El tren llega a tiempo según el horario oficial.

to arrive

Breakdown of El tren llega a tiempo según el horario oficial.

• el tren: the train
• el tiempo: the time
• según: according to
• el horario: the schedule
• oficial: official

Questions & Answers about El tren llega a tiempo según el horario oficial.

Why is llega used here instead of something like está llegando?

Spanish uses llega (simple present) for regular, scheduled arrivals. Está llegando (present progressive) suggests an action happening right now in the sense of “in the process of arriving.” Since trains follow a schedule, the simple present llega is more natural to convey “it arrives” according to a timetable.

What does a tiempo convey exactly?

A tiempo means “on time” or “punctually.” It implies that the train arrives exactly at the expected or scheduled moment, without delay or early arrival. It’s a set phrase used in many contexts to mean “on time.”

How is según used in this sentence?

Según is used to indicate the source or reference of the information. It translates roughly to "according to" in English. Here, it means the train’s on-time status is determined by the official schedule, “according to” that schedule.

Can I replace según with de acuerdo con?

Yes, you can say de acuerdo con el horario oficial with essentially the same meaning—“in accordance with the official schedule.” Según is just more concise. Both are valid and commonly used.

Why do we say el horario oficial instead of el oficial horario?

Adjective placement in Spanish generally puts descriptive adjectives after the noun. Saying el oficial horario would sound unnatural. In Spanish, it’s standard to say horario oficial (“official schedule”), with the adjective following the noun.