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esperen

es-PEH-rehnesˈpe.ɾen

Wait!, Hold on!

Also: Be patient!
VerbA1regular ar
An illustration showing a person holding up an open hand, signaling two other people to pause their movement and stop walking.
infinitiveesperar
gerundesperando
past Participleesperado

📝 In Action

¡Esperen aquí, por favor! El doctor viene en cinco minutos.

A1

Wait here, please! The doctor is coming in five minutes.

Esperen un segundo mientras busco las llaves.

A2

Hold on a second while I look for the keys.

No esperen más, la puerta ya está abierta.

A2

Don't wait any longer, the door is already open.

(that they/you all) wait, (that they/you all) hope

VerbB1regular ar
An illustration of three people sitting calmly on a public bench, all facing the same direction, indicating they are waiting for transportation or an event.

📝 In Action

Espero que ustedes esperen pacientemente el resultado.

B1

I hope that you all wait patiently for the result.

Es importante que ellos esperen nuestra señal antes de empezar.

B1

It is important that they wait for our signal before starting.

Necesitamos que esperen en la fila para que todo sea justo.

B2

We need you all to wait in line so that everything is fair.

Indicative

Present

yoespero
túesperas
él/ella/ustedespera
nosotrosesperamos
vosotrosesperáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesperan

Imperfect

yoesperaba
túesperabas
él/ella/ustedesperaba
nosotrosesperábamos
vosotrosesperabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesesperaban

Preterite

yoesperé
túesperaste
él/ella/ustedesperó
nosotrosesperamos
vosotrosesperasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesperaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoespere
túesperes
él/ella/ustedespere
nosotrosesperemos
vosotrosesperéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesperen

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoesperara
túesperaras
él/ella/ustedesperara
nosotrosesperáramos
vosotrosesperarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesesperaran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "esperen" in Spanish:

be patient!→wait!→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: esperen

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'esperen' as a command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
esperar(to wait, to hope) — Verb
la espera(the wait, waiting period) — Noun
esperanza(hope) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The Spanish verb 'esperar' comes directly from the Latin verb *sperare*, meaning 'to hope' or 'to await.' The meaning of 'to wait' developed naturally from the idea of hoping for something or awaiting an outcome.

First recorded: Around the 13th century in its current form.

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: sperarePortuguese: esperar

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'esperen' and 'esperad'?

'Esperen' is the formal command for 'you all' (ustedes), used everywhere in Latin America and formally in Spain. 'Esperad' is the informal command for 'you all' (vosotros), used almost exclusively in Spain.

Does 'esperen' only mean 'wait'?

No, 'esperen' comes from 'esperar,' which can mean both 'to wait' and 'to hope.' While 'wait' is more common in the command form, it technically carries the meaning of 'that they hope' or 'that you all hope' in the subjunctive.