time markers (time markers in spanish) are words or expressions whose function is to indicate when the action indicated by the verb — a recent or distant past, present or future. In this article, you will learn which markers to use with the different past tenses, the present tense and the future imperfect, all in the indicative mood.
Read too:Losadverbs — the word class that modifies the meaning of other word classes
What are time markers?
You time markers are words or expressions of different grammatical classes that ownedin The function in indicate when the action indicated by the verb occurs. Some markers can be used with different tenses.
Below, in the table, you will find a list of the most common time markers in Spanish:
time markers | |
Spanish |
Portuguese |
|
the menudo sometimes now ever anoche anteayer aun ayer ever when I was young/small/child... the 14th of may last year el + day of the week + past the last month the other day he/she + day of the week en + year at that time this morning/week this day/month/year usually five years ago five minutes ago a moment ago there is a mouse today last week morning normally Never in the morning/afternoon/night ready forever not yet) every day/month/year lately once a week/day/year ya |
frequently sometimes now any time last night before yesterday yet yesterday almost never when I was young/small/child... on the 14th of may last year on (the) + day of the week + past (the) last month another day on/at + day of the week in + year At that time this morning/week this day/month/year usually five years ago five minutes ago a moment ago a while ago / a while / a little while ago today last week tomorrow normally Never in the morning/afternoon/evening shortly ever not yet) every day/month/year lately once a week/day/year already |
Time markers and verbal times
→ Time markers of past times
They are markers used with past tenses. perfecto composed, Undefined, pluscuamperfectIt isimperfectindicative. See the examples:
todayI have taken chino classes.
Today I had Chinese classes.
AyerI was at mi abuela's house.
Yesterday I was at my grandmother's house.
Llegue anoche and they told me that Camila had gone anteayer.
I arrived last night and was told that Camila had left the day before yesterday.
Last summer, I lived in Madrid.
Last summer I lived in Madrid.
When we talk about the timestamps used with the past tense and the perfect composite, we must be very careful. The first indicates a temporal unit to which we no longer have access, that is, a completed past. In turn, the past perfect compound indicates a recent past, closely related to the present.
In certain Hispanic countries, it is common to use the Undefined instead of perfect composite, but time markers do not always allow for this alternation. For example, if we use the marker this morning, we can use any of the tenses if it is a past action; the preference for perfect composite is due to the fact that, when using this marker, we indicate that the morning is not over yet, that is, it is a temporal unit that has not yet ended:
this morning we are walking through el jardín.
this morning we strolled through el jardín.
This morning we walked through the garden.
On the other hand, it is not possible to use the past perfect composite with temporal markers that are unrelated to the present, such as last year
last year we have been in Córdoba.*
last year we were in Córdoba.
Last year we were in Córdoba.
O past perfect compoundit is also a tense used to talk about experiences. Therefore, it is common to use it with markers like yeah, ever, ever It is Never.
Never I've been to El Salvador.
I've never been to El Salvador.
¿ever Have you bought used books?
Have you ever bought used books?
The timestamps used with the imperfect tense are those that indicate habitual actions in the past:
When I was little, me gustaba to play the pelota.
When I was little, I liked to play ball.
In case of pluscuamperfect, we must consider that it indicates a past action prior to another past action. In this sense, we use the same time markers applied to the Undefined, but also the markers ya It is not yet:
When mama called me, she still hadn't finished dressing me.
(When my mom called, I still hadn't finished getting dressed.)
→ Present tense markers of indicative and gerund
These markers are used with actions that happen in the gift indicative or that they are continuous.
fly to the market once a week.
I go to the fair/market once a week.
now I'm studying, I can't play.
Now I'm studying, I can't play.
I play yudo classes on saturdays.
I take judo classes on Saturdays.
Know more:Infinitive, gerund and participle in Spanish — the non-personal forms of the verb
→ Future imperfect and periphrasis tense markers ir + a + infinitive
Are those used to indicate that the action takes place in the future imperfect:
In a few days, we will travel to Paris.
In a few days, we will travel to Paris.
a la doce, let's see a skin.
At twelve we go see a movie.
Solved exercises on time markers
question 1
Complete the sentences with “ya”, “todavía” or “aun”
A) ¿____ has bought the tickets? We will travel in two days.
B) _____ we could not change the books.
C) When we left the house, Mariana _____ had taken the bus.
D) Don't worry about the hour, _____ we have time.
E) _____ it's late, we have to go.
Resolution:
A) yes
B) Aun/davía
C) Ya
D) still/all the time
E) yes
question 2
(FMP)
The temporal markers in the fragment of the text take el (la) as reference
A) close of publication of the text.
B) opposition between past and future.
C) time for the elaboration of the text.
D) sense of timelessness typical of the genre.
E) moment of reading the text.
Resolution:
Alternative E
Advertising seeks to draw attention to the risks involved in consuming alcohol when you are very young. She also warns, through the phrase “esto no debería ser normal” (this should not be normal), that it is a common but not encouraged event, culminating in the final advice “talking to them today will avert a misfortune tomorrow". In this part, advertising makes a pun with the two meanings of I bring in Spanish — alcoholic drink and setback, misfortune, with the aim of explaining that one should talk about the topic with young people to avoid future problems.
By Renata Martins Gornattes
Spanish teacher
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/espanhol/marcadores-temporales.htm