Tengo poco tiempo para descansar hoy.

I have little time to rest today.

Breakdown of Tengo poco tiempo para descansar hoy.

• yo: I
• hoy: today
• tener: to have
• descansar: to rest
• para: for
• el tiempo: the time
• poco: little

Questions & Answers about Tengo poco tiempo para descansar hoy.

Why is poco tiempo used here? How does it differ from un poco de tiempo?

poco is an adjective directly modifying the noun tiempo, meaning “little time.”
By contrast, un poco is a noun phrase (“a bit”) and requires de before another noun:

• Tengo poco tiempo = “I have little time.”
• Tengo un poco de tiempo = “I have a bit of time.”

Why do we say para descansar instead of just descansar or de descansar?

In Spanish, para + infinitive expresses purpose or intent (“in order to…”). Here para descansar means “for resting” or “to rest.”
Using de + infinitive doesn’t work in this context. You could also say tiempo de descanso, but that turns descanso into a noun.

What’s the difference between descansar and descanso? Could I say tiempo de descanso instead?

• descansar is the infinitive verb “to rest.” After a preposition (like para), you must use the infinitive form.
• descanso is a noun (“rest”). If you want to use it, change the structure:
  • tiempo de descanso = “time for rest.”
  But with para, you need descansar.

Why is hoy at the end of the sentence? Can it go at the beginning?

Adverbs of time (hoy, mañana, ayer…) are flexible in Spanish.

• Hoy tengo poco tiempo para descansar.
• Tengo poco tiempo para descansar hoy.
  Both are correct; placing hoy at the end can sound a bit more casual or add emphasis to “today.”

Why do we use tengo (from tener) to talk about having time?

Spanish uses tener for possession of abstract concepts (time, luck, luck, responsibility, etc.), just like English uses “have.”

• Tengo un coche.
• Tengo mucho trabajo.
• Tengo poco tiempo.

Why isn’t there an article before poco tiempo (e.g., el poco tiempo)?

When you talk about a general, unspecified quantity, Spanish omits the article:

• Tengo poco tiempo.
  If you specify or define that time, you might include el:
• El poco tiempo que me queda es valioso.

How would I change this sentence to talk about tomorrow or use the future tense?

Swap tengo for tendré and hoy for mañana:
Tendré poco tiempo para descansar mañana.
Similarly, for the past you could say:
Tuve poco tiempo para descansar ayer.