WHILE - Translation from English into Spanish

Oxford Spanish Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. while [Am (h)waɪl, Brit wʌɪl] CONJ

1. while (in time):

while: mientras

they like to sing while they work: les gusta cantar mientras trabajan

“keys cut while you wait”: “se hacen llaves al momento”

they don't drink while on duty: no beben cuando or mientras están de guardia

while I live, you need not worry about …: mientras viva or mientras yo esté, no tendrás que preocuparte de …

2. while (though):

while: aunque

while he's not exactly brilliant, he's a good student: aunque no es lo que se dice brillante, es buen estudiante

the situation, while tense, seems unlikely to lead to war: la situación aunque tensa, no es probable que lleve a una guerra

one must encourage them, while not raising their hopes unrealistically: hay que animarlos, pero sin crearles expectativas falsas

3. while (whereas):

while: mientras que

while: en tanto que form

I'm Catholic, while Debbie is Jewish: soy católico, mientras que Debbie es judía

I'm Catholic, while Debbie is Jewish: soy católico, en tanto que Debbie es judía form

II. while [Am (h)waɪl, Brit wʌɪl] N

1. while (period of time):

wait a while (a few days, weeks): espera un tiempo

wait a while (a few minutes, hours): espera un rato

wait a while (a very short period): espera un ratito or un momentito

it's a while since we had any news: hace tiempo que no tenemos noticias

a little while later he was back: al ratito or al poco rato estaba de vuelta

it's been a good while since we had any rain: hace bastante (tiempo) que no llueve

he was here a little while ago: hace un ratito estaba aquí

it happened a long while ago: pasó hace mucho (tiempo)

it took us quite a while to find it: tardamos bastante tiempo or un buen rato en encontrarlo

after a while she realized: después de or al cabo de un rato se dio cuenta

she knew all the while that he was dead: supo desde el principio que estaba muerto

I've been waiting all this while: hace tanto rato que estoy esperando

they lived in Spain for a while: vivieron un tiempo en España

sit down for a while: siéntate un rato or ratito

I'm just going out for a little while: voy a salir un ratito or momentito

for a while there, you had me really worried: me tuviste realmente preocupada un rato

I'll be back in a little while: enseguida vuelvo

she'll be here in a short while: llegará dentro de un ratito

I haven't tasted caviar in a very long while: hace mucho tiempo que no pruebo caviar

it's the first time in a long while that she's missed a meeting: es la primera vez en mucho tiempo que falta a una reunión

2. while in phrases:

(every) once in a while: de vez en cuando

(all) the while liter, arch, he told us endless lies, smiling (all) the while: nos dijo una mentira tras otra al tiempo que or mientras sonreía

I. worth [Am wərθ, Brit wəːθ] ADJ pred

1. worth (equal in value to):

to be worth: valer

it's worth a lot more than I paid for it: vale mucho más de lo que pagué por él

it's a nice coat, but it isn't worth the money: el abrigo es bonito, pero no como para pagar ese precio

goods worth £5, 000 were stolen: robaron mercancías por valor de 5.000 libras

she must be worth millions: debe ser millonaria

he was worth $20 million when he died: cuando murió tenía una fortuna de 20 millones de dólares

how much is it worth for me to keep quiet about it?: ¿cuánto me dan por no decir nada?

it's more than my job's worth to let you in: estoy arriesgando el puesto si te dejo entrar

she's worth ten of you: vale diez veces más que tú

it's worth nothing to me: para mí no vale nada

they ran for all they were worth: corrieron con todas sus fuerzas or a más no poder

for what it's worth: por si sirve de algo

this is my opinion, for what it's worth: esta es mi opinión, si es que a alguien le interesa

2. worth (worthy of):

the museum is worth a visit: vale or merece la pena visitar el museo

it's worth a try: vale or merece la pena intentarlo

it's well worth the risk: bien vale or merece la pena correr el riesgo

I don't think it's worth waiting for her any longer: creo que no vale la pena esperarla más

it might be worth checking whether they've received it: convendría comprobar si lo han recibido

it's not worth the trouble or the effort: no vale or no merece la pena molestarse

that's worth knowing: es bueno saberlo

don't argue with them, it isn't worth it: no discutas con ellos, no vale or no merece la pena

don't let him upset you, he isn't worth it: no te amargues por él, no vale la pena

it's not worth my while going into town for that: no me vale la pena or me compensa ir al centro para eso

it could be worth your while to make a friend of him: te convendría hacerte amigo suyo

you keep an eye on him, and I'll make it worth your while: tú vigílalo, que yo ya te compensaré

it doesn't make the trip worth his while: no le vale la pena or no le compensa hacer el viaje

if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well: si se hace un trabajo, hay que hacerlo bien

II. worth [Am wərθ, Brit wəːθ] N U

1. worth (equivalent):

$2, 000 dollars' worth of furniture: muebles por valor de 2.000 dólares

three years' worth of hard work: tres años de duro trabajo

2. worth:

worth (of thing): valor m

worth (of person): valía f

to prove one's worth: demostrar su (or mi etc.) valía

the car proved its worth on the long journey: en ese largo viaje nos dimos cuenta de lo bueno que era el coche

while away VB [Am (h)waɪl -, Brit wʌɪl -] (v + adv + o, v + o + adv)

we had a game of chess to while away the time: jugamos una partida de ajedrez para pasar el rato or matar el tiempo

she whiled away the hours by reading Anna Karenina: se entretuvo or mató el tiempo leyendo Ana Karenina

while-you-wait [ˌ(h)waɪljuˈweɪt] ADJ

while-you-wait: al minuto

“shoe repairs while-you-wait”: “reparaciones de calzado al minuto”

Spanish

English

durante la dulce espera: while I/she was expecting

molinete: spin (while holding hands)

durante la dentición: while teething

durante la dentición: while he/she is teething

ellos se enriquecen mientras Juan Bimba pasa hambre: they get rich while the poor man in the street goes hungry

ellos se enriquecen mientras Juan Bimba pasa hambre: they get rich while poor Joe Bloggs goes hungry Brit

mientras: while

entraron mientras dormíamos: they got in while we were asleep

mientras que (con valor adversativo): while

él ha ganado varios premios, mientras que su hermano es totalmente desconocido: he has won several awards while o whereas his brother is totally unknown

endenantes: a while ago

mientras él esté presente el tema de los salarios es inabordable: we cannot broach o tackle the question of salaries while he is present

in the PONS Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. while [waɪl] N

while: rato m

a short while: un ratito

quite a while: bastante tiempo

after a while: después de un tiempo

for a while: durante un rato

once in a while: de vez en cuando

II. while [waɪl] CONJ

1. while (during which time):

while: mientras

I did it while he was sleeping: lo hice mientras él dormía

while I live: mientras viva

2. while (although):

while: aunque

while I like it, I won't buy it: aunque me guste, no lo compraré

while I know it's true ...: a pesar de que sé que es verdad...

while away VB trans

while away: pasar

to while away the time: hacer tiempo

to make hay while the sun shines: aprovechar la oportunidad cuando se presenta

while the going is good: mientras las condiciones lo permitan

Spanish

English

llicta: potato meal cake (type of hard cake eaten while chewing coca to give flavour to the coca ball)

mientras (que): while

se acaloró al correr: he/she got hot (while) running

la ocasión la pintan calva prov: strike while the iron is hot prov

la ocasión la pintan calva prov: make hay while the sun shines prov

según: while

segar la hierba en verde: to cut the grass while it's green

in the PONS Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. while [hwaɪl] N

while: rato m

a short while: un ratito

quite a while: bastante tiempo

after a while: después de un tiempo

for a while: durante un rato

once in a while: de vez en cuando

II. while [hwaɪl] CONJ

1. while (during which time):

while: mientras

I did it while he was sleeping: lo hice mientras él dormía

while I'm alive: mientras (que yo) viva

2. while (although):

while: aunque

while I like it, I won't buy it: aunque me guste, no lo compraré

while I know it's true...: a pesar de que sé que es verdad...

while away VB trans

while away: pasar

to while away the time: hacer tiempo

while the going is good: mientras las condiciones lo permitan

to be worth sb's while it isn't worth my while: no me compensa

to make sth worth sb's while: compensar a alguien por algo

Spanish

English

llicta: potato meal cake (type of hard cake eaten while chewing coca to give flavor to the coca ball)

mientras (que): while

se acaloró al correr: he/she got hot (while) running

aquí te pillo, aquí te mato fig: to strike while the iron is hot

unos tienen la fama y otros cardan la lana prov: some do all the work while others get all the glory prov

según: while

Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

don't sing while I'm reading: no cantes mientras estoy leyendo [o mientras leo]

to be worth sb's while it isn't worth my while: no me compensa

for a while/a time: por un rato/un momento

I did it while he was sleeping: lo hice mientras él dormía

while I am at it: mientras lo estoy haciendo

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Oxford Spanish Dictionary

I. while [Am (h)waɪl, Brit wʌɪl] CONJ

1. while (in time):

2. while (though):

3. while (whereas):

II. while [Am (h)waɪl, Brit wʌɪl] N

1. while (period of time):

2. while in phrases:

I. worth [Am wərθ, Brit wəːθ] ADJ pred

1. worth (equal in value to):

2. worth (worthy of):

II. worth [Am wərθ, Brit wəːθ] N U

1. worth (equivalent):

2. worth:

while away VB [Am (h)waɪl -, Brit wʌɪl -] (v + adv + o, v + o + adv)

while-you-wait [ˌ(h)waɪljuˈweɪt] ADJ

in the PONS Dictionary

I. while [waɪl] N

II. while [waɪl] CONJ

1. while (during which time):

2. while (although):

while away VB trans

I. while [hwaɪl] N

II. while [hwaɪl] CONJ

1. while (during which time):

2. while (although):

while away VB trans

Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

Browse the dictionary

Look up "while" in other languages