en/de camino
In Spanish, "on the way" can be expressed as en/de camino. Wiktionary also lists rumbo.
Meaning: heading to a certain place (prep_phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| en/de camino | |
| rumbo | /ˈrumbo/ |
The phrases en camino and de camino are used to indicate that someone is currently traveling toward a destination. En camino is frequently used as a standalone response to let someone know you are currently in transit. Both versions are often used interchangeably.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en camino is composed of the preposition en (in/on) and the noun camino (way/path).
Which one should you use?
While en camino and de camino focus on the state of being in transit, rumbo emphasizes the specific direction or course one is following.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina or Uruguay, the informal phrase Ya casi llego is used to mean "I'm almost there".
How does it change in a sentence?
When using rumbo to mean "heading to" a destination, it is almost always followed by the preposition a.
Did you know?
- The word rumbo is derived from the Latin word for 'rhombus'. This is because a rhombus-shaped tool was once used to indicate directions on a map.
- Telling someone you are en camino when you have not yet left your house is a widely recognized social white lie in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
- While en camino literally means 'on the way', it is frequently used in Spanish to describe a pregnancy, similar to the English phrase 'on the way' for a baby.
Examples in context
- Estoy en el coche rumbo al aeropuerto.I'm in the car on the way to the airport.This sentence shows how to use rumbo to describe a direction.Tatoeba #13121181 by frpzzd, translation #7908271 by CM
Sources
- Wiktionary, “on the way” translations and entries rumbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camino, rumbo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
