esperar

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Verb

esperar (first-person singular indicative present espero, past participle esperáu)

1. to wait
2. to hope
3. to expect

Conjugation

Conjugation of esperar

infinitive		esperar
gerund		esperando
past participle		m esperáu, f esperada, n esperao, m pl esperaos, f pl esperaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	espero	esperes	espera	esperamos	esperáis	esperen
	imperfect	esperaba	esperabes	esperaba	esperábemos, esperábamos	esperabeis, esperabais	esperaben
	preterite	esperé	esperasti, esperesti	esperó	esperemos	esperastis, esperestis	esperaron
	pluperfect	esperare, esperara	esperares, esperaras	esperare, esperara	esperáremos, esperáramos	esperareis, esperarais	esperaren, esperaran
	future	esperaré	esperarás	esperará	esperaremos	esperaréis	esperarán
	conditional	esperaría	esperaríes	esperaría	esperaríemos, esperaríamos	esperaríeis, esperaríais	esperaríen
subjunctive	present	espere	esperes, esperas	espere	esperemos	esperéis	esperen, esperan
	imperfect	esperare, esperara	esperares, esperaras	esperare, esperara	esperáremos, esperáramos	esperareis, esperarais	esperaren, esperaran
imperative		—	espera	—	—	esperái	—

---

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [əs.pəˈɾa]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [es.peˈɾaɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

esperar (first-person singular present espero, first-person singular preterite esperí, past participle esperat)

1. to wait, wait for, await
2. to hope
3. to expect

Derived terms

• esperar-se

Related terms

• esperança

Further reading

• “esperar” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “esperar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

---

Galician

Alternative forms

• asperar

Etymology

From Old Galician and Old Galician-Portuguese esperar, asperar (13th century, Cantigas de Santa María), from Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [espeˈɾaɾ]

Verb

1. to wait

   Synonym: agardar

2. to hope

Related terms

• espera
• esperanza

 

Further reading

• “esperar”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “esperar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “esper”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “esperar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “esperar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “esperar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

---

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from Esperanto esperi, French espérer, Italian sperare, Spanish esperar, all from Latin spērō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /espeˈrar/

Verb

esperar (present tense esperas, past tense esperis, future tense esperos, imperative esperez, conditional esperus)

1. to hope

Conjugation

    Conjugation of esperar

		present		past		future
infinitive		esperar		esperir		esperor
tense		esperas		esperis		esperos
conditional		esperus
imperative		esperez
adjective active participle		esperanta		esperinta		esperonta
adverbial active participle		esperante		esperinte		esperonte
nominal active participle	singular	esperanto		esperinto		esperonto
	plural	esperanti		esperinti		esperonti
adjective passive participle		esperata		esperita		esperota
adverbial passive participle		esperate		esperite		esperote
nominal passive participle	singular	esperato		esperito		esperoto
	plural	esperati		esperiti		esperoti

Derived terms

• desesperigar (“to drive to despair; to dishearten, depress, despond”)

---

Occitan

Etymology

From Old Occitan, from Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Verb

esperar

1. to hope
2. to wait

Conjugation

    Lengadocian (Central Occitan)

		simple			compound
infinitive		esperar			aver esperat
gerund		esperant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		esperat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	esperi	esperas	espera	esperam	esperatz	esperan
	imperfect	esperavi	esperavas	esperava	esperàvem	esperàvetz	esperavan
	preterite	esperèri	esperères	esperèt	esperèrem	esperèretz	esperèron
	future	esperarai	esperaràs	esperarà	esperarem	esperaretz	esperaràn
	conditional	esperariái	esperariás	esperariá	esperariam	esperariatz	esperarián
	conditional 2nd form1	esperèra	esperèras	esperèra	espereram	espereratz	esperèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	espere	esperes	espere	esperem	esperetz	esperen
	imperfect	esperèssi	esperèsses	esperèsse	esperèssem	esperèssetz	esperèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			espera		esperem	esperatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Auvernhàs

		simple			compound
infinitive		esperar			aver esperat
gerund		esperant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		esperat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	espere	esperes	espera	esperam	esperatz	esperon
	imperfect	esperave	esperaves	esperava	esperaviam	esperaviatz	esperavon
	preterite	esperere	espereres	esperet	esperem	esperetz	espereron
	future	esperarai	esperaràs	esperará	esperarem	esperaretz	esperarán
	conditional	esperariá	esperariás	esperariá	esperariam	esperariatz	esperarián
	conditional 2nd form1	esperèra	esperèras	esperèra	espereram	espereratz	esperèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	espere	esperes	espere	esperassiam	esperassiatz	esperon
	imperfect	esperesse	esperesses	esperesse	esperessiam	esperessiatz	esperesson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			espera		esperassiam	esperatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Gascon

		simple			compound
infinitive		esperar			aver esperat
gerund		esperant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		esperat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	esperi	esperas	espera	esperam	esperatz	esperan
	imperfect	esperavi	esperavas	esperava	esperàvam	esperàvatz	esperavan
	preterite	esperèi	esperès	esperè	esperèm	esperètz	esperèn
	future	esperarèi	esperaràs	esperarà	esperaram	esperaratz	esperaràn
	conditional	esperarí	esperarés	esperaré	esperarem	esperaretz	esperarén
	conditional 2nd form1	esperèra	esperèras	esperèra	espereram	espereratz	esperèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	esperi	esperes	espere	esperem	esperetz	esperen
	imperfect	esperèssi	esperèsses	esperèsse	esperèssem	esperèssetz	esperèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			espera		esperem	esperatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Lemosin

		simple			compound
infinitive		esperar			aver esperat
gerund		esperant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		esperat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	espere	esperas	espera	esperam	esperatz	esperan
	imperfect	esperava	esperavas	esperava	esperàvam	esperàvatz	esperavan
	preterite	esperei	espereras	esperet	esperèram	esperèratz	espereran
	future	esperarai	esperaràs	esperará	esperarem	esperaretz	esperarán
	conditional	esperariá	esperariàs	esperariá	esperariam	esperariatz	esperarián
	conditional 2nd form1	esperèra	esperèras	esperèra	espereram	espereratz	esperèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	espere	esperes	espere	esperem	esperetz	esperen
	imperfect	esperèsse	esperèsses	esperèsse	esperèssem	esperèssetz	esperèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			espera		esperem	esperatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Provençau

		simple			compound
infinitive		esperar			aver esperat
gerund		esperant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		esperat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	espere	esperes	espera	esperam	esperatz	esperan
	imperfect	esperavi	esperavas	esperava	esperàvem	esperàvetz	esperavan
	preterite	esperère	esperères	esperèt	espereriam	espereriatz	esperèron
	future	esperarai	esperaràs	esperarà	esperarem	esperaretz	esperaràn
	conditional	esperariáu	esperariás	esperariá	esperariam	esperariatz	esperarián
	conditional 2nd form1	esperèra	esperèras	esperèra	espereram	espereratz	esperèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	espere	esperes	espere	esperem	esperetz	esperan
	imperfect	esperèsse	esperèsses	esperèsse	esperessiam	esperessiatz	esperèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			espera		esperem	esperatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

Related terms

• esperança

---

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese esperar, asperar, from Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɨʃ.pɨ.ˈɾaɾ/, /iʃ.pɨ.ˈɾaɾ/, /ʃpɨ.ˈɾaɾ/
• IPA^(key): /is.pe.ˈɾa(ʁ)/, [ɪs̻.pë.ˈɾä(χ)]

Verb

1. to wait
   2. Template:indtr to wait (for); to await

      Eu espero por sua resposta. ― I await your response.

      Fiquei esperando no carro. ― I waited in the car.

      Synonym: aguardar

   4. (transitive, auxiliary with a verb in the personal infinitive as the second object) to wait for (not to do anything until)

      Espere o João chegar. ― Wait for John to arrive.

      Synonym: aguardar

2. to hope
   2. Template:indtr to hope for (to really want something)

      Eles esperam pelo fim da guerra. ― They hope for the end of the war.

   4. Template:indtr to hope (that) someone does something

      Eu espero que gostes do presente. ― I hope you like the gift.

   6. (auxiliary with a verb in the personal or impersonal infinitive) to hope something can be done

      Esperávamos comer alguma coisa hoje. ― We were hoping to eat something today.

4. Template:indtr to expect; to anticipate (to know or think that something will happen)

   É melhor do que eu esperava. ― It is better than I expected.

   Eu já esperava por isso mesmo. ― I was expecting this anyway.

   Synonym: aguardar

Further reading

• “esperar” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913

---

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin spērāre, present active infinitive of spērō (“hope, expect”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, to turn out well”).

Distant cognate with English speed (both terms having the same Proto-Indo-European root but speed descending via Proto-Germanic).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /espeˈɾaɾ/ [es.peˈɾaɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

esperar (first-person singular present espero, first-person singular preterite esperé, past participle esperado)

1. (transitive) to hope for, hope to (often with a verb in the subjunctive)

   Espera que no sea necesario. ― He hopes it won't be necessary.

2. (transitive) to expect, look for (often with a verb in the indicative)

   Espera que no sea fácil. ― He expects it isn't easy.

3. (transitive) to wait to, wait for, await

   Por favor espera aquí. ― Please wait here.

4. (intransitive, reflexive) to wait, to hold on (reflexive for emphatic use)
5. (intransitive) to hope
6. (intransitive) to expect (a baby)
7. (reflexive) to be expected, to expect (impersonal use)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of esperar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			esperar
gerund			esperando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		esperado		esperada
		plural		esperados		esperadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	espero	esperastú esperásvos	espera	esperamos	esperáis	esperan
	imperfect	esperaba	esperabas	esperaba	esperábamos	esperabais	esperaban
	preterite	esperé	esperaste	esperó	esperamos	esperasteis	esperaron
	future	esperaré	esperarás	esperará	esperaremos	esperaréis	esperarán
	conditional	esperaría	esperarías	esperaría	esperaríamos	esperaríais	esperarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	espere	esperestú esperésvos2	espere	esperemos	esperéis	esperen
	imperfect (ra)	esperara	esperaras	esperara	esperáramos	esperarais	esperaran
	imperfect (se)	esperase	esperases	esperase	esperásemos	esperaseis	esperasen
	future1	esperare	esperares	esperare	esperáremos	esperareis	esperaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		esperatú esperávos	espere	esperemos	esperad	esperen
	negative		no esperes	no espere	no esperemos	no esperéis	no esperen

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of esperar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive esperar
	dative	esperarme	esperarte	esperarle, esperarse	esperarnos	esperaros	esperarles, esperarse
	accusative	esperarme	esperarte	esperarlo, esperarla, esperarse	esperarnos	esperaros	esperarlos, esperarlas, esperarse
with gerund esperando
	dative	esperándome	esperándote	esperándole, esperándose	esperándonos	esperándoos	esperándoles, esperándose
	accusative	esperándome	esperándote	esperándolo, esperándola, esperándose	esperándonos	esperándoos	esperándolos, esperándolas, esperándose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative espera
	dative	espérame	espérate	espérale	espéranos	not used	espérales
	accusative	espérame	espérate	espéralo, espérala	espéranos	not used	espéralos, espéralas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative esperá
	dative	esperame	esperate	esperale	esperanos	not used	esperales
	accusative	esperame	esperate	esperalo, esperala	esperanos	not used	esperalos, esperalas
with formal second-person singular imperative espere
	dative	espéreme	not used	espérele, espérese	espérenos	not used	espéreles
	accusative	espéreme	not used	espérelo, espérela, espérese	espérenos	not used	espérelos, espérelas
with first-person plural imperative esperemos
	dative	not used	esperémoste	esperémosle	esperémonos	esperémoos	esperémosles
	accusative	not used	esperémoste	esperémoslo, esperémosla	esperémonos	esperémoos	esperémoslos, esperémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative esperad
	dative	esperadme	not used	esperadle	esperadnos	esperaos	esperadles
	accusative	esperadme	not used	esperadlo, esperadla	esperadnos	esperaos	esperadlos, esperadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative esperen
	dative	espérenme	not used	espérenle	espérennos	not used	espérenles, espérense
	accusative	espérenme	not used	espérenlo, espérenla	espérennos	not used	espérenlos, espérenlas, espérense

Derived terms

• de aquí te espero
• esperar con interés (“to look forward, to eagerly await”)

Related terms

• asperar
• desesperar
• espera
• esperado
• esperanza f

 

See also

• aguardar
• ojalá

Further reading

• “esperar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014