How to Say ‘Hmm, what if I wait a little bit?’ in Mexican Spanish
Mmm, ¿y si espero un ratito?
mmm ee see ehs-PEH-roh oon rah-TEE-toh
[mmm ee see ehs-PEH-roh oon rah-TEE-toh]
💬 Usage Tip: ¿y si...? "what if...?" is a handy way to suggest something. For example, ¿y si me siento afuera? "what if I sit outside?"
Phrase Breakdown
Mmm, ¿y si espero
mmm ee see ehs-PEH-roh
Hmm, and what if I wait
'Mmm' is a thinking sound, and '¿y si...?' suggests an idea. Stress es-PE-ro.
¿Y si espero afuera?
What if I wait outside?
Words in this phrase
Mmm
[mmm]
hmm
A sound of hesitation or thinking.
Mmm, no sé qué pedir.
Hmm, I don't know what to order.
y
[ee]
and
A conjunction used to join words or ideas.
«Y» conecta «trabajo» y «vida personal».
“Y” connects “work” and “personal life.”
si
[see]
if
Introduces a condition or option.
Si quieres, te escribo mañana.
If you want, I’ll write to you tomorrow.
espero
[ehs-PEH-roh]
I wait
First person of esperar, to wait.
Espero aquí a mi amiga.
I'm waiting here for my friend.
un ratito?
oon rah-TEE-toh
a little while?
'Ratito' is the diminutive of 'rato' and is very common in Mexico. The 't' is soft: ra-TI-to.
Espérame un ratito.
Wait for me a little while.
Words in this phrase
un
[oon]
a
Part of un poco, a set phrase meaning a little.
Con gusto te cuento Un poco de nuestra historia.
Gladly, I’ll tell you a little about our history.
ratito
[rah-TEE-toh]
little while
Diminutive of 'rato', a short period of time.
Vuelvo en un ratito.
I'll be back in a little while.
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