Kilo Lingo

el

masculine

/ˈɾato/

Line drawing of rato
Coloured illustration of rato
#820 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

a while, a moment, a short time

Word origin

From Latin raptus ('a snatching, a seizing'), the past participle of rapere ('to seize'). It means 'a while, a short time'.

Origin
Latin
Root
raptus
English cognates
rapt, rapture, rape

Grammar

Gendermasculine
Pluralratos

Examples

, atiendo.

Wait a while, I will finish with this in a moment and attend to you.

.

We left a while ago and he must already have arrived at the airport.

, .

Rest for a while before carrying on working, you have been going for hours.

buen .

We had a lovely time talking in the garden.

.

A short while later his mother appeared with dinner.

.

We spent a while waiting in the street.

Where this fits

Used in

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Spanish · Free printables

rato: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Spanish word "rato" (a while, a moment, a short time): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 17.