Spanish Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY UNTIL IN SPANISH
In Spanish, the concept of “until” is expressed with the word hasta and is used to indicate limits in time, space, and quantity.
Hasta is a versatile word in Spanish that serves as a preposition and a conjunction.
“HASTA” AS A PREPOSITION
In Spanish, hasta is most commonly used as a preposition to express the limit or end point of something that is in movement, but also of an action, process, or situation.
It can be applied to time, space, or quantity.
PATTERN
Hasta + time-related noun
| Nos quedaremos hasta mañana. | We will stay until tomorrow. |
| Cantamos hasta quedarnos sin voz. | We sang until we lost our voices. |
| Te esperamos hasta las tres de la tarde. | We waited for you until three in the afternoon. |
View More Examples:
| Iré en metro hasta tu casa. | I will go on the subway up to your house. |
| No nos iremos hasta hablar con él. | We will not leave until we speak to him. |
| La reparación no estará lista hasta la semana que viene. | The repair will not be ready until next week. |
“HASTA QUE” IN SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
In Spanish, when hasta is followed by the word que, it forms a temporal conjunction – hasta que – that introduces a subordinate clause.
The phrase hasta que equally translates to “until”, indicating the time limit of the action in the main clause.
PATTERN
Hasta que + verb
| No me iré hasta que decidamos qué hacer. | I will not leave until we decide what to do. |
| No daré mi opinión hasta que haya oído todas las versiones. | I will not give my opinion until I have heard all versions. |
| Hasta que no se haga de noche, no saldremos. | Until it is nighttime, we will not leave. |
View More Examples:
| El perro no se tranquilizó hasta que llegó su dueño. | The dog did not calm down until his owner arrived. |
| Hasta que no baje la marea, no me bañaré. | Until the tide goes down, I will not swim. |
| Aguantaremos hasta que podamos. | We will hold on until we can. |
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FAQs
What does hasta mean in Spanish?
Hasta most commonly means “until,” but it can also mean “up to” or “as far as,” depending on context.
Can hasta be followed by a verb?
Yes, hasta can be followed by an infinitive verb (e.g. hasta comer) or a conjugated clause (e.g. hasta que llegues).
What difference between hasta and hasta que?
Hasta is used before nouns or infinitives, while hasta que introduces a full clause with a conjugated verb.
Do I use the subjunctive after hasta que?
Yes, if the action is in the future or uncertain. Use the indicative if the action is habitual or in the past.
Can hasta be used in time expressions?
Absolutely.
It’s commonly used to talk about deadlines or durations, e.g. hasta mañana (“until tomorrow”) or hasta las cinco (“until five o’clock”).
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