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Conjugation Chart

“Esperar” (to wait) in the Present Tense

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Understanding the Present Tense of “Esperar”

The Present Tense of Esperar is used to express actions happening right 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.

How to Use Esperar in the Present Tense

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 en la fila. (I wait in line.)

To hope: Esperar 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 expecting, it can mean to await something. For example, Espero noticias de mi familia. (I await news from my family.)

Colloquial usage: In some contexts, esperar can be used colloquially to mean “to put up with” or “to deal with” something unpleasant. For example, ¡No espero más tus tonterías! (I won’t put up with your nonsense anymore!)

Real Life Examples of Esperar in the Present Tense

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

Mi hermana espera un bebé en marzo. (My sister is expecting a baby in March.)

¿Esperamos mucho tiempo en la fila? (Are we waiting a long time in line?)

No esperan que llueva hoy, según el pronóstico. (They don’t expect it to rain today, according to the forecast.)

¿Esperas que te llame esta noche? (Are you expecting him to call you tonight?)

Los fans esperan con emoción el nuevo álbum de la banda. (The fans are eagerly awaiting the band’s new album.)

En la cultura latinoamericana, esperamos que los jóvenes respeten a sus mayores. (In Latin American culture, we expect young people to respect their elders.)

¿Esperáis que el equipo gane el campeonato este año? (Are you all hoping the team wins the championship this year?)

Ella espera con paciencia su turno en la barbería. (She is patiently awaiting her turn at the barbershop.)

¿Cuánto tiempo más esperamos antes de pedir la cuenta? (How much longer do we wait before asking for the check?)

Los padres esperan que sus hijos se porten bien en la boda. (The parents expect their children to behave at the wedding.)

¿Esperas que te den un aumento este año? (Are you expecting a raise this year?)

En la cultura latinoamericana, esperamos que la familia se reúna para las fiestas. (In Latin American culture, we expect families to gather for holidays.)

Ella espera con ilusión el día de su graduación. (She is eagerly awaiting her graduation day.)

¿Esperáis que el nuevo presidente cumpla sus promesas? (Are you all expecting the new president to keep his promises?)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

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

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American 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.