Spanish Phrase
¿Cuándo sales de casa?
Meaning
Literally, “When do you leave the house?” The question asks for the time or moment someone usually steps out of their home, whether for work, school, or any other activity. It can also be used to confirm a planned departure time.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal conversations with friends, family, or colleagues when you want to know someone's daily schedule or a specific departure time. It works both for routine questions (e.g., “What time do you usually leave?”) and for one‑off plans (e.g., “When are you leaving for the party?”).
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Cuándosalesdecasa?
¿Cuándo?
Interrogative adverb of time meaning 'when'. It always carries an accent on the 'á' to differentiate it from the conjunction 'cuando'.
sales
Second‑person singular (tú) present indicative of the verb salir ‘to leave/go out’. The stem is ‘sal‑’ and the ending –es marks tú.
de
Preposition meaning ‘from’ or ‘of’, used here to indicate the point of origin.
casa
Noun meaning ‘house/home’. In this construction it follows the preposition de without an article.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cuándo sales de casa?
When do you leave the house?
Salgo a las ocho de la mañana.
I leave at eight in the morning.
✕Common Mistakes
Cuando sales de casa?
Missing the accent changes the word to the conjunction ‘when/while’, which does not form a question.
¿Cuándo sale de casa?
‘sale’ is third‑person singular (él/ella). The question is directed at ‘tú’, so the correct form is ‘sales’.
¿Cuándo sales de la casa?
Adding the article is not wrong, but it sounds more formal or emphatic; the most natural everyday phrasing omits it.
↔Alternatives
¿A qué hora sales de casa?
At what time do you leave the house?
¿A qué hora te vas de casa?
At what time do you go out of the house?
¿A qué hora te marchas de casa?
At what time do you depart from home?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries punctuality is flexible, especially for social events. Asking “¿Cuándo sales de casa?” can be a polite way to gauge whether someone will be on time or if you need to adjust plans. Remember that using “casa” without the article is normal when talking about the act of leaving home, but you can add “la” (de la casa) for extra emphasis or in more formal contexts.