spend the day
يقضي اليوم
Use it to describe a primary activity or companion that occupied your entire day.
In 15 Seconds
- Describes how you used your time from morning to evening.
- Treats time as a valuable resource like money.
- Commonly used for hobbies, travel, or social activities.
Meaning
This phrase describes how you use your time from morning until night. It is about the activity or the person you choose to be with for the entire day.
Key Examples
3 of 6Talking about a trip
We spent the day exploring the narrow streets of Rome.
قضينا اليوم في استكشاف شوارع روما الضيقة.
In a professional meeting
I will spend the day reviewing the new project proposals.
سأقضي اليوم في مراجعة مقترحات المشروع الجديد.
Texting a friend
Wanna spend the day at the mall on Saturday?
هل تريد قضاء اليوم في المركز التجاري يوم السبت؟
Cultural Background
The phrase reflects the 'time is money' metaphor prevalent in English-speaking cultures. It implies that time is a resource to be used wisely or enjoyably. In the UK and US, 'spending the day' together is a common way to build or maintain social bonds.
The -ing Rule
Always follow the phrase with an -ing verb (e.g., 'spend the day cooking') to sound like a native speaker.
Don't say 'Pass the day'
In English, 'pass the time' is common, but 'pass the day' sounds awkward. Stick to 'spend' for full days.
In 15 Seconds
- Describes how you used your time from morning to evening.
- Treats time as a valuable resource like money.
- Commonly used for hobbies, travel, or social activities.
What It Means
Spend the day is a very common way to talk about your time. In English, we treat time like money. You can 'spend' it, 'save' it, or 'waste' it. When you spend the day, you are telling someone how you occupied those hours. It implies a full commitment to an activity or a person. It feels more intentional than just 'being' somewhere. It suggests you had a plan or a specific experience.
How To Use It
You usually follow this phrase with at, with, or doing. For example, you can spend the day at the beach. You can also spend the day with your mom. If you are busy, you might spend the day cleaning. It is a very flexible phrase. You can use it in the past tense as spent the day. You can also use it for future plans. 'I want to spend the day reading' sounds like a dream. Just remember to keep the verb after it in the '-ing' form.
When To Use It
Use this when you want to describe a complete experience. It is perfect for small talk at the office. Your boss might ask what you did on Saturday. You can say, 'I spent the day hiking.' It is also great for making romantic plans. Telling someone you want to spend the day with them is very sweet. Use it when summarizing a vacation or a long weekend. It helps paint a big picture of your life.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for very short activities. You don't spend the day buying a loaf of bread. That only takes ten minutes! If you do say that, people will think you are joking. They might think the bakery was on the other side of the country. Also, avoid using it for things you hate unless you are complaining. 'I spent the day at the dentist' sounds like a nightmare. Use 'spent all day' if you want to sound more annoyed.
Cultural Background
In Western culture, 'spending time' is a major concept. People value their free time highly. Asking someone how they spent the day is a sign of genuine interest. It shows you care about their personal life. There is a strong focus on 'quality time' in English-speaking countries. Spending the day with family is seen as a very positive, wholesome thing. It is the opposite of 'wasting the day' on social media.
Common Variations
You will often hear spend the whole day for emphasis. If you are very busy, you might spend the day working. If you are lazy, you might spend the day in bed. Sometimes people say spend the better part of the day. This means you spent most of the day, but not all of it. It sounds a bit more precise and slightly more formal. If you are feeling poetic, you can spend the day lost in thought.
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral and works in almost any social or professional setting. Just remember that 'spent' is the past tense form.
The -ing Rule
Always follow the phrase with an -ing verb (e.g., 'spend the day cooking') to sound like a native speaker.
Don't say 'Pass the day'
In English, 'pass the time' is common, but 'pass the day' sounds awkward. Stick to 'spend' for full days.
The 'Whole' Secret
Adding the word 'whole' (spend the whole day) usually implies you are either very happy or very annoyed about the time spent.
Examples
6We spent the day exploring the narrow streets of Rome.
قضينا اليوم في استكشاف شوارع روما الضيقة.
Focuses on the main activity of the vacation.
I will spend the day reviewing the new project proposals.
سأقضي اليوم في مراجعة مقترحات المشروع الجديد.
Shows a dedicated focus on a specific work task.
Wanna spend the day at the mall on Saturday?
هل تريد قضاء اليوم في المركز التجاري يوم السبت؟
A casual invitation for a long hangout.
I spent the whole day doing laundry and I'm exhausted!
لقد قضيت اليوم كله في غسل الملابس وأنا مرهق!
Uses 'whole' to emphasize how long and tiring it was.
I just want to spend the day with you, doing nothing at all.
أريد فقط أن أقضي اليوم معك، دون فعل أي شيء على الإطلاق.
Emphasizes the person's company over the activity.
Sorry I didn't call, I spent the day at the hospital with my aunt.
آسف لأنني لم أتصل، لقد قضيت اليوم في المستشفى مع عمتي.
Provides a valid reason for being unavailable.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct preposition to complete the sentence.
I want to spend the day ___ my best friend.
We use 'with' when we are talking about spending time with a person.
Choose the correct verb form.
She spent the day ___ for her exams.
After 'spend the day', we use the -ing form of the verb to show the activity.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of 'Spend the day'
Used with friends and family.
Let's spend the day gaming!
Standard use in daily life.
I spent the day at the park.
Used in professional emails.
The team will spend the day in training.
Where to use 'Spend the day'
Vacation
Spend the day sightseeing
Relaxing
Spend the day at the beach
Working
Spend the day in meetings
Chores
Spend the day cleaning
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, that's a common mistake. You should say spend the day studying using the -ing form.
Yes, it is perfectly professional. For example: 'I will spend the day preparing the report.'
Spend the day is specific to one full day, while spend time can be any amount of time.
Yes, you can say 'I spent the day feeling sick,' but it usually describes an activity.
Usually, it means the daylight hours or the waking hours, roughly from 9 AM to 6 PM.
Yes, adding 'my' makes it feel more personal, like a routine. Example: 'How do you spend your day?'
The past tense is spent the day. For example: 'We spent the day at the zoo yesterday.'
No, it is a standard English collocation used by everyone from students to CEOs.
Yes, use 'at' for locations, like spend the day at home or at the office.
You can say spend the morning or spend the afternoon instead.
Related Phrases
Kill time
To do something just to make time pass while waiting.
Make a day of it
To turn a small activity into a full-day event.
Call it a day
To decide to stop working for the rest of the day.
Pass the time
To do something to avoid being bored.
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