Ahorita

Does “ahorita” mean right now or later?

In most cases, ahorita can either pertain to the present moment or serve as an imprecise reference to some future time. This is the Mexican word that could have you waiting a couple of minutes, a couple days, or even forever. It’s so vague that you’ll never know how long you’ll have to wait.

Classic examples…

When someone says ‘Ahorita Vengo’ (I’ll be back soon). Chances are they’re not coming back right away. When they do come back, it won’t be for a few hours.

Ahorita voy para alla (I’m leaving to go there soon) or Ahorita llego (I’m arriving soon). This is a classic line when you are planning on meeting a group of people. When you hear this this version, the actual meaning is the person hasn’t even left their house, yet. They’re probably just about to get themselves ready.

Ahorita le atiendo (I’ll be with you shortly). Used in restaurants, offices or any service oriented locations. Depending on the service, get ready to wait anywhere between 5-30 minutes. And if you’re in a hospital or government building, this could be hours.

Ahorita lo hago (I’ll do it soon). Very commonly used with tradespeople. For example, a mechanic, plumber, electrician may use this line to describe they’re almost done with a task. But this could mean the work may get done in minutes, hours or even days.

Sí, ahorita (Yeah, in a minute). This is used in the context of having to do something like cleaning up a mess, or taking out the garbage. This is a teenager’s favorite line as a way to say ‘yeah, later’. But there’s no way of knowing when it’ll get done.

In Closing

Ahorita will either refer to present moment or it will be a vague reference to some point in the future. It’s versatility can be tricky to understand if you’ve never heard it before. But if you learn how to use it correctly, it can really help your Spanish sound more authentic!

Source Article: “Why do Mexicans say ‘ahorita’,” by Where Sidewalks End Travel Company, no known author.