Time adverbs place an action at a specific moment, indicate its temporal order or specify its duration. They do not agree in gender or number, but their position can change the nuance or emphasis of the sentence. To relate them to other classes of adverbs, it is advisable to review Adverbs and Placement of adverbs.pe.

Point adverbs like yesterday, today and tomorrow place the event at a precise moment on the calendar. Tomorrow can also be a noun naming the following day, so the context decides whether it expresses time or nominal reference. In colloquial Latin American usage, ahorita can be equivalent to now, with a regional value close to spontaneous speech.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Un adverbio puntual sitúa la acción en un momento concreto.A punctual adverb places the action at a concrete moment.	Ayer llegué tarde.Yesterday I arrived late.
Hoy indica el día presente.Today indicates the present day.	Hoy estudio español.Today I study Spanish.
Mañana expresa un momento futuro.Tomorrow expresses a future moment.	Mañana viajamos temprano.Tomorrow we travel early.
Ahorita es un uso coloquial frecuente en parte de América Latina.Ahorita is a common colloquial usage in parts of Latin America.	Ahorita salgo.Ahorita I’m leaving.

Temporal adverbs like before, after and then organize the events in sequence. Before marks anteriority, after marks posteriority and then introduces continuity or the next step. These forms combine with compound tenses to specify what happened first and what happened later.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Antes señala un hecho anterior.Before indicates an earlier fact.	Antes comí.Before I ate.
Después señala un hecho posterior.After indicates a later fact.	Después descansé.Afterwards I rested.
Luego presenta el siguiente paso.Then presents the next step.	Luego llamo.Then I call.
Estas formas ordenan la narración temporal.These forms order the temporal narration.	Primero llegó y luego habló.First he arrived and then he spoke.

During, while and phrases such as immediately and soon express how long an action lasts or when another is approaching. During normally requires a defined period, while introduces simultaneity and soon places an action near the present. These expressions help link prolonged actions with others occurring at the same time or subsequently.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Durante indica un lapso concreto.During indicates a concrete span.	Durante la clase escribí notas.During class I wrote notes.
Mientras expresa simultaneidad.While expresses simultaneity.	Mientras cocino, escucho música.While I cook, I listen to music.
En seguida anuncia proximidad inmediata.Immediately signals imminent proximity.	En seguida vuelvo.I’ll be back soon.
Dentro de poco señala cercanía temporal.Soon indicates temporal proximity.	Dentro de poco empieza la película.Soon the movie starts.

From, until and starting from mark the start or end of a temporal interval, almost always with dates, times or clear periods. From sets the starting point, until sets the final limit, and starting from signals a valid beginning from that moment. These expressions are common with actions that extend over time or with plans that change from a specific date.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Desde marca el inicio de un intervalo.From marks the start of an interval.	Desde enero trabajo aquí.Since January I have been working here.
Hasta marca el final de un intervalo.Until marks the end of an interval.	Hasta las seis estudio.I study until six.
A partir de señala un comienzo efectivo.Starting from signals a practical beginning.	A partir de mañana cambia el horario.Starting tomorrow the schedule changes.
Estas expresiones suelen ir con fechas u horas.These expressions are usually used with dates or times.	Desde las ocho hasta las diez leí.From eight to ten I read.

Already, yet, and still add a temporal reading that depends on the relationship with the verb and the speaker’s expectation. Already typically indicates completion or a change of state, while yet and still express continuity or an unfinished situation. In compound tenses, already reinforces the result and yet tends to place the action within temporal continuity.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Ya indica que algo ha ocurrido o ha cambiado.Already indicates that something has happened or changed.	Ya terminé.I’ve already finished.
Todavía indica que algo sigue sin cambiar.Yet indicates that something continues to be the case.	Todavía no llego.I haven’t arrived yet.
Aún expresa continuidad con tono más neutro o formal.Still expresses continuity with a neutral or formal tone.	Aún espero respuesta.I’m still waiting for a response.
La posición cerca del verbo puede reforzar el matiz.Position close to the verb can reinforce the nuance.	Ya había salido.She had already left when you called.

Often and sometimes do not point to a single moment, but to the repetition or habituality of an action over time. They relate to time adverbs because they describe how the action is distributed across a series of occasions. Their placement is flexible, though they are normally integrated near the verb to maintain fluency.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
A menudo expresa frecuencia alta.Often expresses high frequency.	A menudo leo por la noche.I often read at night.
A veces expresa frecuencia intermitente.Sometimes expresses intermittent frequency.	A veces llego tarde.Sometimes I arrive late.
Estas formas describen repetición en el tiempo.These forms describe repetition over time.	A menudo y a veces muestran hábito.Often and sometimes show habit.
En el habla, su colocación puede desplazarse sin perder sentido.In speech, their placement can shift without losing meaning.	A veces, estudio en casa.Sometimes I study at home.

The basic placement of time adverbs is usually before or after the verb, and the choice depends on emphasis, rhythm and the type of expression. In speech, the position can shift more freely than in formal writing, but the adverb does not change form for gender or number. Compound tenses and past perfect accept these expressions to situate the action within a broader timeline.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
El adverbio puede ir antes del verbo para destacar el tiempo.The adverb can go before the verb to highlight the time.	Mañana viajamos.Tomorrow we travel.
El adverbio puede ir después del verbo para mantener el ritmo neutro.The adverb can go after the verb to maintain a neutral rhythm.	Viajamos mañana.We travel tomorrow.
El adverbio no concuerda en género ni número.The adverb does not agree in gender or number.	Ayer llegaron temprano.Yesterday they arrived early.
Los tiempos compuestos aceptan estos adverbios con naturalidad.Compound tenses accept these adverbs naturally.	Ya había salido cuando llamaste.I had already left when you called.

Time adverbs allow specifying when an action occurs, how it is ordered relative to others and how long it lasts in the temporal development. They also express start and end, continuity, frequency and completeness, with nuances that depend on their position and the verb tense. Their correct use requires attention to context, register and the relationship between the temporal expression and the verb.