How to Say ‘Later / in a little while’ in Mexican Spanish
Al rato
ahl RAH-toh
[ahl RAH-toh]
💬 Usage Tip: [Al rato] is flexible in Mexico: it can mean in a little while, later today, or just sometime later depending on context. You will hear the same pattern in [te llamo al rato] and [nos vemos al rato].
Phrase Breakdown
Al
[ahl]
later / in a little while
A contraction of a + el, used in expressions of time. In 'al rato,' it means 'later' or 'in a bit.'
Paso Al rato por el coche.
I'll come by for the car later.
rato
[RAH-toh]
while / little while
Means 'while' or 'a little while.' In 'al rato,' the full expression means 'later' or 'soon.'
Regreso en un rato después de cenar.
I'll return in a little while after dinner.
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