How to Say "while" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “while” is “mientras” — use 'mientras' when 'while' connects two actions that are happening at the exact same time.
mientras
myen-tras'mjen.tɾas
Examples
Yo cocino mientras tú lavas los platos.
I cook while you wash the dishes.
Yo leo mientras tú cocinas.
I read while you cook.
A ella le gusta escuchar música mientras corre.
She likes to listen to music while she runs.
Puedes quedarte en mi casa mientras busques trabajo.
You can stay at my house as long as you're looking for a job.
Connecting Two Simultaneous Actions
Use 'mientras' to link two things that are happening at the very same time. Think of it as the Spanish equivalent of 'while' or 'at the same time as'.
Setting a Condition
Sometimes, 'mientras' acts like 'as long as'. It sets a rule or condition for something else to be true. For example, 'You can have dessert as long as you finish your vegetables.'
Confusing 'Mientras' and 'Durante'
Mistake: “Hablamos por teléfono mientras dos horas.”
Correction: Hablamos por teléfono durante dos horas. Use 'durante' (during) to talk about how long something lasted. Use 'mientras' (while) to connect two different actions happening together.
momento
mo-MEN-tomoˈmento
Examples
Espera un momento, por favor.
Wait a moment, please.
Fue un momento muy especial para nosotros.
It was a very special moment for us.
En este momento, estoy ocupado.
At this moment, I'm busy.
Using 'un momento'
This is often used just like 'just a second' or 'hold on' in English. It's a very common and polite way to ask someone to wait.
Not the same as 'minuto'
Mistake: “Using 'momento' when you mean exactly 60 seconds.”
Correction: 'Un momento' is a general, short period of time. Use 'un minuto' if you are specifically talking about sixty seconds.
Confusing simultaneous actions with brief time periods
Related Translations
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