Spanish Expression · Intermediate
perder el tiempo
to waste time
Pronunciation: say perder el tiempo
Meaning
to waste time; dilly-dally
Example
A Serapio se le coloreó un tanto el rostro; pero estaba muy entretenido con un buen trozo de carne de pecho, para perder el tiempo en contestar.
Serapio's face flustered a little; but he was too busy with a good piece of brisket to waste time answering.
Practice tips
- Practice perder el tiempo out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this Spanish expression is for intermediate-level learners.