Prepositions of time in Spanish are used to specify when an action occurs, indicate duration, or establish a time frame. The most common prepositions of time include a, en, de, desde, hasta, durante, and por. Each one has specific rules and contexts for use.
a (at)
- Used to indicate a specific time on the clock.
- Also used with certain time expressions like a mediodía (at noon) or a medianoche (at midnight).
- Example: La fiesta empieza a las ocho. (The party starts at eight.)
en (in)
- Used to indicate a general time in which something happens (months, years, centuries, or parts of the day).
- Also used to express how long something takes.
- Examples: en julio (in July), en 2020 (in 2020), en la mañana (in the morning), Lo hice en una hora. (I did it in an hour.)
How do you say "I was born in January" in Spanish?
Nací en enero.
The preposition "en" is used to indicate months, years, and other general time periods. "Nací en enero" means "I was born in January." Other prepositions are incorrect in this context.
de (in/of)
- Used to specify parts of the day when combined with la mañana, la tarde, or la noche.
- Also used in fixed expressions like de día (during the day) or de noche (at night).
- Example: Trabajo de noche. (I work at night.)
desde ... hasta (from ... until)
- Used to indicate the beginning and end of a time period.
- desde = from (starting point in time)
- hasta = until (ending point in time)
- Example: Estudio desde las dos hasta las cuatro. (I study from two until four.)
Translate "I work from nine until five" into Spanish using the correct time-prepositions.
Trabajo desde las nueve hasta las cinco.
"Desde ... hasta" is used to specify the start and end times of an activity. "Trabajo desde las nueve hasta las cinco" means "I work from nine until five."
durante (during)
- Used to indicate that something happens throughout a period of time.
- Can be followed by a noun or a time expression.
- Examples: Durante el verano, viajo mucho. (During the summer, I travel a lot.)
por (for/around)
- Used to indicate an approximate time or duration.
- Often appears in expressions like por la mañana, por la tarde, por la noche (meaning "in the morning/afternoon/evening," roughly).
- Also used to express how long something lasted when referring to a past event.
- Examples: Trabajo por la tarde. (I work in the afternoon.), Estuve allí por dos horas. (I was there for two hours.)
Summary Table
| Preposition | Usage | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Specific time on the clock | La reunión es a las tres. | The meeting is at three. |
| en | Months, years, parts of day, duration | Nací en enero. / Lo hice en una hora. | I was born in January. / I did it in an hour. |
| de | Parts of the day, fixed expressions | Trabajo de noche. | I work at night. |
| desde ... hasta | From ... until (time period) | Trabajo desde las nueve hasta las cinco. | I work from nine until five. |
| durante | Throughout a period of time | Dormí durante diez horas. | I slept for ten hours. |
| por | Approximate time, duration | Estudié por la tarde. / Estuve allí por dos horas. | I studied in the afternoon. / I was there for two hours. |
The prepositions a, en, and de are the most common for indicating specific times or parts of the day, while desde, hasta, durante, and por help express time ranges and durations.
Flashcards (1 of 6)
- Preposition: a
- Usage: Specific time on the clock
- English Example: The meeting is at three.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
