How do you say "on time" in Spanish?
2
votes
I know that late is tarde and early is temprano But, I can't find what on time means..... It isn't in my textbook and the goole translate doesn't have any correct examples.....
24773 views
updated Feb 2, 2012
posted by HELLOPEOPLESUP
Hi and welcome to the forum! - sanlee, Feb 1, 2012
7 Answers
4
votes
Well, technically "a tiempo", but overall, we don't really believe in that very much. It is far safer to know how to use real time terms such as ahora; ahorita, luego, más luego, después, en un momentito, dentro de un rato, en un ratito, ahorita mismo nomás, enseguida, enseguidita, más tarde, or mañana.
updated Feb 2, 2012
posted by Gekkosan
Mañana doesn't mean tomorrow, it mean not today. :-) - KevinB, Feb 1, 2012
Kevin gets it. :-) Really - please don't be so crass as to be "On time" for anything in Latin America! - Gekkosan, Feb 1, 2012
It used to drive the Americans nuts in Caracas. Nobody ever showed up "on time'" to meetings or parties. And I'm sure the Americans drove their caraqueño hosts nuts, showing up way too early, exactly when it said on the invitation. - KevinB, Feb 1, 2012
Kevin, I am surprised that the natives didn't change the time to 2 hours later than the intended time on the invitations in order to avoid this precise problem lol - FELIZ77, Feb 1, 2012
Sometimes, when Venezuelans *know* that someone is incurably punctual, they tell them something like: "The invitation is for 8:00pm - that's 9:00pm for you!!" :-) - Gekkosan, Feb 2, 2012
2
votes
A la hora indicada o "hora inglesa".
updated Feb 2, 2012
posted by DonBigoteDeLaLancha
Good one! :-) - Gekkosan, Feb 1, 2012
Is it sufficient to say a la hora or do you have to add the word indicada, please? - FELIZ77, Feb 1, 2012
In this context, "a la hora indicada". You use these expressions when for some reason you actually do want people to show up at the given time. - Gekkosan, Feb 2, 2012
2
votes
I think you can just say "a tiempo"
updated Feb 1, 2012
posted by nickramsey
Hi and welcome to the forum! - sanlee, Feb 1, 2012
1
vote
En punto!
llegar a tiempo o en punto!
updated Feb 1, 2012
posted by sergius
1
vote
A tiempo or puntual.
updated Feb 1, 2012
posted by kenwilliams
0
votes
a tiempo
updated Feb 1, 2012
posted by pp501
0
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en el tiempo
updated Feb 1, 2012
posted by Zalone
Welcome to the Forum Zalone, and thank you for your contribution. "En el tiempo" means something different: "through time", rather than "on time" - Gekkosan, Feb 1, 2012
