Time zones and daily rhythmArticle 2 of 6 · 4 min read
Working with Europe, Latin America and Asia from Spain
Shows how your working day in Spain lines up with Europe, Latin America and Asia, and how the Canary Islands' different time changes things. For anyone working with teams or clients abroad.
Key rules
- Europe: Most of continental Europe shares Spain's time, and the UK, Ireland and mainland Portugal are one hour behind.
- Latin America: Plan calls with Colombia and Mexico for your late afternoon; Argentina also works in the morning.
- Asia: Overlap is short and early in your day, except India, which fits a Spanish morning.
- Canary Islands: The Canary Islands are one hour behind the mainland all year.
The short version
Spain overlaps well with Europe and with Latin American afternoons. It overlaps poorly with Asia. The Canary Islands are one hour behind the mainland all year, so shift every time in this page by that hour if you live there.
All times below are mainland Spain time.
Europe
Most of continental Europe is on the same time as Spain: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and others. You get a full overlap.
The UK, Ireland and mainland Portugal are one hour behind Spain all year. A 09:00 to 17:00 day there overlaps with you from 10:00 to 17:00, about 7 hours. Take off the Spanish lunch break and you have a little less.
Finland, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and the Baltic states are one hour ahead of Spain. Your mornings are their late mornings, so book early calls with them.
Latin America
Mexico (most of the country), Colombia and Argentina do not use daylight saving. Only Spain's clocks move, so the gap changes twice a year.
| City | Gap in winter | Gap in summer | Best overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires | 4 hours | 5 hours | Almost the whole Spanish afternoon |
| Bogotá | 6 hours | 7 hours | 15:00 to 18:00 in winter, 16:00 to 18:00 in summer |
| Mexico City | 7 hours | 8 hours | 16:00 to 19:00 in winter, 17:00 to 19:00 in summer |
Spanish mornings work well only for Argentina. For Colombia and Mexico, plan calls in your late afternoon. Some Mexican border areas still follow US-style daylight saving, so check the exact city.
Asia and Australia
Spain is behind all of these, so your overlap is your early day.
- India: 4.5 hours ahead of Spain in winter, 3.5 in summer. Spanish mornings, about 09:00 to 12:30, work. The best slot is 09:00 to 11:00.
- Singapore: 7 hours ahead in winter, 6 in summer. Overlap is only 09:00 to 10:00 or 11:00, which is late afternoon there.
- Japan: 8 hours ahead in winter, 7 in summer. The window is short: about 08:00 to 10:00, or 16:00 to 18:00 in Tokyo.
- Australia (Sydney): 8 to 10 hours ahead. It is about 10 in Spanish winter, 8 in Spanish summer and 9 in the weeks when the clocks change. Realistic calls are Spanish early morning (07:00 to 09:00) or Australian evening.
A regular team in Japan or Australia means early starts or late evenings on your side. India is the only one that fits an ordinary Spanish morning.
The Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are one hour behind the mainland all year. They share time with the UK, Ireland and Portugal. From there:
- Your overlap with the UK, Ireland and Portugal is full.
- Continental Europe is one hour ahead of you.
- Latin America is one hour closer than the mainland figures above, so afternoon overlaps start an hour earlier on your clock.
- Asia is one hour further away, so the early windows shrink. Subtract one hour from every Spanish time given above.
Two habits that save mistakes
Always write the city and the time zone when you propose a call. Spain's clocks change on different dates from the US and Australia, so the gap shifts for a few weeks in spring and autumn. Check the gap in those weeks.
The questions below cover the most common cases.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of overlap do I get with the UK and Ireland?
You get about 7 hours of overlap with the UK and Ireland, from 10:00 to 17:00 Spanish time. They are one hour behind mainland Spain all year, so a 09:00 to 17:00 day there starts at 10:00 for you. Take off your Spanish lunch break if you keep one.
Which Spanish hours work for calls with Argentina, Colombia and Mexico?
Argentina works for almost the whole Spanish afternoon, while Colombia and Mexico only work late in the day. Colombia fits about 15:00 to 18:00 Spanish time in winter and 16:00 to 18:00 in summer. Mexico fits about 16:00 to 19:00 in winter and 17:00 to 19:00 in summer.
Is it realistic to work with a team in India, Japan or Australia from Spain?
Yes, but only in short windows, and India is the easiest. For India use Spanish mornings, about 09:00 to 12:30. Japan gives only about 08:00 to 10:00 Spanish time, and Sydney needs Spanish early morning, 07:00 to 09:00, or the Australian evening.
Does the time gap with Asia and Latin America change during the year?
Yes, the gap changes by one hour when Spain moves its clocks, because most of these countries do not use daylight saving. For example, Mexico City is 7 hours behind Spain in winter and 8 in summer.
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