esperaban in the Oxford Spanish Dictionary

Translations for esperaban in the Spanish»English Dictionary

I.esperar VB trans

1.1. esperar autobús/persona/acontecimiento:

esperar

to wait for

esperaba el tren/a un amigo

he was waiting for the train/a friend

podrías haber esperado un momento más oportuno

you could have waited for a better moment

espérame, ya voy

wait for me, I'm just coming

la esperé dos horas/en el bar

I waited for her for two hours/in the bar

esperaban con impaciencia la llegada de sus amigos

they were really looking forward to their friends coming

esperaban con impaciencia la llegada de sus amigos

they couldn't wait for o they were dying for their friends to arrive inf

le encanta hacerse esperar

he loves to keep people waiting

(esperar algo/a alg. para + infinit.) ¿qué estás esperando para decírselo?

tell him! what are you waiting for?

no me esperes para cenar

eat without me o don't wait for me to eat

1.2. esperar (recibir):

esperar

to meet

la fuimos a esperar al aeropuerto

we went to meet her at the airport

¿dónde van a esperar el Año Nuevo?

where will you be seeing the New Year in?

1.3. esperar sorpresa:

esperar

to await

la reacción del gobierno no se hizo esperar

the government was swift to react

como no salgamos temprano ya sabes lo que nos espera a la salida de Madrid

if we don't leave early, you know what problems we'll have o you know what it'll be like trying to leave Madrid

le espera un futuro difícil

he has a difficult future ahead of him

¡ya verás la que te espera en casa! inf

you'll catch it o you'll be for it when you get home! inf

2.1. esperar (contar con, prever):

esperar

to expect

tal como esperábamos

just as we expected

cuando uno menos lo espera

when you least expect it

ven a cenar, te espero alrededor de las nueve

come to dinner, I'll expect you around nine

estoy esperando una llamada de Nueva York

I'm expecting a call from New York

esperan un lleno completo

they expect a full house

tuvo mayor aceptación de lo que se esperaba

it proved to be more popular than had been expected

(esperar que + subj) se espera que más de un millón de personas visite la exposición

over a million people are expected to visit the exhibition

¿qué esperabas, que te felicitara?

what did you expect me to do? congratulate you?

era de esperar que el proyecto fracasara

the project was bound to fail

era de esperar que el proyecto fracasara

it was only to be expected that the project would fail

no esperes que cambie de idea

don't expect me to change my mind

esperar algo de alg./algo

to expect sth of sb/sth

esperaba otra cosa de ti

I expected more of you

no hay que esperar mucho de las conversaciones

we shouldn't expect too much of the talks

de ella no puedes esperar ayuda

don't expect her to help

de ella no puedes esperar ayuda

you can't expect to get any help from her

2.2. esperar niño/bebé:

esperar

to be expecting

esperan el primer hijo para mayo

they're expecting their first child in May

está esperando familia

she's expecting

3. esperar (con esperanza):

esperar

to hope

¿te vienen a recoger? — eso espero

are they coming to collect you? — I hope so

¿quedarán entradas? — espero que sí

will there be any tickets left? — I hope so

¿habrá perdido el tren? — espero que no

do you think he's missed the train? — I hope not

(esperar + infinit.) espero poder llegar a la cumbre esta vez

I hope to be able to reach the summit this time

espero no haberme olvidado de nada

I hope I haven't forgotten anything

(esperar que + subj) espero que no llueva/que haga buen tiempo

I hope it doesn't rain/the weather's nice

espero que tengas suerte

I wish you luck

espero que no me haya mentido

I hope he hasn't lied to me

esperemos que no sea nada grave

let's hope it's nothing serious

¡y yo que esperaba que estuviera todo listo!

and there was I hoping that everything would be ready!

II.esperar VB intr

1.1. esperar (aguardar):

esperar

to wait

lo siento, no podemos esperar más

I'm sorry, we can't wait any longer

mientras esperaba corregí los exámenes

I corrected the tests while I was waiting

espera, que bajo contigo

wait a minute, I'll come down with you

espera, que bajo contigo

hold on, I'll come down with you inf

espere un momento, por favor

wait a moment, please

espera un momento ¿tú qué haces aquí?

just a moment, what are you doing here?

vamos, que el tren no espera

come on, the train won't wait for us

(esperar a + infinit.) espera a estar seguro antes de hablar con ella

wait until you're sure before you talk to her

mejor espero a tener un poco más de dinero ahorrado

I'd better wait until I've saved a bit more money

(esperar (a) que + subj) el profesor esperó (a) que hubiera silencio

the teacher waited for them to be quiet

tiene que esperar (a) que lo llamen

you have to wait for them to call you o until they call you

esperaron (a) que él se fuera para entrar

they waited for him to go before they went in

esperar sentado inf si piensa que lo voy a llamar puede esperar sentado

if he thinks I'm going to call him he's got another think coming inf

¿que él cambie de idea? mejor espera sentada

him change his mind? some hope! o don't hold your breath! o we could be waiting till the cows come home! inf

quien espera desespera prov

waiting's the worst part

quien espera desespera prov

the waiting gets you down

1.2. esperar embarazada:

no sabía que estaba esperando

I didn't know she was expecting

¿para cuándo espera?

when's the baby due?

quedar esperando Chil

to get pregnant

2. esperar (esperar por) dated → X

III.esperarse VB vpr

1. esperarse inf (aguardar):

esperarse

to hang on inf

esperarse

to hold on inf

espérate ¿no ves que estoy ocupada?

wait a minute o hang on o hold on! can't you see I'm busy?

2. esperarse inf (prever):

esperarse

to expect

¿qué te esperabas por ese precio?

what did you expect for that price?

no me esperaba esa reacción

I hadn't expected her to react like that

¿quién se iba a esperar que saliera elegido él?

who would have thought he would be elected?

See also X

X, x [ˈekis] N f (the letter)

X

X

X

x

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

los militares esperaban entre bambalinas

the military were waiting in the wings

Translations for esperaban in the English»Spanish Dictionary

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

they were excitedly awaiting her arrival

esperaban impacientes su llegada

things didn't pan out as they'd hoped

las cosas no salieron or no resultaron como esperaban

wait behind

esperar

to wait behind for sb

esperar a alguien

the longer they waited, the more ill at ease they became

cuanto más esperaban, más se inquietaban

she pushed through the waiting journalists

pasó haciendo a un lado a los periodistas que la esperaban

lie over

esperar

it's unrealistic to expect that

no es realista esperar eso

wait-and-see

de esperar a ver qué pasa

esperaban in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for esperaban in the Spanish»English Dictionary

I.esperar VB intr

1. esperar (aguardar):

esperar

to wait

esperar al aparato (teléfono)

to stay on the line

hacerse esperar

to keep people waiting

es de esperar que +subj

it is to be expected that

esperemos y veamos cómo evolucionan las cosas

let's wait and see how things develop

¡que se espere!

let him wait!

¿a qué esperas?

what are you waiting for?

espera, que no lo encuentro

hold on, I can't find it

ganaron la copa tan esperada

they won the long-awaited cup

uno solo tiene que esperar a que las cosas lleguen

all things come to those who wait

2. esperar (confiar):

esperar

to hope

esperar en alguien

to place one's hope in sb

II.esperar VB trans

1. esperar (aguardar):

esperar

to wait for

hace una hora que lo espero

I've been waiting for you for an hour

hacer esperar a alguien

to keep sb waiting

la respuesta no se hizo esperar

the answer was not long in coming

te espero mañana a las nueve

I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at nine o'clock

me van a esperar al aeropuerto

they're meeting me at the airport

nos esperan malos tiempos

there are bad times in store for us

espero su decisión con impaciencia (final de carta)

I'm looking forward to hearing from you

te espera una prueba dura

a hard test awaits you

2. esperar (un bebé, recibir, pensar):

esperar

to expect

ya me lo esperaba

I expected it

3. esperar (confiar):

esperar

to hope

espero que nos veamos pronto

I hope to see you soon

esperando recibir noticias tuyas...

looking forward to hearing from you ...

espero sacar grandes ganancias de este negocio

I hope to make a lot of profit out of this business

espero que sí

I hope so

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

esperar algo con regocijo

to be really looking forward to sth

Translations for esperaban in the English»Spanish Dictionary

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

stand about

esperar

look for

esperar

to wait awhile

esperar un rato

reckon on

esperar

to wait up for sb

esperar a alguien levantado

to bide one's time

esperar el momento oportuno

to wait on sth

esperar a algo

wait

esperar

to wait for sth/sb

esperar algo/a alguien

to keep sb waiting

hacer esperar a alguien

wait

esperar

to wait one's turn

esperar su turno

esperaban Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

la respuesta no se hizo esperar

the answer was not long in coming

me van a esperar al aeropuerto

they're meeting me at the airport

esperar a la puerta de la casa

to wait at the front door

esperar algo como el santo advenimiento inf

to wait impatiently for sth

no hacer nada más que esperar

to do nothing except wait

está hablando por la otra línea, ¿quiere esperar?

she's on the other phone, would you like to hang on?

era de esperar que lo dijera, ¿no?

he would say that, wouldn't he?

esperar de verdad que alguien haga algo

to seriously expect sb to do sth

esperar que la suerte acompañe a uno

to hope for the best

no puedes esperar que haga eso

you can hardly expect him to do that