"Take" measures how long something lasts; "spend" measures how much time you invest in it.
To require a certain amount of time (the subject is the task or journey, not the person).
The flight takes about 11 hours from here.
El vuelo tarda unas 11 horas desde aqui.
How long does it take to get to the airport?
¿Cuanto tiempo se tarda en llegar al aeropuerto?
Learning a language takes years of consistent practice.
Aprender un idioma tarda anos de practica constante.
To pass or invest time doing something (the subject is the person choosing where to put their time).
I spend about two hours a day commuting.
Paso unas dos horas al dia en el transporte.
She spent the whole weekend studying for the exam.
Ella paso todo el fin de semana estudiando para el examen.
How do you spend your free time?
¿Como pasas tu tiempo libre?
Common mistake
Saying "I spend one hour to go to work" when the correct form is "It takes me one hour to get to work." With "take" the subject is the activity: "the trip takes an hour". With "spend" the subject is you: "I spend an hour commuting". Another trap: "spend" also applies to money, not just time.
Trick to remember it
Take formula: It takes [person] [time] to [do something]. Spend formula: [person] spends [time] [doing something / somewhere]. Notice: "take" uses an infinitive ("to do"), "spend" uses a gerund ("doing").
Quick rule
It takes [time] to do X = duration. I spend [time] doing X = invested time.
Did you know?
"Spend" comes from Latin "expendere" (to weigh out, to pay). That is why it works for both money and time — in both cases you are "using up" something valuable. English treats time as an economic resource just like money: "time is money" is not just a saying, it is built into the grammar.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
How long does it _____ to drive from here to the coast?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
We _____ three hours waiting in line. It was exhausting.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
It takes [time] to do X = duration. I spend [time] doing X = invested time.
Saying "I spend one hour to go to work" when the correct form is "It takes me one hour to get to work." With "take" the subject is the activity: "the trip takes an hour". With "spend" the subject is you: "I spend an hour commuting". Another trap: "spend" also applies to money, not just time.
Take formula: It takes [person] [time] to [do something]. Spend formula: [person] spends [time] [doing something / somewhere]. Notice: "take" uses an infinitive ("to do"), "spend" uses a gerund ("doing").
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy