Prepositions of time in Spanish, how to use a, en, de, and more to talk about dates, days, months, and time.
Understanding prepositions of time in Spanish is key to talking about when things happen. These small words (like a, en, de, por, and hasta) connect verbs to specific times—whether that’s a moment, day, month, or general period.
Spanish uses several prepositions to indicate time, but the three most common are:
- a — “at” for exact times or points in time
- en — “in” for months, years, and general times of day
- de — “of” used in time expressions (often combined with other words)
These cover most situations for indicating when something happens.
Which Spanish preposition of time is used for months, years, and general parts of the day?
en
'En' is used for less precise time references such as months, years, seasons, and general times of day in Spanish.
Which preposition is used in Spanish for exact times—like specific hours or moments?
a
The preposition 'a' is used in Spanish to indicate exact times (e.g., 'a las 3' means 'at 3').
The preposition a is used to specify an exact time or point in time—especially when telling what time something happens. It corresponds to “at” in English.
Examples:
- La clase es a las 3. (The class is at 3.)
- Salgo a las 7:30. (I leave at 7:30.)
- Llegaron a medianoche. (They arrived at midnight.)
Special note: When using “a” with a specific time, include the definite article el or las (for hours 2 and above).
The preposition en is used for less precise time references—months, years, seasons, or general times of day. It corresponds to “in” or sometimes “on” in English.
Examples:
- Nací en julio. (I was born in July.)
- Viajamos en 2020. (We traveled in 2020.)
- Trabajo en la mañana. (I work in the morning.)
Special note: Spanish does not use prepositions for days of the week (see below).
The preposition de appears in many time expressions, especially to indicate parts of the day or time ranges. It often translates as “of” in English but creates phrases like “in the morning” (de la mañana).
Examples:
- Trabajo de 9 a 5. (I work from 9 to 5.)
- Estudio de noche. (I study at night.)
- Llegó de madrugada. (He arrived early in the morning.)
Special note: When “de” indicates part of the day, it’s often combined with a definite article (la or las).
Spanish handles days and specific dates slightly differently:
- No preposition before days of the week when saying something happens on that day.
- Use el before a specific date.
Examples:
- Voy al cine lunes. (I’m going to the movies Monday.)
- Tengo clase el lunes. (I have class on Monday.)
- Mi cumpleaños es el 23 de abril. (My birthday is on April 23.)
Here are some frequently used time expressions with their prepositions:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| a tiempo | on time |
| a medianoche | at midnight |
| en primavera | in spring |
| en | in |
| de día | during the day |
| de noche | at night |
| de madrugada | early morning |
- Use a for exact times (a las 8, a medianoche).
- Use en for months, years, seasons, general times (en abril, en 2021, en la tarde).
- Use de for parts of the day and time ranges (de la mañana, de 2 a 4).
- Use el before days of the week or specific dates (el lunes, el 5 de mayo).
- No preposition is used when simply stating a day (lunes, martes).
Mastering these prepositions will let you express time naturally and accurately in Spanish!
Flashcards (1 of 7)
- English: on time
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
