Time to master time expressions! In this lesson, you'll learn key time markers that tell your listener when something happened. You'll discover the difference between 'yesterday I went' and 'today I have gone,' and learn three powerful expressions: 'ya' (already), 'todavía no' (not yet), and 'alguna vez' (ever).
Learning tips
- 'Ya' (already) and 'todavía no' (not yet) are conversation superstars — they let you express whether something has or hasn't happened yet.
- 'Alguna vez' literally means 'some time' — use it to ask about life experiences: '¿Alguna vez has viajado a Colombia?'
- Time markers help your listener understand WHEN — past markers (ayer, anoche) typically go with preterite, while 'ya/todavía no' go with present perfect.
- Practice pairs: 'ya he ido' (I've already gone) vs. 'todavía no he ido' (I haven't gone yet).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| he | I have |
| has | you have |
| ha | he/she has |
| visitado | visited |
| conocido | known/met |
| viajado | traveled |
| comido | eaten |
| hecho | done/made |
| ido | gone |
| visto | seen |
Dialog
Valentina and Andrés compare what they did in the past with what they've done recently. Notice the time markers: 'ayer' (yesterday), 'esta mañana' (this morning), 'la semana pasada' (last week), 'anoche' (last night), 'el mes pasado' (last month), 'el año pasado' (last year). The key expressions 'ya' (already), 'todavía no' (not yet), and 'alguna vez' (ever) appear in questions and answers about experiences.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ayer | /a.ˈʝeɾ/ | yesterday | |
| la semana pasada | /la se.ˈma.na pa.ˈsa.ða/ | last week | 'pasada' is feminine to match 'semana' |
| el mes pasado | /el ˈmes pa.ˈsa.ðo/ | last month | 'pasado' is masculine to match 'mes' |
| el año pasado | /el ˈa.ɲo pa.ˈsa.ðo/ | last year | |
| anoche | /a.ˈno.tʃe/ | last night | Literally 'a-night' — one word in Spanish |
| esta mañana | /ˈes.ta ma.ˈɲa.na/ | this morning | |
| todavía | /to.ða.ˈβi.a/ | still, yet | Can mean 'still' in affirmative sentences |
| ya | /ˈʝa/ | already | Signals that something has been completed |
| todavía no | /to.ða.ˈβi.a ˈno/ | not yet | 'todavía' + 'no' — the action hasn't happened but is expected |
| alguna vez | /al.ˈɣu.na ˈβes/ | ever, sometime | Used in questions about life experiences |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| hace poco | /ˈa.se ˈpo.ko/ | recently, a short while ago | |
| recientemente | /re.sjen.te.ˈmen.te/ | recently | |
| anteriormente | /an.te.ɾjoɾ.ˈmen.te/ | previously, before | |
| últimamente | /ˈul.ti.ma.ˈmen.te/ | lately | |
| la última vez | /la ˈul.ti.ma ˈβes/ | the last time | |
| frecuentemente | /fɾe.kwen.te.ˈmen.te/ | frequently |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| ¿alguna vez has...? | have you ever...? |
| todavía no he... | I haven't yet... |
Grammar: Using 'ya', 'todavía no', and 'alguna vez' with present perfect
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ya + present perfect | already (done) | Ya he visitado Bogotá. |
| todavía no + present perfect | not yet | Todavía no he ido a Cali. |
| ¿alguna vez + present perfect? | ever (have you ever...?) | ¿Alguna vez has viajado a Colombia? |
| Time marker | Tense used |
|---|---|
| ayer, anoche, la semana pasada | preterite (past) |
| esta mañana, hoy, ya, todavía no | present perfect |
| alguna vez (life experience) | present perfect |
In Spanish, time markers help determine which past tense to use:
With present perfect (haber + participle):
- Ya he visitado Bogotá. (I have already visited Bogotá.)
- Todavía no he ido a Cali. (I haven't gone to Cali yet.)
- ¿Alguna vez has viajado a Colombia? (Have you ever traveled to Colombia?)
- Esta mañana he comido arepas. (This morning I have eaten arepas.)
With preterite (simple past — you'll learn this fully in A2):
- Ayer fui al mercado. (Yesterday I went to the market.)
- Anoche estudié español. (Last night I studied Spanish.)
- La semana pasada viajé a Medellín. (Last week I traveled to Medellín.)
The key idea: ya/todavía no/alguna vez connect the past to the present, so they use present perfect. Ayer/anoche/la semana pasada refer to a finished time period, so they use preterite.
At A1 level, focus on using 'ya', 'todavía no', and 'alguna vez' with the present perfect.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct time marker.
- fui al cine con mis amigos. (yesterday)(the day before today)
- he comido arepas para el desayuno. (this morning)(the morning of today)
- no he visitado Cartagena. (not yet)(something hasn't happened but is expected)
- he terminado la tarea. (already)(something has been completed)
- ¿ has viajado a otro país? (ever)(asking about a life experience)
Grammar Application
Complete each sentence with the correct form.
- I already visited the museum → Ya he el museo.(regular -ar participle)
- I haven't gone yet → Todavía no he .(irregular participle of ir)
- Have you ever traveled? → ¿Alguna vez has ?(regular -ar participle)
- Last night I studied → estudié.(time marker for the previous night)
- Last week she worked → La semana ella trabajó.(adjective meaning 'previous' — feminine)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- Yesterday I went to the market.
- Have you ever visited Colombia?
- I haven't gone to Cartagena yet.
- I've already eaten this morning.
- Last night I studied Spanish.
Creative Construction
Write 2-3 sentences comparing something you did in the past with something you've done recently. Use time markers from this lesson.
Takeaway
'Ya' (already) + present perfect for completed actions, 'todavía no' (not yet) for pending actions, '¿alguna vez has...?' (have you ever...?) for life experiences. Time markers like 'ayer' and 'anoche' go with the preterite (simple past).