espérame
/espeɾame/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'wait up' is translated into Spanish as espérame.
While espérame is a general way to say 'wait for me', if you specifically mean the English sense of 'waiting up' (staying awake until someone arrives), you often express this by adding despierto (awake) to the verb.
Meaning: wait (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
espérame is a combination of the verb esperar (to wait) and the object pronoun me (me).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might say ¡Espera, güey! In Spain, one might say ¡Espera, tío!
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are asking more than one person to wait up, use the plural form espérenme. When addressing a single person formally, use espéreme instead of espérame.
How do you pronounce it?
/espeɾame/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if you are asking a group of friends to 'wait up' or hang on a moment, you might use the colloquialism aguántame instead of espérame. This literally translates to 'endure me' or 'hold me', implying a request for patience.
- While espérame is used to ask someone to wait, the phrase esperar el autobús is used for waiting for the bus, but esperar un hijo means 'to be expecting a child'.
- The word esperar comes from the Latin sperare, which means 'to hope'. This explains why the Spanish language links the act of waiting with the act of longing or desiring a result.
Examples in context
- Espérame despierto.Wait up.This sentence is useful for expressing the sense of staying awake for someone.Tatoeba #5769228 by arh, translation #2954108 by CK
- ¡Espera! ¡No te vayas tan rápido!Wait! Don't go so fast!
- Espérame en la entrada.Wait for me at the entrance.
- No me dejes solo, espérame.Don't leave me alone, wait for me.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are walking in a park.
- Daniel¡Sofía, camina más despacio!Sofía, walk slower!
- SofíaLo siento, no te veo.I'm sorry, I don't see you.
- Daniel¡Espérame un momento!Wait for me a moment!
- SofíaEstá bien, te espero.Okay, I'll wait for you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
