Inklingo

How to Say "occasions" in Spanish

English → Spanish

veces

/BEH-sess//'be.ses/

NounA1formal
Use 'veces' when you are counting how many times something has happened or occurred.
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.

Examples

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.

Singular vs. Plural

'Veces' is the plural of 'vez'. Use 'una vez' for 'one time' or 'once', and 'dos veces', 'tres veces', etc., for 'twice', 'three times', and so on.

Counting Occurrences

Combine a number with 'veces' to say how many times something happens. It's the go-to word for counting instances.

Confusing 'veces' and 'tiempo'

Mistake: “No tengo muchas veces para jugar.”

Correction: No tengo mucho tiempo para jugar. Use 'tiempo' for 'time' as a general concept or duration. Use 'veces' for countable instances, like counting on your fingers.

Saying 'one times'

Mistake: “Fui a la tienda una veces.”

Correction: Fui a la tienda una vez. Since 'una' means one, you need the singular form 'vez'.

ocasiones

oh-kah-SYOH-ness/o.kaˈsjo.nes/

NounA1
Use 'ocasiones' to refer to specific instances, moments, or opportunities when something happens, often with a sense of frequency or regularity.
Three distinct, small storybook panels aligned horizontally, showing a sequence of different times: a sunrise, a rain shower, and a full moon.

Examples

En ocasiones, me gusta desayunar tarde.

Sometimes (on occasions), I like to have a late breakfast.

Solo nos vemos en ocasiones especiales, como Navidad.

We only see each other on special occasions, like Christmas.

Perdió muchas ocasiones para invertir su dinero.

He missed many opportunities to invest his money.

Always Feminine

Remember that 'ocasión' is always a feminine word, so it uses 'la' or 'las' (las ocasiones).

Ocasiones vs. Veces

Mistake: “Using 'veces' when referring to a specific event or formal gathering (e.g., 'Fuimos a la boda dos veces').”

Correction: Use 'ocasiones' for specific events or chances (e.g., 'Fue una ocasión especial'). Use 'veces' when counting how many times something happened (e.g., 'Fui a la tienda tres veces').

eventos

eh-vehn-tohs/eˈβentos/

NounA1formal
Use 'eventos' for planned gatherings, formal functions, or organized happenings like parties, concerts, or conferences.
A collection of objects symbolizing different types of events: a brightly wrapped gift box, a shiny golden trophy, and a microphone on a stand.

Examples

Hay muchos eventos culturales este fin de semana en la ciudad.

There are many cultural events this weekend in the city.

La empresa organiza eventos deportivos para sus empleados.

The company organizes sporting events for its employees.

Los eventos recientes han cambiado la perspectiva de la situación económica global.

The recent events have changed the perspective of the global economic situation.

Masculine Plural

Since 'eventos' is the plural of the masculine noun 'el evento,' any describing words (adjectives) used with it must also be masculine and plural, like 'interesantes' (interesting) or 'grandes' (big).

Using the wrong article

Mistake: “Using 'las eventos' instead of 'los eventos.'”

Correction: Always remember that 'evento' is masculine, so use the masculine plural article 'los' (los eventos).

Counting vs. Specific Instances

Learners often confuse 'veces' (times/counts) with 'ocasiones' (specific instances/moments). Remember, if you are counting how many times something happened, use 'veces'. If you are referring to a particular occurrence or a general type of happening, 'ocasiones' is usually better.

Related Translations

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