Adverbs of time answer the question ¿cuándo? ("when?"). They anchor actions in time and are some of the most useful words you can add to a sentence. Many of them also strongly prefer certain verb tenses, so pay attention to which tense each one tends to go with.
The Core Set
These are the everyday words you'll reach for constantly:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| hoy | today |
| ayer | yesterday |
| anteayer | the day before yesterday |
| anoche | last night |
| mañana | tomorrow |
| pasado mañana | the day after tomorrow |
| ahora | now |
| antes | before, earlier |
| después | after, later |
| pronto | soon |
| tarde | late |
| temprano | early |
| entonces | then |
| luego | later, then |
Anoche llegamos muy tarde.
Last night we got in very late.
Mañana Is Both a Noun and an Adverb
Watch out: mañana means both "tomorrow" (adverb) and "morning" (feminine noun, la mañana). Context usually makes it clear.
Ya, Todavía, and Aún
These three little words cause a lot of beginner trouble because they straddle time and aspect. Here's the quick map:
| Word | Affirmative meaning | Negative meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ya | already, now | ya no = no longer |
| todavía | still | todavía no = not yet |
| aún | still (same as todavía) | aún no = not yet |
Ya terminé la tarea.
I already finished the homework.
Todavía vivo en Bogotá.
I still live in Bogotá.
Aún no ha llegado el tren.
The train still hasn't arrived.
Ahora and Its Relatives
Ahora is "now." Two common expansions are ahora mismo ("right now") and ahorita, a diminutive that is extremely common in Latin America — but be warned, it doesn't always mean "right now" the way the dictionary suggests. In Mexico, for example, ahorita can mean anywhere from "this very second" to "later today" to "eventually."
Voy ahora mismo.
I'm going right now.
Ahorita te llamo.
I'll call you in a bit. (meaning varies)
Antes and Después
Antes ("before, earlier") and después ("after, later") are often used on their own or linked to a specific time with de: antes de las ocho ("before eight"), después del almuerzo ("after lunch").
Antes vivía en Quito.
I used to live in Quito before.
Después te cuento.
I'll tell you later.
Entonces and Luego
Both can mean "then" when sequencing events. Entonces often carries a sense of "at that time" or "in that case," while luego tends to mean "next" or "afterwards." They overlap a lot in everyday speech.
Primero desayuno, luego salgo a caminar.
First I have breakfast, then I go for a walk.
En ese entonces, vivíamos en el campo.
Back then, we lived in the countryside.
Pronto, Tarde, and Temprano
Pronto means "soon." Tarde means "late" (as an adverb — it's also a feminine noun meaning "afternoon"). Temprano means "early."
Nos vemos pronto.
See you soon.
Siempre llego temprano a clase.
I always arrive early to class.
Time Adverbs and Tenses
Some time adverbs strongly pair with certain tenses:
- ayer, anoche, anteayer → preterite
- hoy, esta mañana → preterite or present perfect
- mañana, pronto, luego → future or ir a
- antes, entonces → imperfect for habitual past
Ayer vi a mi abuela.
Yesterday I saw my grandmother.
Common mistakes
❌ Yo todavía no termino todavía.
Wrong: using todavía twice is redundant.
✅ Todavía no termino.
Correct: todavía once is enough.
❌ Ya no todavía estudio.
Wrong: ya and todavía express opposite ideas — pick one.
✅ Ya no estudio. / Todavía estudio.
Correct: ya no = no longer; todavía = still.
❌ Mañana fui al mercado.
Wrong: mañana (tomorrow) needs a future or present tense, not preterite.
✅ Mañana voy al mercado.
Correct: match the tense to the time adverb.
Where to Next
- Adverbs of Frequency — how often something happens
- Adverb Position — where to place time adverbs in a sentence
Related Topics
- Adverbs OverviewA1 — An introduction to Spanish adverbs, what they modify, and the main categories you'll encounter
- Adverbs of FrequencyA1 — How to say always, sometimes, and never in Spanish, and where these adverbs go in the sentence
- Adverb PositionA2 — Where adverbs go in a Spanish sentence, with the main tendencies and the flexibility you have
- Regular -ar VerbsA2 — Regular -ar verbs in the preterite take the endings -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -aron, with written accents on the yo and él forms.
- Regular -ar VerbsA2 — Forming the imperfect tense of regular -ar verbs with the endings -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -aban.