veces

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“veces” means “times” in Spanish (referring to occurrences or instances).

times

Also: occasions

NounfA1

A cheerful cartoon squirrel is shown performing the same action: sitting on a small wooden stump. The squirrel is depicted three separate times across the image, illustrating three distinct instances or occurrences.

📝 In Action

He ido a Madrid dos veces.

I have been to Madrid two times.

Te lo he dicho muchas veces.

I've told you many times.

A veces, prefiero quedarme en casa.

Sometimes, I prefer to stay home.

La mayoría de las veces, el tren llega puntual.

Most of the time, the train arrives on time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

ocasiones (occasions)

Common Collocations

a veces – sometimes, at times
muchas veces – many times, often
pocas veces – few times, rarely
dos veces – twice
otra vez – again, another time
de vez en cuando – from time to time, every now and then
tal vez – maybe, perhaps
en vez de – instead of
a la vez – at the same time

Idioms & Expressions

raras veces – rarely, seldom
la primera de muchas veces – the first of many times

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "veces" in Spanish:

occasions→times→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: veces

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses a word related to 'veces' to mean 'maybe'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

vez(time, turn, occasion) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

creces peces nueces

📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'vicis', which meant 'turn,' 'change,' or 'alternation.' You can see the connection in English words like 'vice-president' (someone who takes the president's turn) or 'vicarious' (experiencing something through another's turn).

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: vezesItalian: veceEnglish: vice- (prefix)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'veces', 'tiempo', and 'hora'?

Great question! 'Veces' is for countable instances ('three times'). 'Tiempo' is for time as a general concept or duration ('I don't have time'). 'Hora' is for the time on a clock ('What time is it?') or a specific hour ('See you in one hour').

Why is it 'una vez' but 'dos veces'? Why does the word change?

'Vez' is the singular form, meaning one of something. 'Veces' is the plural form, meaning more than one. It's just like 'one cat' versus 'two cats' in English. Since 'una' means 'one', you use the singular 'vez'.