How to Say "hang on!" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “hang on!” is “aguanta” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishB1
InterjectionB1informal
informal pause
Examples
—¿Ya salimos? —¡Aguanta, tengo que buscar mis llaves!
—Should we leave now? —Wait, I have to find my keys!
Aguanta un segundo, el autobús ya viene.
Hold on a second, the bus is coming now.
Imperative Use
As an interjection, '¡Aguanta!' is the affirmative command form for 'tú' (you, informal). It functions exactly like saying 'Wait!' or 'Hold on!' in English.
Using 'Espérate' vs. 'Aguanta'
Mistake: “Using 'Espera' when the context is physical effort or extreme patience.”
Correction: 'Aguanta' is better for commands related to physical actions or enduring difficulty, while 'espera' is strictly about waiting for time to pass.
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