estamos en camino
/estamos en kamino/from spelling rules
To say "we are on our way" in Spanish, use estamos en camino.
This phrase is used to communicate that you have already started traveling toward a destination. You may also use the common alternative vamos en camino, which uses the verb ir (to go) instead of estar (to be).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "we are in path".
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the subject from "we" to "I", change the verb from estamos to estoy to say estoy en camino (I am on my way).
Did you know?
- Although camino comes from Latin roots, it actually originated from a Gaulish word used by the ancient Celtic people of Western Europe.
- In many Spanish speaking cultures, saying estoy en camino is often used as a social white lie to indicate you have started your journey when you are actually still at home getting ready.
- While estamos en camino refers to the act of traveling, the word camino is also used in the specific phrase El Camino de Santiago, a famous network of pilgrims' ways leading to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Examples in context
- ¡Estamos en camino!We are on our way!
- ¡Ya vamos!We're coming!
- No te preocupes, ya estamos en camino.Don't worry, we are on our way.
- Estamos en camino al restaurante ahora mismo.We are on our way to the restaurant right now.
Example conversation
Lucía calls Mateo to check on their arrival time for a dinner party.
- LucíaHola Mateo, ¿cuánto falta para que lleguen?Hello Mateo, how long until you arrive?
- MateoTranquila, Lucía, ya estamos en camino.Calm down, Lucía, we are on our way.
- LucíaPerfecto, te espero en la puerta.Perfect, I will wait for you at the door.
- MateoNos vemos en diez minutos.See you in ten minutes.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camino, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
