Log inSign up

Estudio español una hora al día.

Estudio español una hora al día.
I study Spanish one hour a day.
FromLesson 40inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of Estudio español una hora al día.

yo
I
español
Spanish
estudiar
to study
la hora
the hour
una
one
al día
per day

Questions & Answers about Estudio español una hora al día.

Why is there no yo before estudio?
Spanish usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows who the subject is. Estudio already means I study. Add yo only for emphasis or contrast: Yo estudio..., no mi hermano.
Why is there no article before español? Can I say el español?
After verbs of speaking/learning like hablar, estudiar, aprender, enseñar, saber, modern usage normally omits the article: estudio español. Estudio el español is possible, often sounding more formal/specific (the language as an academic subject). Use the article when the language is the subject or in some prepositional phrases: El español es difícil, del español al inglés, but note en español (no article).
Why una hora, not un hora?
Because hora is feminine (la hora). The initial h is silent and doesn’t affect gender: una hora, dos horas.
What does al mean in al día?
It’s the contraction of a + el. Una hora al día = one hour per day.
Could I say por día, cada día, todos los días, a diario, or diariamente instead of al día?
  • al día: standard for per day.
  • por día: common in much of Latin America (esp. Southern Cone), often for rates.
  • cada día / todos los días: every day (frequency), not per-day rate.
  • a diario / diariamente: daily (more adverbial/formal).
    All are fine; choose the tone you want.
Why the simple present estudio and not estoy estudiando?
Spanish uses the simple present for routines/habits: Estudio… The progressive estoy estudiando is for actions in progress right now or a temporary current arrangement. You could say Estoy estudiando español una hora al día if you mean it’s your current, possibly temporary, plan.
Can I move the time phrase around?
Yes. Neutral: Estudio español una hora al día. Fronted for emphasis: Una hora al día, estudio español. Keep una hora al día together; Estudio español al día una hora sounds awkward.
How do I say two hours a day, half an hour, or an hour and a half?
  • Dos horas al día
  • Media hora al día
  • Una hora y media al día
  • Minutes: 45 minutos al día
Do I need por or durante to express duration?

You can just say the length: Estudio español una hora…
Durante is fine: …durante una hora…
In Latin America, por is also common: …por una hora… All three are widely understood; the bare duration is the most neutral.

Why is día written with an accent, and how is it pronounced?
The accent in día marks stress on í and breaks the diphthong, so it’s two syllables: dee-ah. Without the accent, it would be read as one syllable. It’s pronounced DEE-ah.
Why is día masculine even though it ends in -a?
It’s an irregular noun: el día. Memorize it like el mapa, el planeta, etc.
Why isn’t español capitalized?
Names of languages and nationalities are not capitalized in Spanish unless they start a sentence: español, inglés, mexicano.
How do I pronounce the ñ in español?
Like the ny in canyon. español ≈ eh-spa-NYOL, with stress on the last syllable.
Why not estudio a español? Don’t some Spanish verbs take a?
Estudiar is a transitive verb and takes a direct object with no preposition: estudio español. The personal a is used before a human direct object: Veo a mi profesor, not with a language.
Does al día ever mean something else?
Yes. In expressions like estar al día, it means up to date. In una hora al día, it means per day.
Can I replace español with a pronoun, like I study it?
Yes: Lo estudio una hora al día. Here lo refers to el español (the language).
How would I say I used to do this in the past?

Use the imperfect for past habits: Estudiaba español una hora al día.
A one-time past action would use the preterite without the per-day idea: Ayer estudié español por una hora.

How do I say per week or per month?
Follow the same pattern: una hora a la semana, una hora al mes. For frequency of occurrences: dos veces al día / a la semana / al mes.
Is castellano okay instead of español?
Yes. In much of Latin America both are understood; español is the most neutral across the region. In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and parts of Chile/Peru, castellano is very common.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“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.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from Estudio español una hora al día to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Spanish freeBrowse the full course