Inklingo
← Dictionary

ayer

ah-yairaˈʝeɾ

“ayer” means “yesterday” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

yesterday

A setting sun disappearing behind a gentle hill, symbolizing the immediate end of the previous day.

📝 In Action

Ayer fui al cine.

A1

Yesterday I went to the movies.

¿Qué comiste ayer?

A1

What did you eat yesterday?

La reunión fue ayer por la tarde.

A2

The meeting was yesterday afternoon.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • hoy (today)
  • mañana (tomorrow)

Common Collocations

  • ayer por la mañana – yesterday morning
  • ayer por la tarde – yesterday afternoon
  • ayer por la noche – last night (less common than 'anoche')

Idioms & Expressions

  • de ayer a hoy – overnight, very quickly

yesterday

Also: the past
NounmB2formal
A gentle hand holding a single, slightly faded, sepia-toned photograph of an old, nostalgic scene, representing the concept of the past.

📝 In Action

El ayer ya no importa, solo el presente.

B2

The past no longer matters, only the present.

No podemos vivir en el ayer.

C1

We can't live in yesterday (in the past).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ayer" in Spanish:

the past→yesterday→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ayer

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I saw Maria last night'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
anteayer(the day before yesterday) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin phrase 'ad heri', which literally means 'at yesterday' or 'on yesterday'. Over time, the two words merged together to become the 'ayer' we use today.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ontemFrench: hierItalian: ieri

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'ayer' and 'anoche'?

'Ayer' refers to the entire 24-hour period of the day before today. 'Anoche' specifically refers to the evening or night part of that day. So, you could say 'Ayer por la mañana...' (Yesterday morning...) but you would just say 'Anoche...' for last night.

How do I say 'the day before yesterday'?

That's another handy word: 'anteayer'. It literally combines 'ante' (before) and 'ayer' (yesterday).