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How to Say "instant" in Spanish

English → Spanish

instante

een-STAHN-teh/inˈstante/

nounA1general
Use 'instante' when referring to a very brief, specific moment in time, often implying a short duration of waiting or a fleeting second.
A sudden, brilliant golden starburst flash illuminates a dark scene, symbolizing a brief moment in time.

Examples

Espera un instante, necesito encontrar mis llaves.

Wait an instant, I need to find my keys.

En ese instante, el mundo se detuvo para ella.

In that moment, the world stopped for her.

La tormenta pasó en solo unos instantes.

The storm passed in just a few moments.

Masculine Noun

Remember that 'instante' is always a masculine noun, so you must use 'un' or 'el' before it, never 'una' or 'la'.

Using the wrong preposition

Mistake: “Llegó a instante.”

Correction: Llegó en el instante (He arrived at the moment) or Llegó al instante (He arrived instantly). The most common preposition is 'en' or 'a la' for the common phrase 'al instante'.

inmediato

/een-meh-dee-AH-toh//inmeˈðjato/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'inmediato' when describing something that happens or needs to happen very quickly, emphasizing speed and lack of delay.
A finger is pressing a large red button, and instantly, a bright yellow light bulb positioned directly above the button illuminates brightly, symbolizing immediacy.

Examples

Necesitamos una respuesta inmediata.

We need an immediate answer.

El efecto de la medicina fue inmediato.

The effect of the medicine was instantaneous.

La atención de emergencia debe ser inmediata.

Emergency care must be prompt.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'inmediato' changes its ending to match the thing it describes: 'respuesta inmediata' (feminine) or 'efecto inmediato' (masculine).

flash

/flash//ˈflaʃ/

nounB1informal
Use 'flash' primarily for short, urgent news bulletins or sudden bursts of information, often seen in media contexts.
An illustration of a news broadcasting van with a large antenna. A bright red emergency siren is spinning rapidly on the roof, symbolizing an urgent news report.

Examples

Interrumpimos la programación para un flash informativo.

We interrupt programming for a news flash.

Todo sucedió en un flash; no tuve tiempo de reaccionar.

Everything happened in an instant; I didn't have time to react.

Using 'en un flash'

This phrase is a quick way to say something happened very fast or instantly, similar to saying 'in the blink of an eye'.

Instant vs. Immediate

Learners often confuse 'instante' (a moment) with 'inmediato' (immediate/fast). Remember that 'instante' refers to a short duration of time, while 'inmediato' describes a high degree of speed or promptness.

Related Translations

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