Breakdown of Tengo poco tiempo para estudiar.
yo
I
tener
to have
para
to
estudiar
to study
el tiempo
the time
poco
little
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Questions & Answers about Tengo poco tiempo para estudiar.
Why do we use poco here instead of pequeño?
Poco means little in terms of quantity or degree, so it indicates you don't have much time. In contrast, pequeño refers to something physically small in size. Since we're talking about the amount of time, poco is the correct choice.
Why is para used here instead of por?
In this context, para introduces the purpose or intended use of having time. It can often be translated as in order to. So, para estudiar means in order to study. If you used por instead, it would often suggest a reason or cause rather than a purpose.
Is the expression tengo poco tiempo common in Spanish?
Yes, it’s a very common way to say you don’t have much time. Spanish speakers frequently say tengo poco tiempo to express that they’re busy or have only a small window of time available.
How would you say I have a little bit of time in contrast to I have little time?
If you want to convey I have a little bit of time, you could say tengo un poco de tiempo, which suggests you do have some time available, just not a lot. Tengo poco tiempo sounds more restrictive—it emphasizes that your time is quite limited.
Can I use para estudiar at the beginning of the sentence instead?
Yes, you could say Para estudiar, tengo poco tiempo, and it would still be grammatically correct. However, it might sound more natural to keep para estudiar after tengo poco tiempo in everyday speech. The meaning remains the same, but word order in Spanish can slightly shift emphasis.