What does "ahorita" mean to you?

Question

Some people I know say it is the same as "ahora", and some say it is means something like "in a little bit"... for example, if I asked if we could go to the store, they would respond with "ahorita" -- In a little bit.

So, does it depend on your tone / how you use it?

For example,

Ahorita no -- Not right now

Ahorita vengo -- I'll be right back

---

EDIT: The people telling me this are all from Mexico. =)

• I'm glad you asked this. I've wondered about it too. - MLucie Nov 4, 2011

Answer 1

Ahora - ahorita are very curious expressions, because they're absolutely essential in the everyday speech of Latin Americans (I am not sure how it is used in Spain), but they may mean different things in different countries. Plus you have to add the variations...

Where I grew up, "Ahorita" means "right away" or "pretty soon". It can be further emphasized as "ahorita mismo" or "ahoritica mismo", which means "in a little bit", or "in a second".

In that same place, "Ahora" means "in a while", "later", or "yeah, I'll get to it (eventually)".

When I moved to Puerto Rico, I have to go through some difficult adjustments, because there it means completely the opposite. In Puerto Rico "Ahora" means "right now", and "ahorita" is - ..."later".

• Great answer, Gek. In Spain it's not used at all - cogumela Nov 4, 2011
• Really? My teacher speaks Puerto Rican Spanish and if she tells you to do something "ahorita" it means it had better be done before you even take your next breath. - bailarina95 Nov 4, 2011
• Believe you me. It has taken me a lot of effort to adapt to this. However, if she's a teacher, and she's outside of Puerto Rico, perhaps she is trying to teach you what she has learned is most widely used in the Latin American world. - Gekkosan Nov 4, 2011

Answer 2

In Bolivia Ahora means "sometime"

and

Ahorita means "sometime soon"

If you are lucky that is. N O W does not seem to exist here

• Not that this is relevant to anything, but weren't you going back "home"? - Gekkosan Nov 4, 2011
• gotta love latinos' perspective on "time" :) - sullivanbcsc Nov 4, 2011
• @ Gekko - yes I am end of December. - ian-hill Nov 4, 2011
• @ Sullivan -one gets use to it - and it can be very good for one's well being. - ian-hill Nov 4, 2011

Answer 3

In English, presently has the same "double meaning."

• Yeah... but "presently" is much more formal than "ahorita". In informal English, we need to look at something like "innaminet" as a closer equivalent. - Gekkosan Nov 4, 2011
• In South African English they use, now-now; now; and just now which in American English is right now, in a bit, pretty soon. - katydew Nov 4, 2011
• Yes it is too formal, not sure if they even use it in the US. - Deanski Nov 4, 2011
• Hi Danski - yes they do use it in the USA but often they mean "now" (at present) whereas I think it means "soon" - ian-hill Nov 4, 2011

Answer 4

México

1) Ahora mismo 2) Más tarde 3) Nunca

Ahora mismo:

Llámale ahorita!

Quiero el informe ahorita!

Recoge tu cuarto ahorita!

Ahorita me visto y voy para allá!

Ahoritita acaba de salir!

Ahorita va a llover!

Más tarde:

Ahorita voy.

Un momento, por favor. Ahorita lo atiendo.

No se vaya, ahorita vuelvo.

Ahorita vengo.

Nunca:

Ahorita lo compongo.

Dígale que ahorita voy para allá.

Sí, mamá, ahorita...*

• La mamá contesta: Ahorita es ahorita!

link text

link text

• Good ones... thanks for the examples! - NikkiRivera Nov 7, 2011
• I agree with you luis! lol - Rey_Mysterio Nov 7, 2011

Answer 5

For me, ¨ahorita¨ means ¨later¨ and ¨ahora¨ means ¨right now¨.

Answer 6

your example of going to the store is correct. Thats how many people from where i come from would say it. Ahorita lo hago > I'll do it a little later. Ahorita lo digo > I'm going to tell him a little later. Ahora lo voy a hacer > I'm going to do it now. Ahora lo voy a avisar lo que paso > Im going to let him know what happened now. Voy a sacar una foto al rato (yo ucan also use ahorita in this sentence) > Im going to take a foto in a while.

Answer 7

To be more specific... how does it vary in Mexico?

• I believe in Mexico it is used as I first described: "ahorita" - right away, "ahora" - later. - Gekkosan Nov 4, 2011
• As Gekkosan says. - LuisCacheux Nov 7, 2011
• Yes, where I spend time in Mexico (State of Guanajuato) it's as Gekko and Luis say. - Jeremias Nov 7, 2011