In Spanish, time adverbs show when an action takes place—past, present, or future. They stay the same no matter who does the action. You can place them at the beginning or end of a sentence, or sometimes right before the main verb. They help give context and order to events in time.
Common Time Adverbs
Below are the most commonly used time adverbs in Spanish, along with their English translations and example sentences.
| Spanish Word | Spanish Example |
|---|---|
| ahora | Ahora estoy luchando con este rompecabezas imposible. |
| English Translation | English Example |
Usage Tips
Placement in Sentences
Time adverbs can usually go at the beginning or end of a sentence:
- Siempre estudio por la noche.
- Estudio por la noche siempre.
Some, like ya and todavía, often appear before the main verb:
- Ya comí.
- Todavía no ha llegado.
Using Past, Present, and Future Tenses
Time adverbs help signal which tense to use:
- Ayer (yesterday) → use past tense: Ayer fui al parque.
- Ahora (now) → use present tense: Ahora leo un libro.
- Mañana (tomorrow) → use future tense: Mañana viajaré a Madrid.
Summary
Time adverbs in Spanish are simple but powerful tools for indicating when something happens. You don’t need to change their form; just place them appropriately in your sentence and choose the correct verb tense. With practice, you’ll be able to express timing clearly and naturally.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025