How Do You Say Every Two Weeks in Spanish? | Nail The Timing

The clean, everyday way is “cada dos semanas,” while “quincenal” fits neatly in pay, billing, and recurring schedules.

“Every two weeks” sounds simple until you try to pin it to dates. Is it every other Friday? Is it the 1st and 15th? Is it a payroll cycle that shifts when months change? Spanish gives you more than one solid option, and the trick is matching the phrase to the timing you mean.

You’ll see this phrase show up in real life: paydays, rent reminders, lessons, recurring meetings, subscriptions, and training plans. The good news is that Spanish can handle all of those without sounding stiff. You just need the right wording for the pattern.

Saying Every Two Weeks In Spanish For Real Schedules

If you want one phrase that works almost anywhere, start here:

• cada dos semanas — the closest, plain match to “every two weeks”

Two other forms show up constantly, and they’re useful once you know where they fit:

• cada quince días — “every fifteen days,” often used like every two weeks
• quincenal — an adjective used for something that happens each quincena (a 15-day period), common in payroll and billing

Here are quick starter sentences you can copy without overthinking it:

• “Nos vemos cada dos semanas.”
• “Quedamos cada quince días.”
• “La reunión es quincenal.”

What “Quincena” Means And Why It Changes The Best Choice

A lot of this hinges on one noun: quincena. In many places, it’s used for a 15-day span, and it can also mean the paycheck that arrives on that rhythm. That’s why you’ll hear people talk about “la quincena” when they mean pay, not just time.

If you want a clean definition you can point to, the dictionary entry for quincena lists it as a 15-day period and also as pay received each fifteen days; see the RAE entry for “quincena”.

Once quincena clicks, quincenal stops feeling like a mystery word. It’s simply the adjective used for something that repeats each quincena. The RAE entry for “quincenal” defines it as something that happens or repeats each quincena.

Choose The Phrase That Matches Your Dates

English speakers use “every two weeks” for a few different timing styles. Spanish can match them all, but the best match depends on whether you mean a steady 14-day gap or a schedule tied to month dates.

When it’s a strict 14-day rhythm

If you mean every 14 days—every other Friday, every other Tuesday, every other weekend—cada dos semanas is the safest, cleanest pick. It says what it says. It doesn’t force the listener to guess which days of the month you have in mind.

Want to make it even clearer? Add the day:

• “Nos vemos cada dos semanas, los viernes.”
• “Tengo terapia cada dos semanas, los martes.”

When it’s “about two weeks,” tied to month dates

If payments hit on fixed dates like the 1st and 15th, many people still call it quincenal in everyday talk. That’s common. Still, the gap between the dates won’t stay at 14 days. Some months you’ll get 13 days between those dates. Other months you’ll get 16.

If the timing has to be precise in writing, Spanish has a term that points cleanly to “two times a month”: bimensual. A lot of people mix it up with quincenal, so it pays to be exact when schedules affect money or deadlines. Fundéu explains why “two times a month” and “every fifteen days” overlap in many cases but don’t match every time; see their note on bimensual and related timing terms.

When it’s payroll, billing, or a setting label

In HR emails, invoices, contracts, and app settings, you’ll see quincenal a lot because it’s short and looks formal. These are common and readable:

• Pago quincenal
• Nómina quincenal
• Facturación quincenal
• Reunión quincenal

There’s also an adverb form you might see in writing: quincenalmente. It’s less common in casual speech, yet it shows up in policies and reports.

How To Say It In Common Situations

Here are ready-to-use patterns that sound natural. Swap the verb, keep the timing phrase, and you’re set.

Appointments and meetups

• “Tengo cita cada dos semanas.”
• “Quedamos cada quince días.”
• “Tenemos una reunión quincenal.”

Paychecks and payroll

• “Me pagan cada quince días.”
• “Tengo pago quincenal.”
• “El depósito es quincenal.”

Subscriptions and reminders

• “El cobro se hace cada dos semanas.”
• “Recibo un recordatorio quincenal.”

If you’re writing for readers who care about timing details, it helps to avoid fuzzy labels. Wikilengua has a clear explanation of how quincenal and bimensual overlap yet don’t match in every case; see their entry on quincenal and bimensual.

Quick Comparison Table For “Every Two Weeks” Options

Use this table to pick the wording that matches your schedule and the tone you want.

Spanish wording	What it signals	Where it fits best
cada dos semanas	14-day rhythm, plain and direct	Plans, routines, reminders
cada quince días	15-day idea; often used like “every two weeks”	Casual talk, appointments
quincenal	Repeats each quincena; formal label	Payroll, billing, recurring schedules
pago quincenal	Pay arrives on a quincena cycle	Job offers, HR docs
reunión quincenal	Meeting repeats each quincena	Work calendars, planning docs
en semanas alternas	Alternating weeks pattern	Sports schedules, shared custody schedules
cada dos viernes	Every other Friday (weekday-based)	Fixed weekday routines
cada 14 días	Numeric precision, no guessing	Medical dosing, technical plans

Small Nuances That Make You Sound Natural

Spanish often gives you two ways to say the same idea: a phrase that’s easy in conversation and a single-word label that looks neat in writing.

“Cada dos semanas” feels conversational

This is the one you can say out loud without sounding like you’re reading a contract. It’s friendly, clear, and hard to misread.

“Quincenal” feels like a label

Use it when you’re naming a frequency: in a spreadsheet column, a form field, a calendar setting, or a policy line. It’s short, it fits UI, and many native speakers expect to see it in work and money contexts.

“Cada quince días” sits in the middle

Many native speakers use it as a natural stand-in for “every two weeks.” If the schedule is casual and nobody’s doing date math, it works well. If you’re dealing with strict timing, cada dos semanas or cada 14 días keeps things crystal clear.

Pronunciation Notes That Save Awkward Moments

You don’t need perfect pronunciation to be understood, but two sounds catch learners off guard.

How “quincenal” sounds

In much of Spain, the “c” in quincenal can sound like “th” in “thin.” In much of Latin America, it sounds like an “s.” Both are normal. Keep the stress on the last syllable: quin-ce-NAL.

How “quince” starts

Quince begins with a “keen” sound for many speakers. Say it smoothly inside the full phrase: cada quince días.

Write It Cleanly In Messages, Emails, And Settings

When you write Spanish for real people, clarity beats flair. Here are templates that fit common writing styles.

Friendly text message

“¿Te va bien si quedamos cada dos semanas?”

Work email line

“Propongo una reunión quincenal para revisar avances.”

Calendar note

“Revisión cada quince días.”

App or spreadsheet label

Frecuencia: quincenal

One extra tip if you’re translating from English: “biweekly” can mean two different things in English depending on who wrote it. Spanish lets you dodge that confusion. If you mean every 14 days, write cada dos semanas. If you mean two times a week, write dos veces por semana.

Common Mix-ups And A Fast Fix

Most confusion comes from month math. Two weeks is 14 days. A quincena is tied to a 15-day idea, and many pay schedules stick to month dates. Those patterns are close, yet they aren’t identical.

Biweekly vs. twice a month

If someone asks for “pagos quincenales,” confirm the dates. If the dates are the 1st and 15th, the gap won’t stay at 14 days. If the payment lands every other Friday, that’s a true 14-day cycle and cada dos semanas matches it neatly.

Every other week phrasing

If you want the “alternating weeks” feel, en semanas alternas can be a nice fit, especially when the pattern is tied to weekdays and routines.

Second Table: Pick A Phrase In Ten Seconds

Match your situation to the phrase, then borrow the sample line as-is.

What you mean	Best Spanish choice	Sample sentence
Every 14 days, same weekday	cada dos semanas	Nos vemos cada dos semanas, los viernes.
Work cadence, formal label	quincenal	La reunión será quincenal.
Pay arrives on this cycle	pago quincenal	Mi contrato dice pago quincenal.
Alternating weeks pattern	en semanas alternas	Entreno en semanas alternas.
Precision, numeric schedule	cada 14 días	La dosis se toma cada 14 días.

A Mini Cheat Sheet You Can Paste

If you want one tight set of lines to keep handy, copy these:

• cada dos semanas = every two weeks
• cada quince días = every fifteen days (often used like every two weeks)
• quincenal = each quincena; common in payroll and billing

If you stick with cada dos semanas for everyday talk and quincenal for labels, you’ll sound natural and stay clear on the calendar.