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espera

wait

noun ehs-PEH-rah Less Common
Time Time Expressions

Also means

expectation

Usage Note

Espera as a noun means 'a wait' or 'waiting'. The phrase sala de espera (waiting room) is ubiquitous in hospitals and airports. En espera de means 'awaiting' in formal correspondence. Note that esperar is both 'to wait' and 'to hope/expect', so espera can carry either nuance depending on context.

Examples

"La sala de espera estaba llena de gente."

Natural Translation

The waiting room was full of people.

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