How to Say "don't wait" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “don't wait” is “esperes” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Necesito que tú esperes hasta que yo llegue.
I need you to wait until I arrive.
No esperes que sea fácil; tienes que practicar mucho.
Don't expect it to be easy; you have to practice a lot.
Ojalá esperes un milagro, pero no cuentes con ello.
I hope you wait for a miracle, but don't count on it.
Two Functions of 'Esperes'
'Esperes' is the form used for 'you (tú)' in two situations: when giving a negative command ('No esperes') AND when the action is uncertain, desired, or doubted (e.g., 'Quiero que esperes').
The Subjunctive Trigger
You must use 'esperes' (the special verb form) after expressions of desire, emotion, doubt, or necessity, often introduced by 'que' (e.g., 'Es bueno que esperes').
Mixing Indicative and Subjunctive
Mistake: “Quiero que tú esperas aquí.”
Correction: Quiero que tú esperes aquí. (The desire of the first verb 'quiero' forces the second verb to take the special 'esperes' form.)
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