The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Esperar is used to give direct orders or instructions to wait or hope for something, for example Espera un momento. (Wait a moment.)

Esperar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in this mood follow the typical pattern for that verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Esperar (to wait) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Esperar generally means “to wait” or “to hope”, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To wait: This is the most common meaning. For example, ¡Espera un momento! (Wait a moment!)

To hope: It can also mean “to hope” or “to expect”. For example, ¡Espera lo mejor! (Hope for the best!)

To await: It can mean “to await” or “to look forward to”. For example, ¡Espera mi llamada! (Await my call!)

Colloquial usage: In some Latin American slang, it can mean “to chill” or “to relax”. For example, ¡Espera un rato, viejo! (Chill out for a bit, dude!)

Rude usage: In rude contexts, it can mean “to wait” in an impatient or demanding way. For example, ¡Espera ahí, idiota! (Wait there, idiot!)

Examples

Examples of Esperar in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Espera un momento! Déjame explicarte esto. (Wait a moment! Let me explain this to you.)

Por favor, espere su turno en la fila. (Please wait your turn in line.)

Amigos, esperemos con paciencia los resultados. (Friends, let’s wait patiently for the results.)

Señoras y señores, esperen aquí mientras preparamos la sala. (Ladies and gentlemen, please wait here while we prepare the room.)

Oye, espera un toque, ¿qué dijiste? (Hey, wait a sec, what did you say?)

Antes de salir, espera a que baje la temperatura afuera. (Before going out, wait for the temperature to drop outside.)

Mamá, espera, déjame ayudarte con esas bolsas pesadas. (Mom, wait, let me help you with those heavy bags.)

Jefe, espere un ratito, tengo una pregunta importante. (Boss, wait a minute, I have an important question.)

Chicos, esperemos a que llegue el mesero antes de pedir. (Guys, let’s wait for the waiter to arrive before ordering.)

Señores pasajeros, por favor esperen instrucciones adicionales. (Passengers, please wait for further instructions.)

Oye viejo, espera un poco, ¿qué onda con esa actitud? (Hey man, wait a bit, what’s with that attitude?)

Equipo, esperemos a que se calmen las cosas antes de tomar una decisión. (Team, let’s wait for things to calm down before making a decision.)

Cariño, espera a que termine esta llamada y hablamos. (Honey, wait until I finish this call and we’ll talk.)

Amigos, esperen aquí, voy a buscar un lugar para estacionar. (Friends, wait here, I’m going to find a parking spot.)

Compañeros, esperemos con calma el anuncio de los nuevos proyectos. (Colleagues, let’s calmly await the announcement of the new projects.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Esperar (to wait) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.