adverbios de tiempo grammar in Spanish

Language: Spanish
Level: B1
Unit: Adverbios
Practice types: 0

What this grammar point covers

Adverbios de tiempo are words in Spanish that tell us when something happens. They answer questions like 'when?', 'how often?', or 'for how long?'.

When to use it

Use adverbios de tiempo to talk about when an action happens, how often it happens, or if it is still happening. They help give more information about the time of the action in a sentence.

Key forms

hoy
ayer
mañana
siempre
nunca
ya
todavía
pronto
temprano
tarde

Examples

Hoy estudio español.

English: Today I study Spanish.

Ayer fuimos al cine.

English: Yesterday we went to the cinema.

Siempre desayuno a las ocho.

English: I always have breakfast at eight.

¿Ya has terminado?

English: Have you finished already?

Todavía no he visto esa película.

English: I haven't seen that movie yet.

Tips

Adverbios de tiempo usually go before or after the verb in the sentence.
Some adverbios, like 'ya' and 'todavía', can change meaning depending on if the sentence is positive or negative.
Be careful not to use two time adverbs that mean the same thing in one sentence.

Exceptions and edge cases

Some adverbios de tiempo, like 'ya' and 'todavía', can change position in the sentence and slightly change the meaning.
The meaning of 'ya' and 'todavía' can depend on whether the sentence is affirmative or negative.