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A2 verb #2,000 most common 14 min read

durar

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips durar in 30 Seconds
Explanation durar in your Level:
At the A1 level, your primary goal is to learn how to express basic needs, describe your immediate environment, and understand simple concepts of time. The verb 'durar' is introduced as a highly practical tool for talking about daily schedules and the length of common events. As a beginner, you will mostly use 'durar' in the present tense (dura, duran) to ask and answer simple questions. For example, you might ask a teacher, '¿Cuánto dura la clase?' (How long is the class?) or ask a friend at the cinema, '¿Cuánto dura la película?' (How long is the movie?). You will learn to pair 'durar' with basic time vocabulary such as minutos (minutes), horas (hours), días (days), and semanas (weeks). At this stage, you do not need to worry about complex past tenses or hypothetical situations. Focus on memorizing the phrase '¿Cuánto dura...?' as a fixed chunk of language. This will immensely help you navigate travel itineraries, school timetables, and social plans. You will also learn to understand simple statements like 'El viaje dura dos horas' (The trip lasts two hours). By mastering this basic usage, you build a solid foundation for managing your time and understanding the temporal structure of the Spanish-speaking world around you. Practice combining 'durar' with numbers and time units until it feels completely natural.
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Reaching the A2 level means you are expanding your ability to talk about the past and describe your routines in more detail. At this stage, 'durar' becomes essential for recounting past experiences and discussing the lifespan of everyday objects. You will start using 'durar' in the preterite tense (duró, duraron) to talk about completed events. For instance, you can now tell a friend, 'La fiesta duró toda la noche' (The party lasted all night) or 'El vuelo duró cinco horas' (The flight lasted five hours). This allows you to share narratives and describe how you spent your time. Additionally, you will begin to use 'durar' to talk about the durability of items, which is very useful for shopping or complaining. You might say, 'Estos zapatos no duran mucho' (These shoes don't last long) or 'La batería de mi teléfono duró muy poco' (My phone battery lasted very little). You will also become comfortable using adverbs of quantity with 'durar', such as mucho (a lot/a long time), poco (a little/a short time), and bastante (quite a bit). The distinction between 'durar' (to last) and 'tardar' (to take time) should become clearer at this level, helping you avoid the common mistake of translating 'it takes two hours' directly with 'durar'. Your conversations will become more dynamic as you can accurately describe the duration of both present routines and past events.
At the B1 intermediate level, your use of 'durar' becomes significantly more nuanced and flexible. You are now expected to comfortably navigate between different past tenses, specifically choosing between the preterite and the imperfect based on context. You will use the imperfect (duraba, duraban) to describe habitual durations in the past, such as 'Cuando era niño, el invierno duraba meses' (When I was a boy, winter used to last for months), contrasting it with the preterite for single, completed events. Furthermore, you will start using 'durar' in the future tense (durará) and conditional tense (duraría) to make predictions, express probability, or discuss hypothetical situations. For example, 'Creo que la reunión durará dos horas' (I think the meeting will last two hours) or 'Esta comida duraría más en el refrigerador' (This food would last longer in the fridge). At this level, you will also encounter 'durar' used with indirect object pronouns to express how long something lasts for a specific person, such as 'El sueldo no me dura hasta fin de mes' (My salary doesn't last me until the end of the month). This adds a layer of personal experience and subjectivity to your statements. You will also begin to understand 'durar' in more abstract contexts, discussing the duration of emotions, relationships, or political situations, moving beyond just movies and bus rides.
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As a B2 upper-intermediate learner, your command of 'durar' should be almost automatic, and you will begin to use it in more complex grammatical structures, including the subjunctive mood. You will use the present subjunctive (dure, duren) after expressions of emotion, doubt, or desire. For example, 'Espero que la paz dure' (I hope the peace lasts) or 'Dudo que esta batería dure todo el viaje' (I doubt this battery will last the whole trip). You will also use it in temporal clauses with 'mientras' (while/as long as), such as 'Disfrutaremos mientras dure el verano' (We will enjoy it as long as the summer lasts). At this level, your vocabulary surrounding 'durar' expands to include more sophisticated synonyms and related expressions, allowing you to avoid repetition. You will comfortably distinguish between 'durar', 'prolongarse', 'persistir', and 'permanecer', choosing the exact word that fits the stylistic and semantic needs of your discourse. You will also encounter and understand idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms involving 'durar'. Your ability to discuss abstract concepts like the fleeting nature of time, the endurance of cultural traditions, or the long-term effects of historical events using 'durar' will be well-developed, allowing you to participate in deep, meaningful conversations and debates with native speakers.
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At the C1 advanced level, 'durar' is fully integrated into your linguistic repertoire, and you use it with the precision and naturalness of a native speaker. You are comfortable using it in all tenses and moods, including the past subjunctive (durara/durase) in complex hypothetical scenarios, such as 'Si la guerra durara un año más, la economía colapsaría' (If the war were to last another year, the economy would collapse). You understand the subtle pragmatic differences in how 'durar' is used in various registers, from formal academic writing to casual street slang. In professional and academic contexts, you use 'durar' to discuss long-term projects, economic cycles, or scientific phenomena with high accuracy. You are also adept at using 'durar' in literary or poetic contexts, appreciating how authors use the concept of duration to evoke emotion or philosophical reflection. You recognize regional variations in how time is discussed and can adapt your language accordingly. At this stage, you rarely make mistakes confusing 'durar' with 'tardar' or 'tomar', and you instinctively know when to omit the preposition 'por' before time expressions. Your mastery of 'durar' reflects your overall mastery of Spanish syntax and your deep understanding of how Spanish speakers conceptualize and express the passage of time.
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At the C2 proficiency level, your understanding and application of 'durar' transcend basic grammar and vocabulary; it involves a deep, almost intuitive grasp of the cultural and philosophical implications of time in the Spanish language. You can effortlessly employ 'durar' in the most complex, convoluted sentence structures without losing track of the syntax. You are capable of analyzing and critiquing texts based on their temporal narrative, recognizing how the author's use of verbs like 'durar' shapes the reader's perception of time. You can engage in high-level philosophical debates about the nature of existence, endurance, and impermanence, using 'durar' as a core conceptual anchor. You are fully aware of the most obscure idiomatic expressions and historical usages of the verb. In creative writing or advanced rhetoric, you manipulate the concept of duration to create specific stylistic effects, perhaps emphasizing the agonizing slowness of a painful event or the tragic brevity of a joyful one. Your use of 'durar' is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker, demonstrating not just linguistic competence, but a profound cultural fluency and an absolute mastery of the temporal dimensions of the Spanish language.
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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

durar in 30 Seconds

  • Means 'to last' or 'to endure' in English.
  • Used for the duration of events (movies, classes).
  • Used for the lifespan of physical objects (batteries, shoes).
  • Do not confuse with 'tardar' (to take time to do something).
The Spanish verb durar is a fundamental lexical item that translates to 'to last', 'to endure', or 'to take an amount of time' in English. It is an intransitive verb used primarily to express the continuation of an action, a state of being, or the physical existence of an object over a specific chronological period. Understanding how to use durar effectively is crucial for Spanish learners because it allows you to navigate conversations about time, schedules, and the lifespan of various entities. When we talk about time in Spanish, we often distinguish between how long something takes to complete and how long something continues to exist. Durar focuses on the latter. For example, if you are watching a movie, attending a concert, or enduring a difficult situation, you will use durar to describe the duration of that experience. The concept of duration is deeply embedded in human communication, as we constantly measure our lives in minutes, hours, days, and years. In Spanish-speaking cultures, discussing how long events last is a common way to make plans, express frustration, or share joy.
Temporal Duration
Refers to the exact amount of time an event occupies from start to finish.

La película va a durar tres horas.

Furthermore, durar is not limited to events; it is extensively used to describe the physical endurance or lifespan of objects. If you buy a new pair of shoes, a smartphone, or a car, you want these items to last a long time. In this context, durar implies resilience, quality, and longevity.
Physical Endurance
Describes the ability of an object to remain functional or intact over time.

Esta batería no suele durar mucho tiempo.

Beyond physical objects and events, durar is also employed to discuss abstract concepts such as emotions, relationships, and states of peace or war. Love, happiness, pain, and sorrow are all temporal states that humans experience, and Spanish speakers use durar to articulate the fleeting or enduring nature of these feelings.

Su matrimonio logró durar más de cincuenta años.

The versatility of this verb makes it indispensable for achieving fluency. It connects the physical world of objects with the abstract world of time and emotion. When learning durar, it is helpful to associate it with related time expressions such as 'mucho tiempo' (a long time), 'poco' (a little), 'para siempre' (forever), and specific units of time like 'minutos', 'horas', 'días', 'meses', and 'años'.
Abstract Continuation
The persistence of non-physical states, emotions, or social conditions.

La alegría de la victoria va a durar toda la semana.

In summary, mastering the verb durar opens up a wide array of conversational possibilities, allowing you to accurately describe the temporal boundaries of your world. Whether you are complaining about a never-ending meeting, praising the durability of your favorite jacket, or philosophizing about the fleeting nature of youth, durar is the verb you need.

Espero que esta sensación de paz pueda durar para siempre.

By integrating durar into your daily vocabulary, you will sound more natural and precise when discussing the passage of time in Spanish.
Using the verb durar correctly in Spanish requires an understanding of its syntactic behavior, its conjugation patterns across different tenses, and the specific prepositions and time expressions that commonly accompany it. As a regular verb ending in -ar, durar follows the standard conjugation rules, making it relatively easy to manipulate grammatically. However, the nuances of its usage lie in the context and the accompanying vocabulary. The most basic sentence structure involving durar is: Subject + durar (conjugated) + time expression. For instance, 'El concierto dura dos horas' (The concert lasts two hours). In this structure, the subject is the entity that is extending through time, and the time expression acts as an adverbial phrase of duration.
Basic Syntax
Subject + conjugated form of durar + specific duration or adverb of time.

La clase de español suele durar cincuenta minutos.

When discussing events in the past, the choice between the preterite and the imperfect tenses is crucial and often challenges learners. The preterite tense (duró, duraron) is used when an event has a clear beginning and end, and you are stating the total duration of that completed event. For example, 'La tormenta duró tres días' (The storm lasted three days). This implies the storm is over, and its total lifespan was three days.
Preterite Usage
Used for completed actions with a defined total duration in the past.

El viaje a la montaña duró mucho más de lo esperado.

Conversely, the imperfect tense (duraba, duraban) is used to describe how long something used to last habitually in the past, or to set the scene without focusing on the completion of the event. For example, 'Antes, las baterías duraban más' (Before, batteries used to last longer). This describes a past characteristic or habit rather than a single, completed event.
Imperfect Usage
Used for habitual past durations or ongoing states without a defined end.

En los años noventa, los electrodomésticos duraban toda la vida.

Durar is also frequently used in the future tense (durará) and the conditional tense (duraría) to make predictions or hypothetical statements about time. 'Creo que la reunión durará una hora' (I think the meeting will last an hour). In conditional scenarios, you might say, 'El hielo duraría más si estuviera en el refrigerador' (The ice would last longer if it were in the refrigerator).

Si cuidamos el planeta, la naturaleza durará para las futuras generaciones.

Another important grammatical aspect is the use of durar with indirect object pronouns to indicate who is experiencing the duration, though this is less common and usually implies a sense of sufficiency. For example, 'El dinero no me dura nada' (The money doesn't last me at all). Here, the 'me' indicates that the speaker is the one experiencing the lack of duration of the money. Understanding these syntactic variations ensures that you can use durar accurately across a wide range of conversational contexts, from simple scheduling to complex hypothetical discussions.

Con este frío, el café caliente no me va a durar ni cinco minutos.

The verb durar is ubiquitous in the Spanish-speaking world, echoing through various contexts of daily life, professional environments, and cultural expressions. Because time is a universal constraint, the need to discuss how long things last arises constantly. One of the most common places you will hear durar is in the context of entertainment and media. When planning to watch a movie, attend a theater performance, or listen to a podcast, people naturally want to know the time commitment involved. You will frequently hear questions like '¿Cuánto dura la película?' (How long is the movie?) at cinemas or when browsing streaming platforms.
Entertainment
Discussing the runtime of movies, plays, concerts, and digital media.

El nuevo documental sobre la naturaleza va a durar casi dos horas.

Another highly prevalent context is the realm of technology and consumer goods. In our modern, device-driven society, battery life is a constant concern. Discussions about smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles inevitably involve the verb durar. Consumers frequently complain or boast about their devices by saying, 'La batería me dura todo el día' (The battery lasts me all day) or 'Este teléfono no dura nada' (This phone doesn't last at all).
Technology
Evaluating the battery life and overall lifespan of electronic devices.

Necesito un cargador porque la batería de mi móvil no va a durar.

The workplace and educational institutions are also prime environments for hearing durar. Meetings, classes, lectures, and shifts are all bound by time. Students might ask, '¿Cuánto dura el examen?' (How long is the exam?), while professionals might groan, 'La reunión de ayer duró tres horas' (Yesterday's meeting lasted three hours). In these settings, durar helps establish schedules, manage expectations, and organize the day.
Professional & Academic
Managing schedules, meetings, classes, and examinations.

El profesor anunció que la conferencia de hoy va a durar menos de lo habitual.

Beyond practical logistics, durar frequently appears in conversations about weather and natural phenomena. People discuss the duration of storms, heatwaves, winters, and droughts. 'Se espera que la ola de calor dure hasta el viernes' (The heatwave is expected to last until Friday). Finally, durar is deeply embedded in emotional and philosophical discourse. It is used to talk about the longevity of relationships, the fleeting nature of happiness, or the endurance of pain. Romantic songs and literature are filled with references to love that lasts forever ('un amor que dure para siempre') or moments of joy that are too brief.

Dicen que la verdadera amistad puede durar toda la vida, sin importar la distancia.

By paying attention to these contexts, learners will quickly realize that durar is not just a vocabulary word, but a vital tool for navigating the temporal landscape of the Spanish language.

Nadie sabe cuánto va a durar esta situación económica tan complicada.

While durar is a regular and relatively straightforward verb, English speakers frequently make specific conceptual and grammatical errors when trying to use it. The most pervasive mistake stems from the direct translation of the English verb 'to take' when referring to time. In English, we say 'It takes two hours to get to the beach'. A learner might incorrectly translate this as 'Dura dos horas para llegar a la playa'. This is incorrect because durar means 'to last', not 'to take time to do an action'. The correct verb for 'to take time' is tardar. Therefore, the correct sentence is 'Se tarda dos horas en llegar a la playa'.
Durar vs. Tardar
Durar is for the lifespan/runtime of a thing/event. Tardar is for the time it takes a person/thing to complete an action.

El vuelo va a durar cinco horas, pero yo tardaré todo el día en recuperarme.

Another common error involves confusing durar with tomar. English speakers often say 'It took me three hours'. Translating this literally to 'Me tomó tres horas' is acceptable and understood in many parts of Latin America, but using durar here ('Me duró tres horas') would mean 'It lasted me three hours' (e.g., a drink or a sum of money), which changes the meaning entirely.
Durar vs. Tomar
Tomar can mean to take time (regional), whereas durar strictly means to endure or last.

El pastel estaba tan delicioso que no logró durar ni diez minutos en la mesa.

Learners also struggle with the preposition 'por'. In English, we say 'It lasted for three hours'. It is tempting to say 'Duró por tres horas' in Spanish. While this is sometimes heard and generally understood, the 'por' is completely unnecessary and often sounds unnatural to native speakers. The duration itself acts as the direct complement. It is much better and more natural to simply say 'Duró tres horas'.
Omission of 'Por'
Do not use 'por' before the time expression when using durar.

La reunión de la junta directiva logró durar toda la mañana sin interrupciones.

Additionally, learners sometimes misuse the reflexive pronoun with durar. Durar is not a reflexive verb (durarse does not exist in standard usage). However, as mentioned in the usage section, it can take an indirect object pronoun (me dura, te dura) to indicate who benefits from the duration (e.g., 'El sueldo no me dura'). Confusing this indirect object usage with a reflexive construction is a subtle but noticeable mistake. Finally, incorrect tense selection between preterite and imperfect is a classic hurdle. Saying 'La película duraba dos horas' when you mean 'The movie lasted two hours' (and you finished watching it) sounds incomplete, as if you are about to add '...when suddenly the power went out'. Mastering these distinctions will significantly elevate the naturalness of your Spanish.

Asegúrate de comprar zapatos de buena calidad para que te puedan durar varios inviernos.

El efecto de la medicina debería durar aproximadamente ocho horas.

Expanding your vocabulary around the concept of time and duration involves learning words that are similar to durar, yet carry distinct nuances. While durar is the most direct translation of 'to last', several other verbs and expressions occupy the same semantic field and are used in specific contexts. One of the closest synonyms in certain contexts is 'continuar' (to continue). While durar focuses on the length of time, continuar focuses on the uninterrupted progression of an action. For example, 'La lluvia continuó toda la noche' (The rain continued all night) is very similar in meaning to 'La lluvia duró toda la noche' (The rain lasted all night). However, continuar can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive (continuar haciendo algo), whereas durar cannot.
Continuar
Focuses on the unbroken progression of an event rather than the measurement of its time.

Aunque estábamos cansados, el evento tenía que durar hasta la medianoche.

Another related verb is 'permanecer' (to remain, to stay). Permanecer is used when a person or thing stays in a specific place or state for a period of time. For instance, 'Permaneció en silencio durante una hora' (He remained silent for an hour). While you could say 'Su silencio duró una hora' (His silence lasted an hour), permanecer emphasizes the state of the subject rather than the lifespan of the silence itself.
Permanecer
Emphasizes staying in a location or maintaining a specific state over time.

Las ruinas del castillo han logrado durar a través de los siglos.

The verb 'persistir' (to persist) is also relevant, especially when talking about something that lasts despite difficulties, opposition, or the passage of time. 'El dolor persiste' (The pain persists) implies a stubborn continuation, whereas 'El dolor dura' simply states the fact of its duration. Persistir carries a heavier emotional or physical weight.
Persistir
Implies a stubborn or resilient continuation despite obstacles or expectations to the contrary.

Si la crisis económica continúa, nuestros ahorros no van a durar mucho.

For extending the duration of something, the verb 'prolongar' (to prolong, to extend) is used. This is a transitive verb, meaning someone or something causes the extension. 'El director prolongó la reunión' (The director prolonged the meeting). This is different from durar, which is intransitive. The meeting itself 'duró' (lasted), but the director 'prolongó' (prolonged) it. Finally, as discussed in the common mistakes section, 'tardar' (to take time) is a crucial related word that must be distinguished from durar. Tardar focuses on the time required to complete an action, while durar focuses on the lifespan of the event or object itself. Understanding these subtle differences will greatly enrich your descriptive capabilities in Spanish, allowing you to choose the exact word that fits the temporal nuance you wish to convey.

Nadie esperaba que la batería del coche pudiera durar diez años sin fallar.

Es increíble cómo un momento tan breve puede durar para siempre en la memoria.

How Formal Is It?

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Preterite vs Imperfect distinction

Adverbs of time and quantity

Indirect object pronouns for personal experience

Subjunctive mood for hopes and doubts

Conditional tense for hypothetical situations

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Examples by Level

1

¿Cuánto dura la película?

How long is the movie?

Present tense, asking for duration.

2

La clase dura una hora.

The class lasts one hour.

Present tense, stating a fact.

3

El viaje en tren dura mucho.

The train trip lasts a long time.

Using 'mucho' as an adverb of quantity.

4

Esta canción dura tres minutos.

This song lasts three minutes.

Specific time measurement.

5

¿Dura mucho el concierto?

Does the concert last a long time?

Yes/No question format.

6

El invierno aquí dura poco.

Winter here lasts a short time.

Using 'poco' for short duration.

7

Mi teléfono no dura.

My phone doesn't last (battery).

Colloquial use for battery life.

8

El examen dura dos horas.

The exam lasts two hours.

Stating scheduled time.

1

La fiesta duró toda la noche.

The party lasted all night.

Preterite tense for a completed past event.

2

Estos zapatos me duraron un año.

These shoes lasted me a year.

Preterite with indirect object pronoun 'me'.

3

La tormenta duró tres días.

The storm lasted three days.

Preterite for a specific duration.

4

¿Cuánto duró tu viaje a España?

How long did your trip to Spain last?

Question in the preterite tense.

5

El dolor de cabeza me duró horas.

The headache lasted for hours.

Expressing duration of a physical state.

6

La batería nueva dura más.

The new battery lasts longer.

Comparative 'más' with present tense.

7

Ese coche le duró diez años.

That car lasted him ten years.

Preterite with indirect object 'le'.

8

La reunión duró menos de lo esperado.

The meeting lasted less than expected.

Comparative 'menos' in the past.

1

Antes, los electrodomésticos duraban más.

Before, appliances used to last longer.

Imperfect tense for past habits/characteristics.

2

Creo que la conferencia durará dos horas.

I think the conference will last two hours.

Future tense for prediction.

3

El dinero no me dura hasta fin de mes.

The money doesn't last me until the end of the month.

Present tense with indirect object for personal experience.

4

Si lo cuidas, el reloj te duraría toda la vida.

If you take care of it, the watch would last you a lifetime.

Conditional tense for hypothetical situations.

5

La alegría les duró muy poco.

Their joy lasted very little.

Abstract concept with preterite and indirect object.

6

Mientras dure la lluvia, nos quedaremos en casa.

As long as the rain lasts, we will stay home.

Present subjunctive after 'mientras' for future time.

7

Ha durado más de lo que pensábamos.

It has lasted longer than we thought.

Present perfect tense.

8

El atasco duraba ya dos horas cuando llegamos.

The traffic jam had already been lasting two hours when we arrived.

Imperfect to set the background scene.

1

Espero que esta sensación de paz dure para siempre.

I hope this feeling of peace lasts forever.

Present subjunctive after expression of hope.

2

Dudo que la batería de ese portátil dure toda la jornada laboral.

I doubt that laptop's battery will last the whole workday.

Present subjunctive after expression of doubt.

3

El imperio romano logró durar varios siglos a pesar de las crisis.

The Roman Empire managed to last several centuries despite the crises.

Infinitive after 'lograr'.

4

Por mucho que dure la tormenta, el sol siempre vuelve a brillar.

No matter how long the storm lasts, the sun always shines again.

Subjunctive in a concessive clause 'Por mucho que'.

5

Su matrimonio duró hasta que la muerte los separó.

Their marriage lasted until death parted them.

Preterite in a narrative context.

6

El efecto de la anestesia durará aproximadamente seis horas.

The effect of the anesthesia will last approximately six hours.

Future tense in a medical/formal context.

7

Si la huelga durara un mes más, la empresa quebraría.

If the strike were to last another month, the company would go bankrupt.

Imperfect subjunctive in a conditional sentence.

8

Es increíble lo mucho que puede durar un buen par de botas de cuero.

It's incredible how long a good pair of leather boots can last.

Infinitive used as a noun phrase object.

1

La tregua apenas duró unas semanas antes de que se reanudaran las hostilidades.

The truce barely lasted a few weeks before hostilities resumed.

Preterite with 'apenas' for emphasis on brevity.

2

Es imperativo que el suministro de oxígeno dure hasta que llegue el equipo de rescate.

It is imperative that the oxygen supply lasts until the rescue team arrives.

Present subjunctive after impersonal expression of necessity.

3

Habría durado más en el cargo si no hubiera sido por el escándalo de corrupción.

He would have lasted longer in the position if it hadn't been for the corruption scandal.

Conditional perfect in a past hypothetical scenario.

4

La efímera fama de la estrella del pop no duró más que un verano.

The ephemeral fame of the pop star lasted no more than a summer.

Preterite with negative restriction 'no... más que'.

5

Por prolongada que durase la sequía, los agricultores se negaban a abandonar sus tierras.

However prolonged the drought lasted, the farmers refused to abandon their lands.

Imperfect subjunctive in a complex concessive structure.

6

El debate se extendió, haciendo que la sesión durara hasta altas horas de la madrugada.

The debate extended, causing the session to last until the early hours of the morning.

Imperfect subjunctive indicating consequence in the past.

7

Se construyeron estos acueductos con la intención de que duraran milenios.

These aqueducts were built with the intention that they would last millennia.

Imperfect subjunctive expressing past intention.

8

La indignación pública durará mientras no se implementen reformas estructurales profundas.

Public outrage will last as long as deep structural reforms are not implemented.

Future tense with 'mientras' and present subjunctive.

1

La pervivencia de estas costumbres ancestrales demuestra que la identidad cultural puede durar indefinidamente frente a la globalización.

The survival of these ancestral customs demonstrates that cultural identity can last indefinitely in the face of globalization.

Infinitive in a complex academic/sociological statement.

2

Que la bonanza económica durase tan poco fue un duro golpe para las expectativas de la clase media.

That the economic boom lasted so little was a hard blow to the expectations of the middle class.

Imperfect subjunctive as the subject of the sentence.

3

El autor juega con la percepción del tiempo, haciendo que un solo segundo parezca durar una eternidad en la mente del protagonista.

The author plays with the perception of time, making a single second seem to last an eternity in the protagonist's mind.

Infinitive after 'parecer' in literary analysis.

4

De haber sabido que el asedio duraría meses, la ciudad habría acumulado más provisiones.

Had they known the siege would last months, the city would have accumulated more provisions.

Conditional tense in a past counterfactual condition.

5

Su legado literario está destinado a durar mucho más allá de su efímera existencia terrenal.

His literary legacy is destined to last far beyond his ephemeral earthly existence.

Infinitive in a formal, poetic register.

6

Aun suponiendo que el alto el fuego durara, las cicatrices psicológicas del conflicto persistirían por generaciones.

Even supposing the ceasefire were to last, the psychological scars of the conflict would persist for generations.

Imperfect subjunctive in a hypothetical concession.

7

La fugacidad de la belleza reside precisamente en su incapacidad para durar frente al inexorable paso del tiempo.

The fleetingness of beauty lies precisely in its inability to last against the inexorable passage of time.

Infinitive used as a noun complement in philosophical discourse.

8

No hay mal que cien años dure, ni cuerpo que lo resista, reza el conocido y sabio refrán popular.

There is no evil that lasts a hundred years, nor a body that can endure it, says the well-known and wise popular proverb.

Present subjunctive in a traditional proverb.

Common Collocations

durar mucho
durar poco
durar para siempre
durar toda la vida
durar horas
durar un instante
durar años
batería que dura
amor que dura
no durar nada

Common Phrases

¿Cuánto dura?
No va a durar.
Mientras dure.
Duró lo que duró.
Para que dure.
Dura una eternidad.
No me dura el dinero.
Dura un suspiro.
Lo bueno dura poco.
Que dure.

Often Confused With

durar vs tardar

durar vs tomar

durar vs continuar

Idioms & Expressions

"No hay mal que cien años dure."
"Durar menos que un caramelo en la puerta de un colegio."
"Durar lo que un pez en el hielo."
"Durar más que la obra del Escorial."
"Durar lo que dura un lirio."
"Durar menos que un suspiro."
"Durar lo que dura un parpadeo."
"Ser de los que duran."
"Durar más que un martillo enterrado en paja."
"Durar lo que el agua en una cesta."

Easily Confused

durar vs

durar vs

durar vs

durar vs

durar vs

Sentence Patterns

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How to Use It

note

While 'durar' translates to 'last', do not confuse it with the adjective 'last' (último). 'The last movie' is 'la última película', not 'la película durar'.

Common Mistakes
  • Using 'durar' instead of 'tardar' to express how long it takes to do something.
  • Adding the preposition 'por' before the time expression (e.g., 'duró por dos horas').
  • Confusing the verb 'durar' (to last) with the adjective 'último' (last/final).
  • Using the imperfect tense ('duraba') instead of the preterite ('duró') for a completed event.
  • Trying to use 'durar' reflexively ('se dura') instead of with an indirect object ('me dura').

Tips

Drop the 'Por'

When translating 'lasted for X hours', drop the 'for'. Just say 'duró X horas'. Using 'por' is a classic English speaker mistake. It sounds much more native without it.

Battery Life

Use 'durar' to talk about battery life. 'La batería no dura' is the standard way to complain about your phone. It's a highly practical everyday use.

Durar vs Tardar

Memorize this rule: Events 'duran', people 'tardan'. A movie 'dura' two hours. You 'tardas' two hours to drive to the cinema. Keep them separate.

Roll the R slightly

Pay attention to the single 'r' in 'durar'. It's a soft flap, not a hard roll like 'rr'. Practice saying 'du-rar' smoothly.

Money Lasting

Use indirect object pronouns when talking about money or supplies lasting for someone. 'El sueldo no me dura' (The salary doesn't last me). It adds a personal touch.

Lo bueno dura poco

Learn the phrase 'Lo bueno dura poco' (Good things last a short time). It's a great conversational filler when a fun event ends. Native speakers use it often.

Subjunctive with 'Mientras'

Always use the subjunctive after 'mientras' when talking about the future. 'Mientras dure la tormenta' (As long as the storm lasts). It shows advanced grammar skills.

Synonym 'Perdurar'

If you want to sound very formal or poetic, use 'perdurar' instead of 'durar'. It means to endure through time. 'Su legado perdurará' sounds very elegant.

Not an Adjective

Never use 'durar' to mean 'the last one'. 'The last time' is 'la última vez', not 'la vez durar'. 'Durar' is strictly a verb.

Cinema Vocabulary

When looking at movie times, 'duración' is the noun form you will see on the screen. 'Duración: 120 min'. It comes directly from 'durar'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'DURACell' batteries, which are famous for how long they LAST (durar).

Word Origin

From Latin 'durare', meaning to harden, make hard, or endure.

Cultural Context

In Spain, social events like lunches and dinners tend to 'durar' much longer than in Northern Europe, often extending into 'la sobremesa' (after-dinner conversation).

In many Latin American countries, parties and celebrations are expected to 'durar' until the early hours of the morning, and leaving early can sometimes be seen as rude.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"¿Cuánto dura tu viaje al trabajo todos los días?"

"¿Cuál es la película más larga que has visto y cuánto duró?"

"¿Te dura mucho la batería de tu teléfono actual?"

"¿Crees que el amor verdadero puede durar para siempre?"

"¿Cuánto tiempo suele durar el invierno en tu ciudad?"

Journal Prompts

Describe un evento en tu vida que duró mucho más de lo que esperabas.

Escribe sobre un objeto que tienes desde hace mucho tiempo. ¿Por qué ha durado tanto?

Reflexiona sobre la frase 'lo bueno dura poco'. ¿Estás de acuerdo?

Si pudieras hacer que un momento feliz durara para siempre, ¿cuál sería?

Escribe una queja formal sobre un producto que no duró el tiempo prometido.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

While grammatically understandable, it sounds unnatural to native speakers. It is much better to omit the 'por'. Simply say 'duró dos horas'. The duration itself acts as the complement. Adding 'por' is a direct translation from English 'for'.

'Durar' refers to the lifespan or runtime of an event or object. For example, 'The movie lasts two hours' (La película dura dos horas). 'Tardar' refers to the time it takes a person or thing to complete an action. For example, 'It takes me two hours to get there' (Tardo dos horas en llegar).

No, 'durar' is not reflexive. You cannot say 'se dura'. However, it can take an indirect object pronoun to indicate who experiences the duration. For example, 'El dinero me dura poco' means 'The money lasts me a short time'.

You can say 'no duró mucho' or 'duró poco'. If you want to emphasize that it was very brief, you can say 'no duró nada' (it didn't last at all). These phrases are very common in everyday conversation.

Yes, but usually in specific contexts, like how long someone lasts in a job or a competition. For example, 'No creo que dure mucho en esa empresa' (I don't think he will last long in that company). It implies endurance.

Use the preterite tense. If a party is over and you want to state its total duration, say 'La fiesta duró cinco horas'. Using the imperfect ('duraba') would sound incomplete, as if you were setting the scene for another action.

The most common and natural way to ask this is '¿Cuánto dura?'. You can add the subject at the end, like '¿Cuánto dura el vuelo?' (How long is the flight?). Avoid translating 'How much time does it take?' literally.

It is grammatically possible but very rare. You might hear 'está durando mucho' to emphasize frustration that something is taking longer than expected right now. However, the simple present 'dura' is almost always preferred.

It means 'while it lasts' or 'as long as it lasts'. It uses the subjunctive mood because it refers to an uncertain future duration. For example, 'Disfruta las vacaciones mientras duren' (Enjoy the vacation while it lasts).

Yes, the core meaning and usage of 'durar' are universal across all Spanish-speaking regions. The only difference might be in specific colloquial idioms or slang expressions that incorporate the verb.

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This Word in Other Languages

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