Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Time in Spanish: Tiempo, Hora, and Vez Without Confusing Them
Tiempo · noun (masculine) · tee-EHM-poh
Time in Spanish is three different words depending on what you mean. Tiempo is time as a concept, time available, and weather. Hora is clock time (¿qué hora es?) and the noun hour. Vez is time as an occurrence (una vez = one time, dos veces = two times). All three translate as time in English.
Tiempo is tee-EHM-poh, three syllables, stress on EHM. Hora is OH-rah; vez is BEHS (or VEHS in some regions). The h is silent.
No tengo tiempo hoy.
I don't have time today.
Time in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for time, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiempo | time | tee-EHM-poh | Default, widely understood |
| hora | time | clock time / hour | |
| vez | time | time as occurrence (one time, two times) | |
| rato | time | a while |
How Native Speakers Use Tiempo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Time as a concept (use tiempo)
El tiempo pasa muy rápido.
Time passes really fast.
Tiempo for the abstract concept of time, time available, and time elapsed.
Clock time (use hora)
¿Qué hora es? Son las tres.
What time is it? It's three.
Hora for clock time, scheduling, and the noun hour. Never tiempo.
Time as occurrence (use vez)
Es la primera vez que vengo a este restaurante.
It's the first time I've come to this restaurant.
Vez for instances, occurrences, and rep counts. Una vez, dos veces, muchas veces.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Tiempo
Asking for the time with tiempo
Incorrect: ¿Qué tiempo es?
Correct: ¿Qué hora es?
¿Qué tiempo es? actually asks about the weather (what's the weather like?). For clock time, always ¿qué hora es?
Using tiempo for I've been here many times
Incorrect: He estado aquí muchos tiempos.
Correct: He estado aquí muchas veces.
Tiempo doesn't pluralize for occurrences. Many times = muchas veces. Vez is the right word for counting instances.
Lock in Time Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Tiempo used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using tiempo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear No tengo tiempo hoy. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Time in Spanish
- How do you say time in Spanish?
- Time in Spanish is tiempo (concept and time available, also weather), hora (clock time and hour), or vez (instance or occurrence). ¿Qué hora es? for what time is it; no tengo tiempo for I don't have time; muchas veces for many times.
- What's the difference between tiempo, hora, and vez?
- Tiempo is time as a concept, time available, and weather. Hora is clock time (and the noun hour). Vez is a time in the sense of an occurrence: una vez (one time / once), dos veces (twice). Choosing the right one depends entirely on which English meaning you're translating.
- How do you ask for the time in Spanish?
- ¿Qué hora es? is what time is it. Never ¿qué tiempo es? (that asks about the weather). Common answers: son las tres (it's three), es la una (it's one), son las cinco y media (it's five-thirty).
- How do I remember when to use which?
- Hear tiempo, hora, and vez in their natural English-time situations: schedules, calendars, deadlines, weather, repeat counts. Parrot's videos surface the three words across enough real contexts that the choice becomes intuitive instead of memorized.