When learners start translating time into Spanish, they often expect to find just one equivalent word. However, Spanish uses several different words depending on the meaning. In English, the word time can refer to the hour on a clock, a period of duration, an occasion, or even a schedule. Because of that, translating time into Spanish requires attention to context.

This is where many students get confused. For example, English uses the word hours in phrases such as opening hours, visiting hours, or office hours, but Spanish usually does not translate that word as horas in those expressions. Instead, Spanish normally uses horario. So, when translating time into Spanish, it is important not to translate word by word, but meaning by meaning.

4 Ways of Translating Time into Spanish

In this article, we will look at four common meanings that help with translating time into Spanish: hora, tiempo, vez, and horario.

Hora: time on the clock or a specific hour

Use hora when time refers to the hour, the moment shown on a clock, or a specific time of day. This is the most obvious meaning, which is connected with hours, minutes, and exact moments.

In questions such as What time is it? or What time does the train leave?, Spanish uses hora: ¿Qué hora es? or ¿A qué hora sale el tren?

¿Qué hora es? Son las ocho y veinte, pero todavía faltan dos estudiantes por llegar a clase.

What time is it? It is twenty past eight, but two students still have not arrived to class.

No recuerdo la hora exacta en que sonó el teléfono, pero ya era bastante tarde por la noche.

I do not remember the exact time when the phone rang, but it was already quite late at night.

¿A qué hora es la reunión? Son las ocho y todavía no ha llegado nadie.

What time is the meeting? It is eight o’clock, but nobody has arrived yet.

    Tiempo: time as duration or period

    Use tiempo when time means duration, available time, or a period of time. This is another essential distinction when translating time into Spanish, because tiempo is not about the clock, but about how long something lasts or whether time is available.

    So, if you say I don’t have time, the natural translation is no tengo tiempo. That is why translating time into Spanish depends so much on the exact meaning of the sentence: hora is not the same as tiempo. One is usually about clock time, and the other is about duration or a period. Check here some Spanish idioms with tiempo.

    No tengo tiempo para terminar este informe hoy porque he pasado casi toda la mañana en reuniones.

    I do not have time to finish this report today because I have spent almost the whole morning in meetings.

    Pasamos mucho tiempo preparando el viaje porque queríamos organizar todos los detalles con calma.

    We spent a lot of time preparing the trip because we wanted to organize every detail calmly.

    Con tiempo, los estudiantes empiezan a entender estas diferencias y cometen menos errores al hablar.

    With time, students begin to understand these differences and make fewer mistakes when speaking.

    Vez: time as an occasion

    Another common meaning of time in English is occasion. In that case, Spanish usually uses vez. This is very important because learners often forget that translating time into Spanish sometimes has nothing to do with clocks or duration.

    Some common examples are:

    • primera vez (first time)
    • próxima vez (next time)
    • muchas veces (many times)
    • a veces (sometimes)

    This meaning is a key part of translating time into Spanish, because English uses the same word, while Spanish changes it completely.

    Era la primera vez que viajaba sola y estaba nerviosa antes de llegar al aeropuerto.

    It was the first time she traveled alone, and she was nervous before arriving at the airport.

    Me desperté varias veces durante la noche porque había mucho ruido en la calle bajo mi ventana.

    I woke up several times during the night because there was a lot of noise in the street below my window.

    Fue la primera vez que visitaron España y quedaron impresionados por la comida y la vida en la calle.

    It was the first time they visited Spain, and they were impressed by the food and life in the street.

    Horario: schedule or opening hours

    Use horario when time refers to a schedule or the hours during which a place is open or an activity happens. This is one of the most useful points to remember when translating time into Spanish.

    For example:

    • horario de apertura (opening hours)
    • horario de visitas (visiting hours)
    • horario de oficina (office hours)
    • horario de clases (class schedule)
    • horario de comidas (meal times, lunch hours)

    In these expressions, Spanish normally uses horario, not horas. This is why English expressions with hours are very often translated with horario in Spanish.

    Antes de ir al museo, consulta el horario de apertura para no encontrar la puerta cerrada.

    Before going to the museum, check the opening hours so that you do not find the door closed.

    El profesor cambió el horario porque varios alumnos trabajaban por la tarde.

    The teacher changed the schedule because several students worked in the afternoon.

    Durante el verano, el centro de salud tiene un horario diferente, así que conviene llamar antes de ir.

    During the summer, the health centre has a different schedule, so it is a good idea to call before going.

    Horarios: schedule in a more visual or organized sense

    Sometimes timetable or schedule refers not just to a general schedule, but to a chart or table showing departures, arrivals, or arranged times. In that case, Spanish may use horarios (in plural).

    In transport contexts, for example, Spanish often simply uses horarios:

    • los horarios de los trenes (train schedule)
    • los horarios del metro (subway schedule)
    • los horarios de los autobuses (bus schedule)

    If you want to emphasize the idea of a chart or table, tabla de horarios may be used, although in many everyday contexts horario or horarios sounds more natural.

    Consultamos la tabla de horarios en la estación porque queríamos comprobar si todavía quedaban trenes para esa noche.

    We checked the schedule board at the station because we wanted to see whether there were still trains that night.

    Los horarios del metro varían según la ciudad. En Madrid, generalmente son de 06:00 a 01:30.

    The subway schedule varies by city. In Madrid, they are generally from 06:00 to 01:30.

    En la aplicación puedes ver los horarios de los autobuses y decidir cuál te conviene más para volver.

    In the app you can see the bus schedule and decide which one suits you best for going back.

    Exercises

    The key to translating time into Spanish is to stop and ask what time means in each sentence. Is it the hour shown on a clock? Use hora. Is it duration? Use tiempo. Is it an occasion? Use vez. Is it a schedule or opening hours? Use horario.

    Once you focus on meaning instead of translating word by word, translating time into Spanish becomes much easier and much more natural.

    Exercise 1

    Exercise 2

    Categorized in:

    Vocabulary