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"At the time" is a phrase which is often translated as "en ese entonces", and "while" is a conjunction which is often translated as "mientras". Learn more about the difference between "at the time" and "while" below.
at the time(
aht
 
thuh
 
taym
)
A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
phrase
a. en ese entonces
I wasn't lying when I told her I loved her. It was true, at the time.No mentía cuando le decía que la amaba. Era cierto, en ese entonces.
b. en ese momento
My friends asked me to go to the football game with them, but I was busy at the time.Mis amigos me invitaron al partido de fútbol americano, pero estaba ocupado en ese momento.
c. por entonces
I was young, and at the time, the only food I liked was pizza.Era joven, y por entonces, la única comida que me gustaba era la pizza.
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while(
wayl
)
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., The cat and the dog slept.).
conjunction
a. mientras
I love listening to music while I clean the house.Me encanta escuchar música mientras limpio la casa.
a. mientras
You will keep your job while I am the boss.Mientras yo sea el jefe, mantendrás tu trabajo.
a. aunque
While he is a good match, her parents do not like him.Aunque sea un buen partido, a los padres de ella no les gusta.
a. mientras que
I love the mountains while my husband prefers the sea.Me encantan las montañas mientras que mi marido prefiere el mar.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
noun
a. el rato
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
After a while, I realized I was on the wrong bus.Después de un rato, me di cuenta de que estaba en el autobús equivocado.
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