Time Prepositions: a las, en

Spanish handles time differently than English. In English, we use "at" for almost everything on the clock. In Spanish, we use a (which means "at" or "to") combined with the feminine plural article las. Why? Because hours in Spanish are feminine (las horas). So, when you say a las tres, you’re literally saying "at the (hours) three." It’s a package deal. You can't have one without the other! On the flip side, en is your go-to for "in." It works just like English when you’re talking about being inside a month or a year. If a las is a pinpoint on a map, en is the entire city. It’s the difference between saying "I’ll see you at the fountain" and "I’ll see you in Madrid." One is a specific spot; the other is a general area of time. Yes, even native speakers occasionally trip over these when they’re rushing, but once you see the pattern, it’s like riding a bike—with better scenery.

1. 1Setting this up is easier than ordering a taco. Just follow these steps:
2. 2For Clock Time: Use the formula a + las + number.
3. 3Example: a las cuatro (at four o'clock).
4. 4The Rebel Rule: If it’s 1:00, use a la una because one is singular. It’s the only one that likes to be special.
5. 5For Months/Years/Seasons: Just use en + the word.
6. 6Example: en mayo (in May).
7. 7Example: en 2026 (in 2026).
8. 8Example: en verano (in summer).
9. 9No Articles for Months: Notice we don't say en el mayo. It's just en mayo. Keep it lean and mean!
10. 10Seasons Need Articles: For seasons, we usually add el or la after en.
11. 11Example: en el invierno (in the winter).

Reach for a las whenever you are looking at a watch. If there’s a number involved that represents a specific hour of the day, a las is your best friend. Use it for your work schedule (a las ocho), your gym class (a las seis), or when telling someone when the movie starts (a las diez). It’s the "appointment" preposition.

Switch to en when the time scale gets bigger. If you’re talking about months (en junio, en diciembre), it’s en. If you’re talking about years (en 1492, en 2030), it’s en. And for seasons? You guessed it: en. It’s also used for general time frames, like saying something will happen "in ten minutes" (en diez minutos). Think of it as the "calendar" preposition. If it fits on a wall calendar, it probably takes en.

This is where things get spicy. Do not use en for days of the week. This is the biggest trap for English speakers! In English, we say "on Monday," but in Spanish, we say el lunes (literally "the Monday"). Never say en lunes. It sounds like you’re trying to live inside the day, which is physically impossible and grammatically weird.

Also, don't use a las for specific dates. If you’re talking about your birthday on the 5th of July, you use el.

• ✗ a las cinco de julio (Wrong! This means 5:00 AM/PM on July).
• ✓ el cinco de julio (Correct! The 5th of July).

Lastly, avoid using en for specific parts of the day like "in the morning" if you're in Spain. They prefer por la mañana. While some places in Latin America use en la mañana, sticking to por or de is usually a safer bet for beginners to avoid confusion.

1. 1The "At" Trap: Using en for clock time because "in" sounds close to "at" in your head.

• ✗ en las tres → ✓ a las tres.

1. 1Forgetting the Singular: Using las for 1:00.

• ✗ a las una → ✓ a la una. Remember, she’s a lonely number!

1. 1Overusing 'En': Trying to use en for everything.

• ✗ en lunes → ✓ el lunes.

1. 1Adding unnecessary articles:

• ✗ en el mayo → ✓ en mayo.

It’s helpful to see a las next to its cousins. a las is for the time something happens, but son las is for telling the current time.

• Son las tres = It is three o'clock (Right now).
• A las tres = At three o'clock (The event happens then).

Also, compare en with por. en is for fixed buckets (months/years), while por is for vague periods during the day (por la tarde). If you’re talking about a deadline, you might use para (para el lunes), but that’s a whole different animal for another day. Just remember: a las = point, en = container.