In this blog post it’s the enduring qualities of Spanish verb durar that we’re putting to the test: how you can use it and how it differs from tardar, another verb we’ve looked at recently and which takes a little time to separate out.
You won’t be surprised that durar is used to talk about the duration of something: how long it lasts orgoes on for:
El asedio duró varios meses.
The siege went on for or lasted several months.
Su matrimonio solo duró un año.
Their marriage only lasted a year.
La paz no duró mucho.
Peace didn’t last long or was short-lived.
Durar isn’t just used to describe duration, though. It is also used to talk about endurance and durability, indicating how long something or someone can keep going, survive, remain in good condition or last:
La batería puede durar seis horas.
The battery can last for six hours.
Una ventaja de las carreteras de hormigón es que son más resistentes y duran más que las de asfalto.
One advantage of concrete roads is that they are tougher and last longer than asphalt ones.
La refrigeración permitió al sushi hecho de pescado fresco durar más tiempo.
Refrigeration allowed sushi made with fresh fish to last longer.
Solo podríamos durar alrededor de una semana sin consumir agua.
We could only last about a week without water.
Conozco a muchos pacientes que con tratamiento han durado muchos años.
I know many patients who, with treatment, have lasted many years.
Duró seis meses en este puesto.
He lasted six months in this job.
Used with an indirect object, durar can indicate how long something lasts someone or how long they have it for. Here, the Spanish indirect object shows who is affected by whatever lasts or doesn’t last. In English we don’t always translate this indirect object pronoun or else we indicate the person affected by other means, as you can see below:
Cuando ganó me sentí aliviado pero la sensación me duró muy poco.
When he won, I felt relieved, but that feeling didn’t last long or didn’t stay with me for long.
Estos ataques me duraban unos segundos.
These or My attacks would last a few seconds.
seis trucos para que la batería te dure todo el día
six tricks that will allow your battery to last or keep going or stay charged all day
La suerte le duró poco tiempo.
His/Her luck didn’t last long.
Sam compró un monopatín que tan sólo le duró un mes.
Sam bought a skateboard which only lasted him a month.
Si queremos que nos duren más podemos guardarlos en la nevera.
If we want them to last longer, we can put them in the fridge.
un modelo que os durará muchos años
a model which will last you many years
La felicidad les dura solo un par de días.
Their happiness lasts only a couple of days.
As we’ve said, as well as indicating how long something survives or keeps going, durar tells you about the duration of something, how long it lasts from start to finish. Another useful verb, tardar, tells you how long something takes. Compare
Cada episodio dura 30 minutos.
Each episode lasts 30 minutes.
with
La prueba tarda un total de 15-20 minutos.
The test takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes.
El tren tarda una hora y 20 minutos en completar su trayecto.
The train takes an hour and 20 minutes to complete its journey.
Spanish and English native speakers seem typically to view flights and journeys from a slightly different perspective, with Spanish native speakers concentrating on the flight or journey duration (using durar) and English native speakers concentrating on how long the flight or journey takes to reach its destination:
El vuelo duró unas dos horas.
The flight took about a couple of hours.
Un viaje de 10 kilómetros puede durar 30 minutos o más.
A 10-kilometre journey can take 30 minutes or more.
La travesía duró más de lo previsto.
The crossing took longer than expected.
DID YOU KNOW?
A very useful adjective that shares the same Latin root as durar is duradero. It describes things that last a long time, that are lasting (or enduring) or else long-lasting, durable or hard-wearing, depending on the context:
la necesidad de trabajar por una paz justa y duradera
the need to work for a just and lasting peace
Dejó un legado duradero en arte, arquitectura, lenguaje y música.
It left a lasting or an enduring legacy in art, architecture, language and music.
El hormigón es un material muy resistente y duradero.
Concrete is a very tough and long-lasting or durable material.
Este es un material duradero, naturalmente elástico, resistente al fuego y a las arrugas.
This is a hard-wearing or durable material, naturally stretchy and fire- and wrinkle-resistant.
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS WITH DURAR
Common expressions and collocations with durar:
- durar poco – not to last long, be short-lived
Su éxito duró poco.
Their success didn’t last long or was short-lived.
- durar mucho – to last long, last a long time
Su estancia allí no duró mucho.
Their stay there didn’t last long or a long time.
- mientras dure – while it lasts or for as long as it lasts
Necesitamos otros obreros mientras dure la huelga.
We need other workers while the strike goes on or for as long as the strike lasts
Residirán aquí mientras dure su aprendizaje.
They will live here for the duration of their training or while their training is ongoing.
PRACTICE
See if you can complete the following sentences using durar and any necessary pronouns:
- ¿Cuánto ……………….. los efectos de esto?
How long do the effects of this last for? - La disputa ……………….. unos meses.
The dispute went on for orlasted a few months. - El bronce fue el material preferido ya que ……………….. más y era más fácil de transportar.
Bronze was the material of choice because it lasted longer and was easier to transport. - La alegría ……………….. muy poco.
Our happiness was very short-lived. - El viaje de retorno suele ……………….. unos cinco días.
The return journey usually takes about five days. - un conflicto que ……………….. muchos años
a conflict which had gone on for orlasted many years - Mi abuelo sufrió un ataque de gota que ……………….. un mes.
My grandfather had an attack of gout which went on for or lasted a month. - El efecto del veneno a mí por lo menos ……………….. una semana.
The effect on me of the poison lasted for a week - Las botas realmente buenas ……………….. años y años.
Really good boots lasted orused to last or would last for years and years. - Utiliza una pila AAA, que ……………….. alrededor de 480 horas.
It uses a triple A battery, which lasts about 480 hours. - Las celebraciones ……………….. desde el viernes hasta el domingo.
The celebrations go on from Friday to Sunday. - Los helados que incluyen trocitos de chocolate, frutas o galleta ……………….. menos.
Ice-creams containing pieces of chocolate, fruits or biscuit don’t last as long.
ANSWERS
- ¿Cuánto duran los efectos de esto?
- La disputa duró unos meses.
- El bronce fue el material preferido ya que duraba más y era más fácil de transportar.
- La alegría nos duró muy poco.
- El viaje de retorno suele durar unos cinco días.
- un conflicto que había durado muchos años
- Mi abuelo sufrió un ataque de gota que le duró un mes.
- El efecto del veneno a mí por lo menos me duró una semana.
- Las botas realmente buenas duraban años y años.
- Utiliza una pila AAA, que dura alrededor de 480 horas.
- Las celebraciones duran desde el viernes hasta el domingo.
- Los helados que incluyen trocitos de chocolate, frutas o galleta duran menos.
For more tips on Spanish usage, come back next week.
