How to Say "meanwhile" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “meanwhile” is “mientras” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Voy a comprar pan. Mientras, tú puedes poner la mesa.
I'm going to buy bread. Meanwhile, you can set the table.
El avión despegó. Mientras tanto, en la torre de control, todo estaba tranquilo.
The plane took off. Meanwhile, in the control tower, everything was calm.
Filling the Gap in Time
Use 'mientras' or 'mientras tanto' to talk about what is happening in the time between two other events. It's a great tool for connecting different parts of a story.
Forgetting 'Tanto'
Mistake: “Using just 'mientras' at the start of a sentence can sometimes sound like the other meaning ('while').”
Correction: Adding 'tanto' to make 'mientras tanto' is a great habit. It makes it perfectly clear you mean 'meanwhile' and is very common.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.