Spanish Phrase
¿Tienes hora de comer?
Meaning
Literally, 'Do you have a time to eat?' It is a casual way to ask if someone is free to have a meal together or if they have a slot in their schedule for eating.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to check if a friend, colleague, or family member can join you for lunch or dinner, especially in informal settings or when you’re planning on the fly.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Tieneshoradecomer?
Tener (present)
Use the verb 'tener' to ask if someone possesses something, here a time slot. Conjugated as 'tienes' for 'tú' (you).
Noun without article
In informal spoken Spanish, 'hora' can appear without the indefinite article when asking about a slot of time.
Preposition de + infinitive
The construction 'hora de + infinitive' expresses a scheduled time for an activity (e.g., 'hora de comer' = meal time).
Question marks
Spanish uses inverted opening question marks (¿) and closing ones (?).
🗨In Conversation
¿Tienes hora de comer?
Do you have time to eat?
Sí, a las dos tengo una hora libre.
Yes, I have a free hour at two.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Tiene hora de comer?
If you are speaking formally, use '¿Tiene hora de comer?' with the formal 'usted' form.
¿Tienes una hora de comer?
Learners often add an article unnecessarily: '¿Tienes una hora de comer?' is acceptable but sounds more formal; the article is usually omitted in casual speech.
¿Tienes hora para comer?
Do not replace the preposition with 'para' in this exact phrase; while '¿Tienes tiempo para comer?' is correct, swapping 'de' for 'para' here changes the idiomatic expression.
↔Alternatives
¿Tienes tiempo para comer?
Do you have time to eat?
¿Puedes comer ahora?
Can you eat now?
¿Te viene bien almorzar ahora?
Does it work for you to have lunch now?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, meals are social events. Asking '¿Tienes hora de comer?' is friendly and informal; for a more formal setting you might say '¿Le viene bien almorzar a esta hora?' Also, note that 'hora' without an article is common in spoken language, but in written or formal contexts you would usually say 'una hora' or 'el horario'.