita often means the opposite: "in a little while" or "soon." So if someone says they'll do something ahorita, don't expect it to be immediate!
Limpio mi cuarto ahorita. (I'll clean my room in a bit.)
Ya (Already / Now)
Ya is a versatile word that can mean "already" or emphasize that something is happening "now."
¿Ya comiste? (Did you eat already?)
¡Ya voy! (I'm coming now!)
Ready to start using “YA” in Spanish? Check out this video.
Part 2: Talking About the Past
Describing past events is essential. You can make sentences using the past tense of the verbs and one of the following time expression.
Ayer (Yesterday)
Ayer fui al mercado. (Yesterday I went to the market.)
Anoche (Last night)
Anoche vimos una película. (Last night we watched a movie.)
Anteayer / Antier (The day before yesterday)
Both forms are common, though anteayer is slightly more formal.
Llegaron anteayer. (They arrived the day before yesterday.)
La semana pasada (Last week)
Tuve un examen la semana pasada. (I had an exam last week.)
El mes/año pasado (Last month/year)
Viajamos a Costa Rica el año pasado. (We traveled to Costa Rica last year.)
Hace + [time period] (Ago)
This is the go-to formula for saying something happened a certain amount of time ago.
Hace dos horas que espero. (I've been waiting for two hours. / Literally: It makes two hours that I wait.)
Terminé el proyecto hace tres semanas. (I finished the project three weeks ago.)
Part 3: Looking to the Future
Now, let's look ahead. These expressions will help you talk about your future plans.
Mañana (Tomorrow)
Mañana voy a la playa. (Tomorrow I am going to the beach.)Pasado mañana (The day after tomorrow)
La reunión es pasado mañana. (The meeting is the day after tomorrow.)
La próxima semana / La semana que viene (Next week)
Both are used interchangeably.
La próxima semana empezamos un nuevo libro. (Next week we start a new book.)
El próximo mes / El mes que viene (Next month)
Me voy de vacaciones el mes que viene. (I'm going on vacation next month.)
Dentro de + [time period] (In / Within)
Use this to say that something will happen in a specific amount of time from now.
La clase termina dentro de diez minutos. (The class ends in ten minutes.)
Te llamo dentro de una hora. (I'll call you within an hour.)
Part 4: Frequency and Repetition
How often do you do something? These adverbs of frequency are your answer.
Siempre (Always) - Siempre desayuno a las 8 a.m. (I always eat breakfast at 8 a.m.)
A menudo (Often) - A menudo leo antes de dormir. (I often read before sleeping.)
A veces (Sometimes) - A veces salgo a correr. (Sometimes I go for a run.)
Nunca / Jamás (Never) - Nunca he visitado Europa. (I have never visited Europe.)
Todos los días (Every day) - Bebo café todos los días. (I drink coffee every day.)
Cada día/semana/mes (Each day/week/month) - Voy al gimnasio cada día. (I go to the gym each day.)
This is where you can really refine your Spanish. Understanding these prepositions is key.
Por vs. De (for parts of the day)
Use por la mañana / tarde / noche for a general, unspecified time ("during the morning," "in the afternoon").
Me gusta caminar por la mañana. (I like to walk in the morning.)
Use de la mañana / tarde / noche when stating a specific time on the clock.
Son las nueve de la mañana. (It's nine in the morning.)
Desde vs. Durante
Use Desde (Since) to mark the starting point of an action that continues.
Estudio español desde enero. (I have been studying Spanish since January.)
Use Durante (During) to express the duration of an action.
No hablamos durante la película. (We didn't talk during the movie.)
Part 6: Practice Your Skills
Time to check your understanding! Try these quick exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank
Place your cursor over the line to reveal the correct answer.No te vi hoy, te vi ________. (ayer / mañana) ayer
La fiesta es ________ de dos días. (hace / dentro) dentro
________ como pizza los viernes. (A veces / Ahora) A veces
Mi hermano llegó ________ tres horas. (hace / desde) hace
Exercise 2: Quick Translation (Answers are at the bottom).
I saw that movie last week.
I will call you tomorrow.
She has worked here since 2019.
Conclusion
Great job! You've just learned the most important time expressions in Spanish. From ayer to mañana and everything in between, you now have the tools to make your conversations richer and more precise.
The key to mastering them is practice. Try to use one new phrase you learned today in a sentence. The more you use them, the more natural they will become.
¡Sigue practicando! (Keep practicing!)
Answer Key:
Exercise 2: 1. Vi esa película la semana pasada. 2. Te llamo mañana. 3. Ella trabaja aquí desde 2019.
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