chepi
/ˈt͡ʃepi/
The Spanish way to say "time out" is chepi. Wiktionary also lists chepibola.
Meaning: interjection (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| chepi | /ˈt͡ʃepi/ |
| chepibola | /t͡ʃepiˈbola/ |
chepi or chepibola can be used to express the concept of a time out. If you need to refer to a task being terminated because it was not completed before a specific time limit, you might use the verb expirar or the phrase hacer expirar.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃepi/
Did you know?
- Spanish has no single, universal word for 'time out' because the concept varies wildly between a sports break, a parenting discipline tool, and a technical expiration.
- If you are looking for a standard way to call a time out in a sports context, a commentator would never use chepibola. Instead, they would use 'tiempo' or 'tiempo muerto'.
- In technical contexts, expirar is used for timers, but if a person's time is up in a game or competition, they might be told se acabó el tiempo, meaning 'the time finished'.
Examples in context
- Señores, vamos a hacer una pausa de 10 minutos.Ladies and gentlemen, let's take a 10-minute time out.
- Necesito un descanso de cinco minutos, por favor.I need a five-minute break, please.
- Chicos, hagamos una pequeña pausita para descansar un poco.Guys, let's take a little time out to rest for a bit.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofia are having a heated argument about a plan.
- Daniel¡Chepi! Estamos gritando demasiado.Time out! We are shouting too much.
- SofíaTienes razón, Daniel. Estoy muy nerviosa.You are right, Daniel. I am very nervous.
- DanielRespiremos y hablemos con calma, Sofía.Let's breathe and talk calmly, Sofia.
- SofíaDe acuerdo, empecemos de nuevo.Alright, let's start over.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “time out” translations and entries chepi, chepibola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
