How to Say "No Rush, Take Your Time" in Spanish (No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo)
Learn no hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo and the formal tómese su tiempo to reassure people politely in Latin American Spanish, plus why tranquilízate can sound wrong.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
To say "no rush, take your time" in Spanish, the most useful everyday line is No hay prisa, and to invite someone to go at their own pace you say tómate tu tiempo. Together they work as a warm two-part reassurance: No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo. This lesson teaches those exact patterns, shows the formal version for customers and strangers, and explains why telling someone tranquilízate or cálmate is not the same thing. You will use these lines when a friend is running late, when a colleague needs another minute, and when you are serving someone and want them to feel comfortable rather than hurried.
By the end, you can…
- reassure a friend or colleague with No hay prisa and tómate tu tiempo.
- use the formal tómese su tiempo politely with customers, guests or strangers.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
No hay prisa.
There's no rush.
noh eye PREE-sah
The core reassurance. Use it when someone apologizes for being slow or late. It is standard in both Spain and Latin America.
Tómate tu tiempo.
Take your time. (informal)
TOH-mah-teh too TYEM-poh
Said to one person you know well: a friend, family member or close colleague. The -te ending makes it informal.
Tómese su tiempo.
Take your time. (formal)
TOH-meh-seh soo TYEM-poh
Use with customers, older people, or anyone you address as usted. Common in shops, clinics and offices.
No se preocupe, no hay prisa.
Don't worry, there's no rush.
noh seh preh-oh-KOO-peh, noh eye PREE-sah
A gentle two-part reassurance for a formal situation, for example when a customer apologizes for taking long.
Cuando puedas, sin apuro.
Whenever you can, no hurry.
KWAN-doh PWEH-dahs, seen ah-POO-roh
A relaxed way to set a task with no deadline pressure. Sin apuro is common in Latin America; in Spain sin prisa is more usual.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
No hay prisa works like an impersonal statement: it does not name who is rushing, so it feels calm and non-accusatory. You can combine it with an invitation: No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo. For formal speech, change tómate to tómese and tu to su: No hay prisa, tómese su tiempo. If you want to add a softener, start with No se preocupe: No se preocupe, no hay prisa. These are fixed, reusable chunks, so you can say them without building a new sentence each time.
When to use it
Use these lines when someone apologizes, hesitates, or seems worried about delaying you. A friend texts Perdón, voy tarde; you answer No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo. A customer in a shop says Estoy buscando; you answer Con calma, tómese su tiempo. Avoid tranquilízate or cálmate in these moments: they mean "calm down" and suggest the other person is agitated or overreacting. Reassurance in Spanish usually removes the pressure instead of naming the emotion.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Perdón, voy a llegar como quince minutos tarde.
Sorry, I'm going to arrive about fifteen minutes late.pehr-DOHN, boy ah yeh-GAR KOH-moh KEEN-seh mee-NOO-tohs TAR-dehNo hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo. Te espero aquí.
There's no rush, take your time. I'll wait here.noh eye PREE-sah, TOH-mah-teh too TYEM-poh. teh es-PEH-roh ah-KEEDisculpe, necesito revisar bien estas opciones.
Excuse me, I need to look over these options carefully.dees-KOOL-peh, neh-seh-SEE-toh reh-vee-SAR byen ES-tahs op-SYOH-nehsClaro, no se preocupe. Tómese su tiempo.
Of course, don't worry. Take your time.KLAH-roh, noh seh preh-oh-KOO-peh. TOH-meh-seh soo TYEM-pohA little context goes a long way
In Latin American Spanish, usted remains common with customers, patients and older strangers, so tómese su tiempo often sounds more respectful than the informal version. Between friends, tómate tu tiempo is warm and normal. Tranquilízate and cálmate are reserved for real agitation and can sound dismissive if someone is simply late or slow.
One thing to watch for
Saying tranquilízate or cálmate to mean "no rush, take your time."
Try this instead: Use No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo instead. Tranquilízate tells someone to calm down and can imply they are upset. For example, a late friend should hear No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo, not Tranquilízate.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your friend texts that they will be late. Which informal line reassures them and invites them to go at their own pace?
Show a sample answer
No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo.
This combines the reassurance No hay prisa with the informal invitation tómate tu tiempo. No se preocupe would also be understood, but it is more formal.
2You are helping a customer who apologizes for taking a long time. Which formal phrase fits best?
Show a sample answer
No se preocupe, tómese su tiempo.
Tómese su tiempo uses the usted form and matches a polite service situation. No hay prisa could be added, but the formal verb form is the key choice.
3Why is cálmate a poor translation of "take your time"?
Show a sample answer
Because cálmate means "calm down" and suggests the person is agitated, not simply unhurried.
The goal is to remove time pressure, not to comment on someone's emotions. No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo does that without implying agitation.
For everyday reassurance, say No hay prisa, tómate tu tiempo; switch to tómese su tiempo with customers or strangers, and save tranquilízate for real agitation.
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