Phrase · 🌸 Euphemism and tact
¿Me esperas tantito? Ya casi acabo.
Can you wait a sec? I'm nearly done.
C2softening a requestinformales-MXAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
¿Me2object pronounmeyo · 1st sing. · direct objectesperas2verbwill you wait foresperar · present · 2nd sing.tantito1adverba little bit?Ya3adverbnow (lit. already)casi3adverbalmostacabo3verbI'm finishing (lit. I finish)acabar · present · 1st sing..
- esperas → tantito: esperar + tantito
- Me → esperas: me: object of esperas
- Ya → acabo: ya casi + present: nearly done
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1tantito (Mexico) = a tiny bit, a moment: the diminutive of tanto softens the request. Also un ratito, un momentito. Word formation: diminutives, augmentatives, prefixes and -mente →
- 2A question in the present (¿me esperas?) is a softer request than the imperative espérame. Affirmative imperative →
- 3ya casi acabo = I'm nearly done: the present for an action about to finish.
Variations
- ¿Me esperas un ratito? Ya casi acabo.
- ¿Me esperas tantito? Ya mero termino.
- ¿Me esperas un momentito? Ya casi termino.