Spanish - March 28, 2023

How To Say Time In Spanish

Are you planning to travel to a Spanish-speaking country and wondering how to say time in Spanish? Or are you just curious about how to say "time" in this beautiful language? Regardless of the reason, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about saying time in Spanish.

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What is "Time" in Spanish?

"Time" in Spanish is "tiempo" (IPA: /ˈtjempo/). It is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable. This word can be used to refer to the duration of an event, the current hour or minute, or as a general concept of time.

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Meaning of "Time" in Spanish

While "tiempo" is the most common way to say "time" in Spanish, there are other words and expressions that can also convey the concept of time. Here are some examples:

Hora (IPA: /ˈo.ɾa/): This word specifically refers to the hour or time of day. For example, "Son las tres de la tarde" means "It's three o'clock in the afternoon".
Momento (IPA: /mo.ˈmen.to/): This word can be translated to "moment" or "instant" in English. For example, "En este momento" means "At this moment".
Duración (IPA: /du.ɾa.ˈθjon/): This word refers to the length or duration of something. For example, "La duración de la película es de dos horas" means "The length of the movie is two hours".

Translating "Time" to Spanish

If you want to translate "time" to Spanish, you can use the word "tiempo". Here are some examples:

What time is it?

(¿Qué hora es?)

I don't have enough time.

(No tengo suficiente tiempo.)

Time flies when you're having fun.

(El tiempo vuela cuando te diviertes.)

Regional Differences

Like any language, Spanish has regional differences in vocabulary and pronunciation. In some countries, you may hear different words or expressions for "time". Here are a few examples:

In Mexico, the word "tiempo" is most commonly used for "time", but you may also hear "hora" or "momento".
In some Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, people often use the word "reloj" (IPA: /ˈre.lox/) to refer to a clock or watch. For example, "¿Qué hora marca el reloj?" means "What time does the clock show?"
In Spain, people may use the word "cronómetro" (IPA: /kɾo.ˈno.me.tɾo/) to refer to a stopwatch or timer.

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