demora
/de-MOH-rah/
delay
A person waiting with their luggage illustrates a 'demora' or a period of waiting.
demora(noun)
delay
?a period of waiting or a hold-up
wait
?time spent waiting
,lateness
?arriving after the expected time
📝 In Action
Pedimos disculpas por la demora del tren.
A2We apologize for the train delay.
Necesito los documentos sin más demora.
B1I need the documents without further delay.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even though it ends in 'a', just like most words for objects, this noun is feminine. Use 'la demora' or 'una demora'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Demora vs. Retraso
Mistake: "Using 'retraso' for everything."
Correction: While 'retraso' is more common in daily speech, 'demora' is the preferred word in professional settings like airports or official letters.
⭐ Usage Tips
Professional Tone
Use 'demora' when you want to sound polite and formal, especially when apologizing for being late.
The slow turtle delays the cyclist, making them arrive later at their destination.
demora(verb)
delays
?when someone or something makes another thing late
takes time
?when a person spends a certain amount of time doing something
📝 In Action
Ella siempre se demora mucho en arreglarse.
B1She always takes a long time to get ready.
El tráfico demora la entrega de los paquetes.
B1Traffic delays the delivery of the packages.
💡 Grammar Points
Using it with 'se'
When you want to say a person is taking a long time, use the 'se' form: 'se demora'. For example: 'Él se demora' means 'He is taking a while'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forget the 'se'
Mistake: "Yo demoro mucho."
Correction: Say 'Me demoro mucho' if you mean you are taking a long time yourself. Use 'demoro' alone only if you are delaying something else.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Processes
It is great for describing how long a task takes: 'Este proceso demora tres días' (This process takes three days).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: demora
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is the most common way to say 'without delay'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'demora' the same as 'retraso'?
Yes, they both mean 'delay'. However, 'demora' is often used in more formal settings, like flight announcements or legal papers, while 'retraso' is more common in everyday conversation.
Can 'demora' mean 'it takes time'?
Yes, as a verb form (demora), it can mean 'it delays' or 'it takes time' to happen.