Inklingo

How to Say "during" in Spanish

English → Spanish

durante

/doo-RAHN-teh//duˈɾan.te/

prepositionA1general
Use 'durante' when referring to an action or state that lasts for a specific, often extended, period of time.
A stylized image showing an open book spanning across a visual transition from a dark night sky to a bright morning sky, symbolizing an activity occurring over a duration of time.

Examples

Estudié durante toda la noche.

I studied during the whole night.

Hablamos durante dos horas.

We talked for two hours.

Durante el verano, la ciudad está llena de turistas.

During the summer, the city is full of tourists.

Telling 'How Long'

Use 'durante' to say how long something lasts or when something happens within a specific period of time. It answers the questions 'for how long?' or 'when?'

'Durante' vs. 'Mientras'

Mistake: “Leí un libro durante mi hermana cocinaba.”

Correction: Use 'mientras' for two actions happening at the same time: 'Leí un libro mientras mi hermana cocinaba.' (I read a book while my sister was cooking). 'Durante' is followed by a thing (a noun), like 'durante la película' (during the movie).

Using 'Por' for Duration

Mistake: “Hablé por el teléfono durante una hora.”

Correction: Often, you can use either 'por' or 'durante' for duration: 'Hablé por teléfono durante una hora' or 'Hablé por teléfono por una hora.' Both are correct and mean 'I talked on the phone for an hour.' 'Durante' can feel a bit more formal or precise.

en

/en//en/

prepositionA2general
Use 'en' when referring to a general time period, like a season or month, often indicating when something occurs.
A calendar page for December, showing how 'en' is used for time.

Examples

Mi cumpleaños es en octubre.

My birthday is in October.

Nos vamos de vacaciones en verano.

We go on vacation in the summer.

Terminaremos el proyecto en dos semanas.

We will finish the project in two weeks.

Time Containers

Use 'en' for periods of time like months, seasons, and years. Think of them as containers, and the event happens 'in' them.

Days of the Week

Mistake: “La reunión es en lunes.”

Correction: La reunión es el lunes. For specific days of the week, you don't use 'en'. Instead, you use 'el' for one day or 'los' for every week (e.g., los lunes - on Mondays).

por

/por//poɾ/

prepositionA2general
Use 'por' to indicate an indefinite or general part of the day when an action takes place.
A clock face with a highlighted section showing a duration of two hours, illustrating 'por' for a length of time.

Examples

Trabajo por la mañana.

I work in the morning.

Viví en España por dos años.

I lived in Spain for two years.

Vamos de vacaciones por una semana.

We're going on vacation for a week.

Talking About Duration

When you want to say how long something lasts, use 'por' followed by the period of time.

Using 'Para' for Duration

Mistake: “It's easy to mix up 'por' and 'para' here: 'Estudié para dos horas.'”

Correction: Always use 'por' for duration: 'Estudié por dos horas.' 'Para' is used for deadlines (e.g., 'Necesito el informe para el viernes' - I need the report *by* Friday).

Choosing between 'durante', 'en', and 'por'

Learners often confuse 'durante' with 'en' or 'por' when referring to time. Remember that 'durante' emphasizes the duration of an activity, while 'en' and 'por' are typically used for more general time references like seasons, months, or parts of the day.

Related Translations

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