voy en camino
/boi en kamino/from spelling rules
The English phrase "on my way" is translated into Spanish as voy en camino.
voy en camino is used to tell someone that you have already started traveling toward their location.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb voy (I go), the preposition en (on/in) and the noun camino (path/way).
Which one should you use?
While voy en camino emphasizes the state of being currently in transit, the phrase voy para allá emphasizes the direction of travel toward a destination.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, you might hear the colloquial phrase enseguida llego instead of more common expressions.
How does it change in a sentence?
While voy en camino uses the verb ir (to go), you can also use estoy en camino, which uses the verb estar (to be), to express being on the way.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying voy en camino can be a polite way to signal you are leaving, even if you have not actually stepped out the door yet.
- The word camino is not actually from Latin, but comes from a Gaulish word that was later absorbed into Medieval Latin.
- The word camino is used in the specific Spanish term camino real, which historically referred to the royal roads used for official mail and trade.
Examples in context
- Dile que voy en camino.Tell him I'm on my way.This sentence is useful for practicing how to report what someone else said regarding the phrase voy en camino.Tatoeba #4371678 by pchamorro, translation #3467785 by Hybrid
- Soy un idealista. No sé adonde voy, pero voy en camino.I am an idealist. I don't know where I'm going but I'm on my way.This sentence shows how the phrase can be used metaphorically in an abstract sense.Tatoeba #1642442 by marcelostockle, translation #1460429 by piksea
- Voy en camino.I'm on my way.This is a simple way to state that you are currently in transit using voy en camino.Tatoeba #1011062 by Narda, translation #707205 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María is calling Javier to tell him she is coming to his house.
- MaríaHola, Javier. Ya salí de casa y voy en camino.Hi, Javier. I already left home and I'm on my way.
- JavierPerfecto, María. Yo te espero aquí.Perfect, María. I'll wait for you here.
- MaríaLlego en diez minutos, voy en camino.I'll be there in ten minutes, I'm on my way.
- JavierEstá bien, nos vemos pronto.That's fine, see you soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camino, en, voy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
