Understanding the Spanish Word for Minutes
How do you say minutes in Spanish? If you’ve ever waited at a bus stop in Madrid or asked someone about a meeting time in Mexico City, you’ve probably needed this word. The answer is simple: minutos. This little word is your best friend when talking about time in Spanish.
Let’s say you’re meeting a friend. You might hear:
☕ Nos vemos en cinco minutos — See you in five minutes.
🚗 El bus llega en diez minutos — The bus arrives in ten minutes.
👥 La reunión comienza en veinte minutos — The meeting starts in twenty minutes.
Knowing the word is one thing — but using it naturally is where real confidence comes in. Learners often wonder how to translate minutes in Spanish, or what the actual minutes in Spanish word is. And just as importantly, they want to use it inside common time phrases Spanish speakers use every day, like:
✔️ en unos minutos — in a few minutes
✔️ cada cinco minutos — every five minutes
✔️ faltan diez minutos — ten minutes to go
Want to improve your vocabulary even more? Check out 10 English Classics Every Language Learner Should Read — it’s a reader-friendly way to absorb new words and time expressions.
So now you’re ready not just to answer “how do you say minutes in Spanish?” but to say it confidently — and in context.
Table of Contents
Essential Time Phrases You Need to Know
How do you say minutes in Spanish and make it stick in your memory? You practice it inside the phrases that native speakers actually use.
For example, let’s say you’re making plans with a coworker in Bogotá:
🗓️ ¿Tienes diez minutos para hablar? — Do you have ten minutes to talk?
📞 Te llamo en unos minutos. — I’ll call you in a few minutes.
🚌 El tren pasa cada treinta minutos. — The train passes every thirty minutes.
These aren’t textbook phrases — they’re real-life expressions.
When you think of saying time in Spanish, it’s more than numbers. It’s about fluently weaving in the Spanish word for minutes into your day-to-day speech. Don’t just memorize minutos — use it in situations like scheduling, waiting, or estimating.
Some tips:
✅ Repeat aloud: En veinte minutos termino (I’ll finish in 20 minutes).
✅ Write mini time diaries: Hoy esperé quince minutos en la fila.
✅ Practice with a partner using phrases like Cada diez minutos, revisa el correo.
You can get faster results by learning how to practice daily with tools like What Is EasySpeak How It Helps You Learn English Faster. Or boost your professional fluency with Master Business English in 2025: Vocabulary, Idioms, and Conversations.
Mastering time phrases helps your Spanish sound polished — and more importantly, useful.
Saying Exact Times in Spanish Like a Native
Ever been at an airport and needed to say the exact time in Spanish? You’re not alone! Let’s take your question — how do you say minutes in Spanish — and put it into action with real time-telling examples.
🕒 Son las tres y quince minutos — It’s 3:15
🕐 Es la una y cinco minutos — It’s 1:05
🕤 Son las nueve menos cinco minutos — It’s 8:55 (literally: 5 minutes to 9)
These forms may feel a bit different from English, but they’re very logical. The phrase minutes in Spanish word is always minutos, and it’s used directly after the hour.
Whether you’re at a dentist appointment or making a dinner reservation, try these:
📝 La cita es a las seis y cuarenta minutos. — The appointment is at 6:40.
🚶 Llego en quince minutos. — I’ll arrive in 15 minutes.
📺 El programa empieza en diez minutos. — The show starts in 10 minutes.
Still learning multiple languages? You might like 5 Easiest Languages to Learn for Spanish Speakers in 2025. It shows how time mastery translates across languages.
So next time someone checks their watch, you’ll be ready to speak up — clearly and correctly.
Common Mistakes When Talking About Time
Let’s get honest — even fluent learners mess up time expressions. When you ask, how do you say minutes in Spanish, you don’t just want the translation — you want to avoid embarrassing mistakes.
❌ Saying el minutos instead of los minutos.
❌ Forgetting agreement: una minutos instead of un minuto.
❌ Mispronouncing minutos as “min-OOTS” (say “mee-NOO-tos”).
Here’s a classic mistake:
🛑 Yo llego cinco minutos tarde (I arrive five minutes late — used for future plans)
✅ Correct: Yo llegaré cinco minutos tarde — I will arrive late.
Mistakes like this are common when learners translate literally without thinking about tense or form. If that sounds familiar, you’ll love Speak Past Participle Explained With Easy Examples.
Also, understanding roots helps. The english language borrows minute from Latin — the same source as Spanish minuto. Cool, right?
By learning the patterns — and practicing the fixes — you’ll get one step closer to flawless Spanish time expressions.
How to Practice Saying Minutes in Real Conversations
You now know how do you say minutes in Spanish. But how do you make it second nature? Through real practice — no boring drills required!
Try this:
🕰️ Every time you look at a clock, say the time aloud in Spanish.
🧏 Listen to YouTube vloggers or podcasts and repeat their time expressions.
👫 Ask a friend to play the “time check” game — each of you says the current time every hour.
Sample phrases to master:
🚗 En cinco minutos salimos. — We’ll leave in 5 minutes.
🚑 El doctor llegará en quince minutos. — The doctor will arrive in 15 minutes.
📱 Te llamo en unos minutos. — I’ll call you in a few minutes.
Also, don’t miss 10 Hard Words to Pronounce in English for Spanish Speakers. It helps your pronunciation confidence go way up!
Remember, fluency is built through fun repetition, not perfection.
Fun Activities to Master Time Expressions in Spanish
Learning doesn’t have to be serious. If you’ve mastered how do you say minutes in Spanish, now it’s time to play with it!
🎮 Time Bingo: Create a bingo board with different time phrases. Read them out in Spanish and cross them off!
📘 Flashcard Flip: One side English, the other side Spanish. Say them quickly!
🌐 Time Phrase Hunt: Watch a Spanish TV show. Every time you hear minutos, write it down and note the context.
This kind of playful learning helps you translate minutes Spanish into something memorable — and even laughable.
Also helpful: write a short daily log.
📝 Hoy trabajé durante 90 minutos. Almorcé por 30 minutos. Caminé por 10 minutos.
Mixing writing, speaking, and games builds long-term fluency.
From Minutes to Hours Making Your Spanish Time Talk Flow Naturally
Now that you’re a pro at answering how do you say minutes in Spanish, it’s time to expand your range.
Let’s go from short times to full-length conversations. Here’s how:
⏳ Salimos en una hora y veinte minutos. — We’re leaving in 1 hour and 20 minutes.
⏰ La película dura dos horas y quince minutos. — The movie lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes.
🧳 El vuelo es en tres horas y cuarenta minutos. — The flight is in 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Practice connecting minutos with horas to give yourself the full toolkit.
And if you need help or a friendly boost, Contact Us. We’re here to support your journey — one minute at a time.
Now, go ahead and confidently answer when someone asks you how do you say minutes in Spanish — and impress them with everything you know!
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How Do You Say Minutes in Spanish With Clear Examples
How do you say minutes in Spanish Learn how to talk about time like a native with practical phrases and examples
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