paciencia
neutral, Mexico
The Spanish word is paciencia, in Mexico as everywhere. Mexicans say ten paciencia to a friend and tenga paciencia to someone they address as usted.
Meaning: ability to wait calmly (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| paciencia | neutral, Mexico |
| Ten paciencia | advice, informal |
| Tenga paciencia | advice, formal |
The verb is tener: tengo paciencia, no tengo paciencia. People also say con paciencia todo se logra about slow effort paying off.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use ten with a friend, a child or a relative. Use tenga with a customer, an older person or someone you address formally.
Did you know?
- Paciencia comes from Latin patientia, related to the verb for suffering.
Examples in context
- Ten paciencia, ya casi llegamos.Be patient, we are almost there.
- Tenga paciencia, por favor.Please be patient.
- Mi abuela tiene mucha paciencia.My grandmother has a lot of patience.
Example conversation
Silvia waits with her son Dani at a busy bus station in Mexico City.
- DaniMamá, ya me aburrí.Mom, I am bored already.
- SilviaTen paciencia, el camión ya viene.Be patient, the bus is coming.
- DaniBueno, espero un poco más.Okay, I will wait a bit more.
