en espera
/en espeɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase standby is expressed in Spanish as en espera.
en espera is used to describe a state of readiness without immediate involvement. In the specific context of telephone communications, it is the standard way to say that a caller is being placed on hold.
Meaning: state of readiness without immediate involvement (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition en (in) and the noun espera (wait/waiting), literally meaning "in waiting".
How does it change in a sentence?
Although it translates to the noun "standby", en espera functions grammatically as an adverbial phrase. If you need to specify what you are on standby for, you must add the preposition de after the phrase, forming en espera de.
How do you pronounce it?
/en espeɾa/
Did you know?
- The word espera is a distant relative of the English word 'desperate', as both trace their ancestry back to the Latin root for hope.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, when someone is en espera on a phone call, it is common to hear a repetitive music loop known as la musiquita.
- Spanish uses the same root for 'waiting' and 'hoping'. Because esperar means both 'to wait' and 'to hope', being en espera can carry a subtle nuance of anticipation.
Examples in context
- El equipo está en espera de instrucciones.The team is on standby for instructions.
- Mantén el sistema en espera por si acaso.Keep the system on standby just in case.
- La respuesta quedó en espera durante la noche.The response was left on standby during the night.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing a technical issue at work.
- Lucía¿Debemos activar el nuevo servidor ahora?Should we activate the new server now?
- AlejandroNo, déjalo en espera por un momento.No, leave it on standby for a moment.
- LucíaEntendido, lo mantendré en espera hasta que me digas.Understood, I will keep it on standby until you tell me.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía, te avisaré pronto.Thanks, Lucía, I will let you know soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry en espera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, espera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
