Breakdown of Uno tarda horas en salir de la mina.
de
from / of
en
in / on / at
la hora
the hour
salir
to go out / to leave
Questions & Answers about Uno tarda horas en salir de la mina.
Does a female speaker have to say una instead of uno in this sentence?
Why is the preposition en used before salir?
In Spanish, the verb tardar (to take time) requires the preposition en when followed by an infinitive. Whenever you want to say that someone takes a certain amount of time to do something, the formula is tardar + time + en + infinitive.
How does using uno here feel different from using the impersonal se, like se tardan horas?
Both express a general truth, but uno makes it feel slightly more relatable or personal. When you say uno tarda, you are usually implying people in general, including yourself. The impersonal se feels a bit more detached.
I often translate it takes time using the verb tomar. Could I say toma horas instead?