English–Spanish
“while” in Spanish
How to say “while” in Spanish
“While” in Spanish is rato.
A brief, vague span lasting a few minutes.
Example sentences with rato
Tengo un rato libre esta tarde.
I have a little time free this afternoon.
Tips for using rato
- Functionally similar to un momento in casual speech, but rato feels vaguer and typically implies several minutes rather than an instant.
Other Spanish words for “while”
Yo cocino mientras tú pones la mesa.
I cook while you set the table.