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enseguida

en-seh-GEE-dah/enseˈɣiða/

“enseguida” means “right away” in Spanish (General use).

right away, immediately

Also: straight away, at once, in a moment
Universal
A cartoon hand pressing a large red button, causing a bright yellow light bulb positioned directly above it to instantly illuminate.

📝 In Action

Vuelvo enseguida.

A1

I'll be back right away.

Llama al doctor enseguida, por favor.

A2

Call the doctor immediately, please.

Termino este correo y te ayudo enseguida.

B1

I'll finish this email and help you in a moment.

Cuando llegué a casa, me puse a cocinar enseguida.

B1

When I got home, I started cooking straight away.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ahora mismo (right now)
  • inmediatamente (immediately)
  • ya mismo (right now)
  • al momento (at the moment, instantly)

Antonyms

  • más tarde (later)
  • después (after)
  • luego (then, later)

Common Collocations

  • volver enseguida – to be right back
  • hacerlo enseguida – to do it right away
  • venir enseguida – to come right away

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "enseguida" in Spanish:

at once→immediately→right away→straight away→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: enseguida

Question 1 of 1

If your friend says, 'Preparo el café enseguida,' when will you get your coffee?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the joining of two older Spanish words: 'en' (in) and 'seguida' (following). So, it literally means 'in the following moment' or 'one thing after the other without a pause'.

First recorded: The two-word form 'en seguida' has been used for centuries. The modern, single-word spelling 'enseguida' became the standard in the 20th century.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: em seguidaCatalan: de seguida

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'enseguida', 'ahora mismo', and 'ya'?

Great question! They're similar but have different flavors. 'Enseguida' means 'right away' or 'in a moment'—a promise of immediate action. 'Ahora mismo' is a bit more intense, like 'right this very second'. 'Ya' is the most flexible; it can mean 'now' ('¡Ya voy!' - I'm coming now!), 'already' ('Ya comí' - I already ate), or even 'later' depending on the tone. 'Enseguida' is a clear and common way to say 'immediately' without being too forceful.