Forums > Specific Focus > Learning Spanish

Georgia

Dec 10, 2006, 7:03 AM

Post #1 of 7 (2920 views)

Shortcut

Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

OK. I give up. Just when I think I get it, I realize I have no idea what most Mexicans are talking about when they refer to time .... a new one popped up for me the other day.

"Luego, luego" Now, as it is used where I live, it apparently means "right away." Or something like that. Whatever happened to "en seguida" or a host of other expressions that mean the same thing. What's with "luego, luego"??

And while I'm warmed to this topic, another usage here puzzled me at first: "al otro dia" meaning the next day.

Some day I will share my frustrations with the unique manner of giving road directions in Mexico.

esperanza

Dec 10, 2006, 7:36 AM

Post #2 of 7 (2916 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Georgia] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yep, luego luego is used everywhere I've been, too, from Tijuana to Guadalajara to Michoacán and the DF. It's one of those very popular modismos and covers every sort of hurry-up situation. En seguida--it's still around, but usually crops up in more formal settings. If you're at a restaurant and ask for a glass of water, you're most likely to hear "En seguida, señora." If you're asking the person next to you on the bus if such-and-such a medicine helped his/her rheumatism, you're more likely to hear, "Me la tomé y luego luego se me quitó el dolor."

Luego luego falls into the same category as ahorita (right away) and ahorita mismo (right this minute) and ahoritita mismo (if you don't start your homework in ONE SECOND FLAT, your bottom will regret it).

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Ed and Fran

Dec 11, 2006, 11:13 AM

Post #3 of 7 (2879 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Georgia] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

"Luego, luego" Now, as it is used where I live, it apparently means "right away." Or something like that. Whatever happened to "en seguida" or a host of other expressions that mean the same thing.

They've fallen by the wayside from disuse. If you don't have a lot of things that happen "right away" you don't need a lot of different phrases to describe that unlikley possibility.............

Years ago I learned a (very) little Indonesian when I was working there. I've lost almost all I ever learned, but one word has stuck with me throughout the years, a very important and frequently used word. It's 'belum', and it means "not yet'!

Regards

Ed

juditha16

Dec 11, 2006, 5:00 PM

Post #4 of 7 (2866 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Georgia] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

Okay, I understand "luego, luego" and "en seguida", but what does this mean?--

My cello teacher was in an accident and has had to cancel lessons for a while. When I asked when she thought she would be able to resume teaching she wrote, " Ya estaremos de nuevo en clases." Do you think I'll have a lesson soon??? Next week???? Someday, God-willing???? Just what does "Ya" mean? I thought it meant "now". ????

Judith

Ed and Fran

Dec 11, 2006, 5:08 PM

Post #5 of 7 (2864 views)

Shortcut

Re: [juditha16] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

I'd vote for "someday".

You'll just have to "fiddle around' while you wait..........

jerezano

Dec 11, 2006, 6:04 PM

Post #6 of 7 (2860 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ed and Fran] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hello juditha16,

Call your teacher up and try to schedule a lesson. Here in Zacatecas ya estarémos en lecciones means that We are giving classes again.

But it could be just wishful thinking. Still it would be worth while to find out.

Adiós. jerezano.

esperanza

Dec 11, 2006, 9:21 PM

Post #7 of 7 (2846 views)

Shortcut

Re: [juditha16] Mexican Time Expressions

Can't Post | Private Reply

"Ya" is one of those multi-purpose, far-ranging words. You're right, it does mean 'now'. But it also means 'yet', 'already', 'pretty soon', 'enough', 'almost', etc.

Examples: Ya veremos. Pretty soon we'll see.
Ya comiste? Did you eat yet?
Ya basta. Enough already.
Ya me voy. I'm leaving now.
Ya, ya, con esto tengo. Enough, enough, that's plenty for me.
Ya mero. It's almost...(done, time, here, etc).

My guess about what your cello teacher meant is 'pretty soon'. I say that because she used the future tense in what she wrote in her email: Ya estarémos de nuevo en clases. Check in with her again after the first of the year, if you haven't heard from her first.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

(This post was edited by esperanza on Dec 11, 2006, 9:23 PM)