Spanish word

rato

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈrato/

Meaning

  • masculine nouna while

Example

Espera un rato, por favor.

Wait a while, please.

Illustration for rato (a while)

More examples

Tengo un rato libre esta tarde.

I have a little time free this afternoon.

Core concept

A brief, vague span lasting a few minutes.

Common phrases

  • tener un rato

    have a little time

  • por un rato

    for a while

Similar words

momento: A short, clearly bounded moment for a quick wait or action.
ratito: A very short, friendly-sounding span of time used informally.
minuto: Approximately sixty seconds, a standard time unit.
instante: A tiny, nearly instantaneous point in time.

Definition in Spanish

Tiempo corto e impreciso que se emplea para pedir que se espere o para referirse a un lapso de pocos minutos.

Word origin

Derived from Latin ratus 'reckoned' through Old Spanish, where the sense moved from a calculated span to a casual short time.

Usage tips

  • Functionally similar to un momento in casual speech, but rato feels vaguer and typically implies several minutes rather than an instant.

Opposites

  • eternidadeternitynoun

Related words

  • ratitoa little whilenoun

Word lists with this word