late
“late” means “beats” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
beats
Also: pulses
📝 In Action
Mi corazón late rápido cuando estoy nervioso.
A2My heart beats fast when I am nervous.
El médico escucha cómo late su corazón.
B1The doctor listens to how his heart beats.
to have a hunch
Also: to appeal to
📝 In Action
Me late que va a pasar algo bueno.
B2I have a hunch that something good is going to happen.
¿Te late ir al cine?
B2Does going to the movies sound good to you?
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: late
Question 1 of 2
If someone in Mexico asks '¿Te late?', what are they asking?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'blattire', which originally meant to babble or bark. Over time, it came to describe the repetitive, rhythmic sound and movement of the heart.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'late' mean the same thing in Spanish as it does in English?
No! This is a common mistake. In English, 'late' means not on time. In Spanish, 'late' is a verb form meaning 'it beats' (from the verb latir). To say 'not on time' in Spanish, use 'tarde'.
Is 'late' a regular verb?
Yes, the verb it comes from, 'latir', follows all the standard rules for verbs ending in -ir.