al rato — meaning & examples

Language: es

Meanings:

  • 1.

    Latin AmericaSpaincolloquialneutral
    • In a short time; shortly; a little later.
    • At a subsequent moment during the near future.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Al rato, Juan llegó con las entradas para el concierto que habíamos esperado.

      Shortly after, Juan arrived with the tickets for the concert we had been waiting for.

    • Voy a terminar este informe al rato y luego podemos revisar juntos los detalles.

      I will finish this report shortly and then we can review the details together.

    • ¿Puedes llamarme al rato? Estoy ocupado en este momento pero después estaré libre.

      Can you call me in a little while? I’m busy right now but will be free afterward.

    • Al rato de comenzar la reunión, recibimos una llamada urgente que cambió el plan.

      A little while after starting the meeting, we received an urgent call that changed the plan.

  • 2.

    Latin AmericaSpaincolloquialnarrative
    • After a while; later on (used to relate the next event in a sequence).
    • Eventually; some time after an earlier action or emotion.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Primero estuvo molesta, pero al rato se le pasó y volvió a sonreír.

      At first she was upset, but after a while it passed and she smiled again.

    • Al rato de escuchar la noticia, todos se tranquilizaron y siguieron con su trabajo.

      After a while of hearing the news, everyone calmed down and continued with their work.

    • El problema parecía grave, pero al rato se resolvió sin mayores complicaciones.

      The problem seemed serious, but later on it was solved without major complications.

Examples:

  • ES: Nos vemos al rato.
    EN: See you later.
    EN: Dig you later, boy.
  • ES: Tú dices "carcajada" y yo digo "risas". Tú dices "al rato" y yo digo "después".
    EN: ♪ You say laughter and I say laughter, you say after and I say after ♪
  • ES: Carcajada, risas, al rato, después.
    EN: ♪ Laughter, laughter, after, after.
  • ES: No sabía que una mujer podía hacerle esto a un hombre: Querer estrangularla y, al rato, querer casarse con ella.
    EN: I didn't know a woman could do this to a man... make him itch to strangle her one minute... and marry her the next.
  • ES: En realidad no fue gran cosa pero al rato apoyó su cabeza en mi hombro y miró a los que esperaban su turno, y dijo:
    EN: Oh, I guess it really wasn't much but after a while he put his head back on my shoulder and looked at all the men waiting their turns and said:
  • ES: Bueno, empecé a nadar en plena noche la cogí del brazo, al rato estaba cansado oí el silbato de un remolcador cerca de mí se me echó encima una barcaza me sujeté a la borda y me dejé llevar.
    EN: Good, I began to swim in full night I caught it of the arm, to the while it was tired I heard the whistle of a tug near me I was tossed above a barge I held myself to the overboard and I allowed myself to take.
  • ES: Lo veré al rato.
    EN: I'll see you in a while.
  • ES: ni me sorprendería que al rato me casara
    EN: nor would it surprise me that I soon married
  • ES: ¿Qué significa: "Nos vemos al rato"?
    EN: Qu'est-Ce Que c'est? Dig you later?
  • ES: Una chica se viste de seda y, al rato... un jovencito como tú está seguro de saber lo que hace.
    EN: A girl puts on a piece of silk, and the next thing that happens, a young fellow like you is sure he knows exactly what he's doing.
  • ES: Tengo miedo de sentarme y, al rato, recostarme.
    EN: I'm just afraid if I sit down, the next thing, I'll lie down.
  • ES: Hacía alarde de mis conocimientos marinos, y al rato hablábamos de amor y de sus síntomas.
    EN: One minute I was experting on the care and feeding of porpoises and the next thing I knew, we were talking about love. its symptoms.
  • ES: ¡Pero al rato se va!
    EN: But after a while he goes!
  • ES: El invitado es como el pez, que al rato huele mal.
    EN: A guest is like the fish, that smells bad after a while.
  • ES: Y al rato contestó. ¿Sabes qué?
    EN: After a while, he answered, You know what he said?
  • ES: Te espero al rato.
    EN: - Oh, I will. - Goodbye.
  • ES: Si, al rato te digo.
    EN: Yeah, i'll let you know later.
  • ES: No se te vaya a olvidar, y ya me voy porque al rato empieza la carrera.
    EN: Don't You forget, but I have to hurry off before the race starts.
  • ES: Tócala, y al rato la rompes.
    EN: Smash it, and soon it'll break.
  • ES: - Vuelvo al rato, nana.
    EN: - I'll be back in a moment.

Related Idioms

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