Which one should you use?
The term un minuto is a literal translation of 'one minute', but you will frequently hear speakers use un momento to mean 'a moment' in the same context. If you want to be more colloquial, particularly in Spain or Latin America, you can use aguanta un minuto to mean 'hold on' or 'hang on'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Espera un minuto is a widely used informal phrase that often omits 'por favor'. In Spain, it is also common to hear the informal un momento, porfa. Throughout Latin America, the phrase un minuto, por favor is common. In many Latin American countries, Espere un rato, por favor serves as an interchangeable alternative for asking someone to wait.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form espera un minuto uses the informal imperative (tú), which is appropriate for friends, family or people your age. If you are addressing a group of people, use the plural form esperen un minuto.
How do you pronounce it?
/espeɾa un minuto/
Did you know?
- The verb esperar is a distant relative of the English word 'desperate'. While 'desperate' describes a state of hopelessness, both words share an ancestral root related to the concept of 'hope'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking someone to wait un minuto often functions as a social polite fiction, where the actual time spent waiting is significantly longer than sixty seconds.
- Using aguanta instead of espera shifts the meaning from simply waiting to 'enduring' or 'holding out', similar to the English phrase 'hang in there'.
Examples in context
- Claro, un momento, por favor.Of course, hold on one minute, please.
- Por supuesto, espere un minuto, por favor.Certainly, hold on one minute, please.
- Genial, espera un momentito, déjame terminar esto primero.Great, hold on one minute, let me finish this first.
- Claro, aguarda un minuto, porfa. Está en el garaje.Sure, hold on one minute, please. It's in the garage.
- Espera un minuto, estoy llegando.Wait one minute, I'm arriving.
- Espera un minuto, por favor.Hold on one minute, please.
- Espera un minuto mientras busco las llaves.Hold on one minute while I look for the keys.
- Espera un minuto, ya voy.Hold on one minute, I'm coming.
Example conversation
Javier is at the door and Lucía is looking for her phone.
- LucíaEspera un minuto, Javier.Hold on one minute, Javier.
- Javier¿Pasa algo, Lucía?Is something wrong, Lucía?
- LucíaNo, solo busco mi teléfono.No, I'm just looking for my phone.
- JavierEstá bien, te espero.It's okay, I'll wait for you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries espera, minuto, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
