The Present Tense of Esperar is used to express actions happening now or facts that are currently true. For example, Espero el autobús. (I am waiting for the bus.)

Esperar is a regular -ar verb, which means its conjugations in the present tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Esperar (to wait) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Esperar generally means to wait or to hope, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To wait: This is the most common meaning. For example, Yo espero el autobús (I wait for the bus).

To hope: It can also mean to hope for something. For example, Espero que tengas un buen día (I hope you have a good day).

To expect: It can mean to expect something to happen. For example, Espero tu llamada (I expect your call).

To await: Similar to “to wait,” but with a sense of anticipation. For example, Espero con ansias las vacaciones (I await the holidays with anticipation).

To be pregnant (colloquial): In some Latin American regions, it can mean to be pregnant. For example, Ella espera un bebé (She is expecting a baby).

To wait patiently (idiomatic): It can also mean to wait patiently for something. For example, Espero mi turno con calma (I wait my turn patiently).

To delay (rude): In some contexts, it can mean to delay or stall someone in a rude way. For example, ¡No me esperes más! (Don’t keep me waiting any longer!)

Examples

Examples of Esperar in the Present Tense

Siempre espero con ansias las vacaciones de verano. (I always look forward to summer vacation.)

¿Esperas que llegue el paquete hoy? (Are you expecting the package to arrive today?)

Ella espera pacientemente su turno en la fila. (She waits patiently for her turn in line.)

Esperamos que el equipo gane el campeonato este año. (We hope the team wins the championship this year.)

Los fans esperan con emoción el concierto de su artista favorito. (The fans eagerly await the concert of their favorite artist.)

Mientras espero el autobús, leo un libro. (While I wait for the bus, I read a book.)

¿Cuánto tiempo más esperas antes de tomar una decisión? (How much longer are you going to wait before making a decision?)

No esperes hasta el último minuto para hacer tus tareas. (Don’t wait until the last minute to do your homework.)

Esperamos que la economía mejore pronto. (We hope the economy improves soon.)

Los padres esperan con ilusión el nacimiento de su primer hijo. (The parents eagerly await the birth of their first child.)

Siempre espero con ganas el fin de semana para descansar. (I always look forward to the weekend to rest.)

¿Esperas que te devuelvan el dinero? (Are you expecting to get your money back?)

Ella espera con calma su turno en la barbería. (She calmly waits her turn at the barbershop.)

Esperamos que el nuevo proyecto sea un éxito. (We hope the new project is a success.)

Los fans esperan con entusiasmo la nueva película de su director favorito. (The fans eagerly await the new movie from their favorite director.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Esperar (to wait) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.