turnos
“turnos” means “turns” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
turns
Also: appointments
📝 In Action
Respetamos los turnos en la fila.
A1We respect the turns in the line.
Es difícil conseguir turnos con ese dentista.
A2It is difficult to get appointments with that dentist.
shifts
📝 In Action
Él trabaja en turnos de ocho horas.
B1He works in eight-hour shifts.
Tenemos turnos rotativos en la fábrica.
B2We have rotating shifts at the factory.
you take turns
📝 In Action
Tú te turnos con tu hermano para lavar los platos.
B2You take turns with your brother to wash the dishes.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: turnos
Question 1 of 2
If you are at a hospital and you have 'turnos' scheduled, what do you have?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'tornus,' which refers to a lathe or a tool that spins. The idea is 'something that comes back around' in a circle.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'turnos' only apply to people?
Not necessarily. It can apply to anything that follows a sequence, like machines operating in shifts or teams alternating in a stadium.
How do I say 'it's my turn' in the plural?
If you are speaking for a group, you would say 'son nuestros turnos' (they are our turns).