How to Say "when" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “when” is “cuando” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Me gusta leer cuando estoy tranquilo en casa.
I like to read when I am peaceful at home.
Llámame cuando llegues al hotel.
Call me when you get to the hotel.
Cuando era niño, jugaba mucho al fútbol.
When I was a child, I played soccer a lot.
Talking about the Future
If you are talking about something that hasn't happened yet (the future), the verb right after 'cuando' needs a special ending. For example, instead of 'vienes' (you come), say 'cuando vengas' (when you come).
No Accent Mark
This word does NOT have an accent mark because it is used to connect two parts of a sentence. If you are asking a question like 'When are we eating?', you need the version with the accent: 'cuándo'.
Future Tense Error
Mistake: “Cuando yo iré a España, visitaré Madrid.”
Correction: Cuando yo vaya a España, visitaré Madrid. (Don't use the standard future tense directly after 'cuando'; use the special 'future-event' verb form instead.)
Related Translations
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