Spanish grammar: expresiones temporales

What this grammar point covers

Temporal expressions in Spanish are words or phrases used to talk about time, such as when something happens, how often, or for how long.

When to use it

Use temporal expressions in Spanish to say when an action happens, to talk about duration, or to describe how often something occurs.

Key forms

• "hoy", "ayer", "mañana"
• "ahora", "después", "antes"
• "desde hace" + period of time
• "hace" + period of time
• "durante" + period of time
• "cuando" + verb

Examples

Tips

• Remember that "hace" is used to talk about how long ago something happened, while "desde hace" is used to talk about how long something has been happening.
• "Durante" is used with periods of time to express duration.
• Some expressions change depending on whether you talk about the past, present, or future.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some temporal expressions require different verb tenses in Spanish, especially with "cuando" (e.g., subjunctive for future events).