🇪🇸⏰ Time Change in Spain 2025 — Learn how Spaniards talk about time
- Mónica Jiménez
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
☀️ Time Change in Spain — More than just changing the clock
If you live in the U.S., you probably think of Daylight Saving Time as something simple: you change your clock and move on.
But in Spain, the ‘cambio de hora’ is almost a national ritual — discussed on the news, at work, in cafés, and even on social media. Twice a year, the same question returns:
‘¿Adelantamos o atrasamos?’ — ‘Do we move the clock forward or backward?’
Let’s explore when Spain changes the time, how it all started, how it affects daily life, and of course — learn some authentic Spanish expressions along the way. 🇪🇸💬
🕐 When does Spain change the time?
Spain changes its clocks twice a year, following the European schedule:
⏩ Last Sunday in March → Summer time begins (Horario de verano).
⏪ Last Sunday in October → Winter time returns (Horario de invierno).
That means when it’s 12:00 p.m. in Los Angeles, it’s usually 9:00 p.m. in Madrid — but not always!For a few days each year, the U.S. and Europe don’t switch at the same time, so the difference can temporarily be 8 hours instead of 9.
No wonder Spaniards joke saying:
‘¡No sé ni en qué hora vivo!’ — ‘I don’t even know what time I’m living in!’
🕰️ Why does Spain change the clocks?
The time change began decades ago to save energy and make better use of daylight.
But here’s something most people don’t know: Spain is technically in the wrong time zone. Geographically, it should share the same time as the U.K. or Portugal — but in 1940, during World War II, Spain changed to align with Germany… and never went back.
That’s why Spain enjoys those famously long, golden summer evenings 🌅 and darker winter mornings 🌙.
So yes — when it’s still bright at 10 p.m. in July, that’s part of the reason!y natural that laughter and remembrance share the same weekend.
📰 The Debate: Will Spain stop changing the clocks?
In the last few years, Spain — like many European countries — has been debating whether to end the clock changes completely.
The European Union even proposed stopping the cambio de hora so each country could decide whether to keep summer time (horario de verano) or winter time (horario de invierno) permanently.
However, Spain still hasn’t made a final decision. Politicians, scientists, and even sleep experts disagree:
Some say Spain should keep summer time 🌞 because it gives longer evenings and more light after work.
Others prefer winter time 🌙 because it’s more natural — mornings wouldn’t be so dark.
For now, Spaniards keep adjusting their clocks twice a year and joking about it:
‘¿Dormimos una hora más o una hora menos?’ — ‘Do we sleep one hour more or one hour less?’ 😅
So every March and October, the question returns… and Spain keeps living between daylight, debate, and tradition.
🕺 Cultural life in Spain: Time is different here
If you’ve been to Spain, you’ve probably noticed that life runs at a different rhythm.
🕛 Lunch at 2:00 p.m.
🕘 Dinner around 9:00 p.m.
🕕 Shops reopening around 5:00 p.m.
To many Americans, this looks like ‘people take a nap in the middle of the day’. But that’s not the reality.
🇪🇸 The truth behind Spain’s midday break
Most Spaniards don’t actually nap at all. The midday pause exists because:
1️⃣ The main meal (la comida) is eaten at home with family — it’s the biggest meal of the day.
2️⃣ The workday in Spain is longer, often lasting until 8 p.m., so this break divides the day into two parts.
3️⃣ In the hottest regions, it used to make sense to avoid working during the warmest hours.
The siesta is more a symbol of Spanish culture than a daily habit.
Spain’s daily rhythm isn’t lazy — it’s family-oriented, social, and adapted to sunlight. Spaniards value taking time to eat together, talk, and enjoy the day without rushing.
That’s why when the clocks change, it’s not just about los relojes — it’s about how daylight shapes life, meals, and moods. ☀️🍷
📚 Learn Spanish Time Expressions 🕓
Here are real expressions about time that Spaniards use every day — natural, colorful, and full of personality.
⏰ Llegar a la hora — To arrive on time
➡️ Intento llegar a la hora, pero con este tráfico es imposible.
🟢 I try to arrive on time, but with this traffic, it’s impossible.
🕒 Llegar tarde — To arrive late
➡️ Siempre llegas tarde, ¡ni que fueras español!
🟢 You’re always late — you’re practically Spanish!
🕕 A todas horas — All the time / at all hours
➡️ En Madrid hay vida a todas horas.
🟢 In Madrid, there’s life at all hours.
🕘 No ver la hora de... — Can’t wait to…
➡️ No veo la hora de que llegue el verano.
🟢 I can’t wait for summer to come.
🐂 Pillarle a uno el toro — To run out of time / be caught by the bull
➡️ Me ha pillado el toro y no he terminado el trabajo.
🟢 Time caught up with me and I didn’t finish the work.
🕛 Pasar el tiempo volando — Time flies!
➡️ ¡El tiempo pasa volando cuando estás en España!
🟢 Time flies when you’re in Spain!
⌚ Estar en hora / Fuera de hora — To be on time / off schedule
➡️ Estamos en hora. → 🟢 We’re on time.
➡️ Llegas fuera de hora. → 🟢 You’re late.
🕖 Ser un reloj — To be punctual / reliable
➡️ Mi jefe es un reloj.
🟢 My boss is always on time.
🧠 Spanish Time Vocabulary & Grammar
Here’s a quick guide to understand how to talk about time naturally in Spanish — vocabulary + structure, all in one place.
🇪🇸 Spanish | 🇺🇸 English | 💬 Example in Context |
la hora | time / hour (on the clock) | ¿Qué hora es? → What time is it? |
el tiempo | time (in general) / weather | No tengo tiempo hoy. → I don’t have time today. |
la vez | a specific time / occasion | Es la primera vez que vengo a España. → It’s the first time I’ve come to Spain. |
el reloj | clock / watch | Mi reloj está adelantado. → My watch is fast. |
el cambio de hora | time change | El cambio de hora es este domingo. → The time change is this Sunday. |
el horario de verano / invierno | summer / winter time | Preferimos el horario de verano. → We prefer summer time. |
en punto | on the dot / sharp | Son las tres en punto. → It’s three o’clock sharp. |
y cuarto / y media / menos cuarto | quarter past / half past / quarter to | Son las cinco menos cuarto. → It’s a quarter to five. |
de la mañana / tarde / noche | in the morning / afternoon / evening | Son las ocho de la tarde. → It’s 8 p.m. |
a la(s) | at (a specific time) | Nos vemos a las nueve. → We’ll meet at nine. |
🕐 Cultural tip:
In Spain, people use both the 12-hour and 24-hour formats — but only the 12-hour version is spoken in conversation.
For example, Spaniards say:
Son las ocho y veinte de la tarde. — It’s 8:20 p.m.and not ‘Son las 20 y 20’.
The 24-hour format (20:20, 15:30, 22:00…) is only used in timetables, transport schedules, or workplaces.
💬 Common mistake alert!
❌ ¿Qué tiempo es? — incorrect
✅ ¿Qué hora es? — correct
Once you master these, you’ll never confuse la hora, el tiempo, and la vez again! 💪🇪🇸
🕒 How to say the time in Spanish
Now that you know the main words, let’s see how to ask for and tell the time in Spanish like a true Spaniard! 🇪🇸
❓ How to ask the time
🕐 ¿Qué hora es? → What time is it?
🕖 ¿A qué hora…? → At what time…?
👉 Use ¿A qué hora…? to ask when something happens:
¿A qué hora empieza la película? → What time does the movie start?
🗣️ How to tell the time
🕓 Spanish | 🇺🇸 English |
Es la una (en punto). | It’s one o’clock (sharp). |
Son las dos y cuarto. | It’s a quarter past two. |
Son las tres y media. | It’s half past three. |
Son las cinco menos cuarto. | It’s a quarter to five. |
Son las siete y diez. | It’s ten past seven. |
Son las ocho menos cinco. | It’s five to eight. |
🕑 Remember:
When the time is 1:00, use es la (singular).For all other hours, use son las (plural).
🗣️ Es la una. → It’s one o’clock.
🗣️ Son las dos. → It’s two o’clock.
🌞 Cultural tip: How Spaniards actually say the time
In Spain, people rarely say ‘Son las 20 y 20’ aloud — we naturally convert the 24-hour format into the 12-hour one.
✅ Son las ocho y veinte de la tarde. → It’s 8:20 p.m.
❌ Son las 20 y 20.
💬 The 24-hour format (20:20, 15:30, 22:00…) is only used in timetables, transport schedules, or official work hours, not in daily conversation.
⏰ Useful expressions to connect with time
➡️ La clase empieza a las nueve y cuarto. → The class starts at a quarter past nine.
➡️ Nos vemos a la una. → We’ll meet at one o’clock.
➡️ La película termina a las once menos cuarto. → The movie ends at a quarter to eleven.
📍 Always use a la(s) + hour to say at (a specific time).
🔊 Pronunciation tip
When saying y cuarto or menos cuarto, pronounce the r softly:
Try saying aloud:
➡️ Son las tres y cuarto.
➡️ Son las cinco menos cuarto.
✨ It’s musical, clear, and very Spanish! 🇪🇸🎵
🧩 Test Yourself — Spanish Time Quiz!
Let’s see how much you remember! 😉
❤️ Time to fall in love with Spanish culture
In Spain, time isn’t just about clocks — it’s about rhythm, sunlight, laughter, and conversation.The cambio de hora may shift the clocks, but it never changes the Spanish way of living life to the fullest.
So next time you turn your clock forward or back, think of Spain and say:
‘¡No veo la hora de volver a España!’ — ‘I can’t wait to go back to Spain!’ 🇪🇸✨
📣 Want to learn real Spanish you’ll actually use?
If you’ve enjoyed learning Spanish like this — practical, real and fun — imagine what you can learn in a class with us! 😍
🎁 Take our free level test and book a trial class to start your journey with Straight from Spain — an online Spanish academy that teaches the Spanish you’ll actually use in real life.
