How to Say Year in Spanish
Learn the word "año.", Memorize common phrases with the word año., Use "años" to talk about longer periods of time., Use siglo to talk about an age or period of time., Say specific years correctly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn the word "año."
The basic word for "year" in Spanish is "año." In most contexts, you can use this word in Spanish just as you would in English and you'll be fine.
Even if there's a different phrase, people will still understand what you mean.Año is a masculine noun, so make sure to use the masculine form for any related verbs, prepositions, and adjectives in your sentence.
For example, if you want to say "the year 2013," you would say "el año 2013," using the masculine article. -
Step 2: Memorize common phrases with the word año.
Just as in English, Spanish has a number of phrases that are popularly used when talking about things that happen periodically.
Many of these phrases use the word año.For example, if you want to say something happens every year, you would use the phrase "cada año." Note that while in English you might say "each year" or "every year," in Spanish there's only one phrase used interchangeably.
Similarly, the Spanish phrase "este año" can mean "this year" or "all year" (although you can also say "todo el año" for "all year").
There are common phrases for holidays and other special occasions as well.
For example, you can say "feliz año nuevo" for "happy new year," or "cumpleaños feliz" for "happy birthday."
In English, you can talk generally about "years" meaning a relatively undetermined period of time.
You probably know other words that refer to long periods of time as well.
Similar words exist in Spanish.For example, if you wanted to say that something takes years, you might say "tarda años," which literally means "it takes years." But you could also get more creative and say "tarda eternidad," or "it takes forever."
In English, you may talk about a period of several years using the actual word years or a word such as age.
You can do the same thing in Spanish with the word siglo (SEE-glow), which technically means "century" but is also used for indefinitely long periods of time.You also can use this word when you want to say you haven't seen someone in years.
While you could say "hace años que no te veo," literally "I haven't seen you for years," using siglos instead of años is also appropriate. , When you're talking about a specific date, the words you use in Spanish are a little different than the words you would use in English.
If you don't use the right words for a specific year, people won't understand you.For example, think about the year
1986.
In English, you would say "nineteen eighty-six." In Spanish you need to include the thousands and hundreds, though, so you would say "mil novecientos ochenta y seis." This literally translates to "one thousand nine hundreds eighty and six." If you are saying "the year 1986" in Spanish, you would say "el año mil novecientos ochenta y seis." -
Step 3: Use "años" to talk about longer periods of time.
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Step 4: Use siglo to talk about an age or period of time.
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Step 5: Say specific years correctly.
Detailed Guide
The basic word for "year" in Spanish is "año." In most contexts, you can use this word in Spanish just as you would in English and you'll be fine.
Even if there's a different phrase, people will still understand what you mean.Año is a masculine noun, so make sure to use the masculine form for any related verbs, prepositions, and adjectives in your sentence.
For example, if you want to say "the year 2013," you would say "el año 2013," using the masculine article.
Just as in English, Spanish has a number of phrases that are popularly used when talking about things that happen periodically.
Many of these phrases use the word año.For example, if you want to say something happens every year, you would use the phrase "cada año." Note that while in English you might say "each year" or "every year," in Spanish there's only one phrase used interchangeably.
Similarly, the Spanish phrase "este año" can mean "this year" or "all year" (although you can also say "todo el año" for "all year").
There are common phrases for holidays and other special occasions as well.
For example, you can say "feliz año nuevo" for "happy new year," or "cumpleaños feliz" for "happy birthday."
In English, you can talk generally about "years" meaning a relatively undetermined period of time.
You probably know other words that refer to long periods of time as well.
Similar words exist in Spanish.For example, if you wanted to say that something takes years, you might say "tarda años," which literally means "it takes years." But you could also get more creative and say "tarda eternidad," or "it takes forever."
In English, you may talk about a period of several years using the actual word years or a word such as age.
You can do the same thing in Spanish with the word siglo (SEE-glow), which technically means "century" but is also used for indefinitely long periods of time.You also can use this word when you want to say you haven't seen someone in years.
While you could say "hace años que no te veo," literally "I haven't seen you for years," using siglos instead of años is also appropriate. , When you're talking about a specific date, the words you use in Spanish are a little different than the words you would use in English.
If you don't use the right words for a specific year, people won't understand you.For example, think about the year
1986.
In English, you would say "nineteen eighty-six." In Spanish you need to include the thousands and hundreds, though, so you would say "mil novecientos ochenta y seis." This literally translates to "one thousand nine hundreds eighty and six." If you are saying "the year 1986" in Spanish, you would say "el año mil novecientos ochenta y seis."
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Brandon Miller
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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