Use 'Hasta' in Spanish in Place of 'Until'

The preposition hasta typically means "up to," "until" or "including" and references similar concepts in matters of time, measurement, location and situation. Hasta is commonly used in expressions or idiomatic phrases.

Hasta Referencing Time

Since hasta means "until," which is a preposition that references a time element, like "up to a certain time," hasta is used. For example, Se suspendió la exportación de carne hasta el dos de septiembre, which translates to, "The export of meat was suspended until September 2."

A common idiomatic phrase, hasta luego, which literally means "until later," is a common way of saying, "See you later."

Hasta Referencing Measurements

When hasta is being used to mean "up to," in many cases, the word is being used to describe measurements. For example, olas de hasta cinco metros, means "waves up to five meters high."

Hasta Referencing Location

Hasta can be used to mean "as far as," which "far" gives an indication of place and location. For example, " Viajó hasta Nueva York," which translates to, "He traveled as far as New York."

A common idiomatic phrase, hasta aquí, means "to this point," another reference to a location or situation.

Hasta Referencing Situation

As a preposition meaning "until," hasta can be used to describe a situation, such as  Todo iba bien hasta que salieron, which translates to, "Everything was going fine until they left."

A common idiomatic expression, hasta no poder más, references a situation, such as "until no more could be done." For an example of a sentence using the popular expression,  Comió hasta no poder más, means, "He ate until he could eat no more."

Common Idiomatic Expressions Using Hasta