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El jefe aprueba el contrato a tiempo.

El jefe aprueba el contrato a tiempo.
The boss approves the contract on time.
FromLesson 20inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of El jefe aprueba el contrato a tiempo.

el contrato
the contract
a tiempo
on time
el jefe
the boss
aprobar
to approve

Questions & Answers about El jefe aprueba el contrato a tiempo.

What tense and person is aprueba?
Aprueba is the present indicative form of aprobar, in the third person singular. It expresses that he/she/it (the boss) approves something right now or as a habitual action.
Why is aprobar directly followed by el contrato without a preposition?
Aprobar is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object. In Spanish, you don’t use a preposition before a direct object. Hence, aprueba el contrato (not aprueba de or aprueba a).
What does a tiempo mean here, and how is it different from en tiempo?
A tiempo means on time (punctually, before or by the deadline). En tiempo is rare or may imply “within the allotted time frame,” but when talking about meeting deadlines or being punctual, you almost always say a tiempo.
Can a tiempo be moved elsewhere in the sentence? For example, El jefe aprueba a tiempo el contrato or El jefe a tiempo aprueba el contrato?

Yes, Spanish word order is flexible. Both alternatives are grammatically correct, but:

  • El jefe aprueba el contrato a tiempo (adverbial phrase at the end) is the most natural.
  • El jefe aprueba a tiempo el contrato emphasizes a tiempo slightly more.
  • El jefe a tiempo aprueba el contrato is possible but sounds more formal or poetic.
Why is the definite article el used before contrato?
We’re talking about a specific contract (the one under discussion), so Spanish uses the definite article el. Spanish generally uses definite articles more often than English when referring to known or specific things.
How would you replace el contrato with a direct object pronoun?

You would use lo (masculine singular), yielding:
El jefe lo aprueba a tiempo.

Could we use the present progressive here—El jefe está aprobando el contrato a tiempo?

Yes, but the nuance changes.

  • Está aprobando (present progressive) stresses that the boss is in the process of approving it right now.
  • Aprueba (simple present) states the action as a whole fact or habitual occurrence (“he approves it on time”).
What’s the difference between aprobar and aceptar in this context?

Aprobar means to give formal approval, authorization or ratification—often in an official, legal, or managerial sense.
Aceptar means to accept or agree to something, but it doesn’t carry the same official or legal connotation of “signing off” on it. In a business context, you apruebas a contract, not just aceptas it.

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“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

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