vamos ya
/bamos ʝa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "come on now" can be translated into Spanish as vamos ya.
The phrase vamos ya is used to urge someone to hurry up or to begin an action immediately.
Which one should you use?
While vamos ya is used to prompt immediate movement, you can increase the sense of urgency by repeating the verb, as in ¡Vamos, vamos! If you want to express disbelief or impatience in an informal setting, you might instead use Venga ya, which translates to "Come on already".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In European Spanish, the variation Vamos, hombre is used to mean "Come on, man".
Did you know?
- The word vamos actually evolved from a Latin subjunctive form, vādāmus, which eventually replaced the older Spanish indicative form imos.
- Spanish speakers often use vamos as an exclamation of victory or encouragement during sports, similar to saying 'Let's go!' even if no one is actually moving.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying vamos while making a sharp gesture with the hand or a click of the tongue is common to emphasize urgency.
Examples in context
- Vamos, por favor, necesitamos una respuesta inmediata para avanzar con el proyecto.Come on, please, we need an immediate answer to move forward with the project.
- Venga ya, deja de hacer bromas y cuéntanos lo que realmente pasó.Come on already, stop joking around and tell us what really happened.
- ¡Dale, anímate a bailar con nosotros!Come on, join us and dance!
- Ándale, necesitamos finalizar esto antes de la reunión.Come on now, we need to finish this before the meeting.
- Vamos, hombre, no tengas miedo de probar algo nuevo.Come on, man, don't be afraid to try something new.
- ¡Vamos ya, que llegamos tarde!Come on now, we're late!
- Vamos ya, el taxi está esperando.Come on now, the taxi is waiting.
- ¡Vamos ya, levántate de la cama!Come on now, get out of bed!
Example conversation
Alejandro is waiting for Lucía by the front door.
- AlejandroLucía, ¡vamos ya! El autobús llega pronto.Lucía, come on now! The bus is arriving soon.
- LucíaSolo un momento, busco mis llaves.Just a moment, I'm looking for my keys.
- AlejandroNo tenemos tiempo, vamos ya.We don't have time, come on now.
- LucíaYa estoy lista, Alejandro. Vamos.I'm ready now, Alejandro. Let's go.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vamos, ya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
