If you’re learning Spanish and want to sound like a native speaker, knowing how to say “yesterday” in Spanish is essential. The simplest way to say “yesterday” is “ayer” (pronounced “ah-yer”). However, there are several other ways to express this concept depending on the context and region. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to use the word “yesterday” in Spanish, complete with numerous examples to help you master its usage.
What is “Yesterday” in Spanish?
The primary word for “yesterday” in Spanish is “ayer”. It’s used to refer to the day immediately before today. For instance:
- “Ayer fui al cine.” (Yesterday, I went to the cinema.)
- “No te preocupes por lo que pasó ayer.” (Don’t worry about what happened yesterday.)
- “Ayer me olvidé de llamar.” (Yesterday, I forgot to call.)
Alternative Ways to Say “Yesterday”
- El Ayer
This term is more poetic and less common in everyday conversation but can still be used to refer to yesterday:- “El ayer ya pasó, lo importante es hoy.” (Yesterday is gone, what matters is today.)
- “No vivas en el ayer, enfócate en el presente.” (Don’t live in the past; focus on the present.)
- Ayer en la mañana
Use this phrase to specify “yesterday morning”:- “Ayer en la mañana, hice ejercicio.” (Yesterday morning, I exercised.)
- “Ayer en la mañana, el tráfico estaba horrible.” (Yesterday morning, the traffic was terrible.)
- Ayer en la tarde
This phrase is used to refer to “yesterday afternoon”:- “Ayer en la tarde, fui al supermercado.” (Yesterday afternoon, I went to the supermarket.)
- “Ayer en la tarde, la reunión fue cancelada.” (Yesterday afternoon, the meeting was canceled.)
- Anoche
This is used to mean “last night”:- “Anoche vi una película en casa.” (Last night, I watched a movie at home.)
- “Anoche me acosté temprano.” (Last night, I went to bed early.)
- Antenoche
This means “the night before last”:- “Antenoche hubo una fiesta.” (The night before last, there was a party.)
- “Antenoche me enfermé.” (The night before last, I got sick.)
- Trasantenoche
This term means “three nights ago”:- “Trasantenoche salimos a cenar.” (Three nights ago, we went out to dinner.)
- “Trasantenoche hubo un concierto en el parque.” (Three nights ago, there was a concert in the park.)
- Antier
This word refers to “the day before yesterday”:- “Antier fui a la playa.” (The day before yesterday, I went to the beach.)
- “Antier, te llamé pero no contestaste.” (The day before yesterday, I called you but you didn’t answer.)
- Trasantier
This means “three days ago”:- “Trasantier, visité a mi abuela.” (Three days ago, I visited my grandmother.)
- “Trasantier hubo una tormenta fuerte.” (Three days ago, there was a strong storm.)
Additional Examples
- “Anteayer fui al mercado.”
(The day before yesterday, I went to the market.) - “El día anterior estuve muy ocupado.”
(The previous day, I was very busy.) - “Anoche vimos una película.”
(Last night, we watched a movie.) - “Ayer, llovió todo el día.”
(Yesterday, it rained all day.) - “El anochecer pasado fue muy ventoso.”
(Yesterday evening was very windy.) - “El pasado martes tuvimos una reunión.”
(Last Tuesday, we had a meeting.) - “En la víspera, todos estaban nerviosos.”
(On the eve, everyone was nervous.) - “El día anterior me sentí un poco triste.”
(The day before, I felt a little sad.) - “El pasado mes fue muy exitoso.”
(Last month was very successful.) - “Ayer, me compré un libro nuevo.”
(Yesterday, I bought a new book.) - “Anoche, el cielo estaba lleno de estrellas.”
(Last night, the sky was full of stars.) - “El día anterior fue muy estresante.”
(The previous day was very stressful.) - “Ayer, comimos en un restaurante nuevo.”
(Yesterday, we ate at a new restaurant.) - “Anteayer, hice ejercicio en el parque.”
(The day before yesterday, I exercised in the park.) - “Trasantier, recibí una carta de un amigo.”
(Three days ago, I received a letter from a friend.) - “Ayer en la mañana, me desperté temprano.”
(Yesterday morning, I woke up early.) - “Anoche, soñé con algo extraño.”
(Last night, I dreamt of something strange.) - “Ayer, visité a mi abuela.”
(Yesterday, I visited my grandmother.) - “El pasado viernes, salimos a cenar.”
(Last Friday, we went out to dinner.) - “La víspera de mi cumpleaños fue emocionante.”
(The day before my birthday was exciting.) - “Anteayer, terminé un proyecto importante.”
(The day before yesterday, I finished an important project.) - “El pasado mes de mayo fue muy caluroso.”
(Last May was very hot.) - “El día anterior, me corté el cabello.”
(The previous day, I got a haircut.) - “Ayer, hice las compras para la semana.”
(Yesterday, I did the grocery shopping for the week.) - “El pasado invierno, viajamos a la montaña.”
(Last winter, we traveled to the mountains.) - “Ayer por la tarde, vi un arco iris.”
(Yesterday afternoon, I saw a rainbow.) - “Anteayer, me encontré con un viejo amigo.”
(The day before yesterday, I ran into an old friend.) - “Anoche, escuché música mientras cocinaba.”
(Last night, I listened to music while cooking.) - “Ayer por la noche, leí un libro antes de dormir.”
(Last night, I read a book before going to bed.) - “El pasado octubre, celebramos Halloween.”
(Last October, we celebrated Halloween.)
By learning these various ways to say “yesterday” in Spanish, you’ll enhance your conversational skills and sound more natural when speaking with native speakers. Practice these phrases to better understand their usage in different contexts.
