Is the word "Ahora" only used in Colombia to mean "Later on"

perezoso says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:15:

For lack of a better way of putting it, ahorita means sooner than ahora, but it might not mean "immediately":

ahora = "pretty soon", "in a few minutes", "in a little while" (yes, even though it literally means "now").

ahorita = "right now", but in some contexts, "right now" might mean "after I'm done with this", or "in a minute".

You can also say "ahora mismo", which means "right now"; but gringos insisting on "ahora mismo" leave a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths. Use with caution.

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Iowano says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:22:

Obviously you have not purchased complete unabridged bilingual dictionaries. Allow me to illustrate:

term standard definition Colombian definition


pronto soon in a few days

ahora now maybe later today

ahorita sooner than now probably in about 20 minutes or so

ya already most likely within 10 minutes

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gamm2 says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:22:

haha this makes me laugh.... From my year in Mexico, I would say ahora does mean now and its ahorita that has a much wider definition.

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Iowano says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:22:

dang, my tabbed columns disappeared.

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Colombiareports.com says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:37:

There's also "de una", which I believe means "right away", but I'm still figuring out where in the time frame to put it. Also you can say "ahora más tarde" which means "sometime today", which could mean anything. I'm feeling confused. :-)

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minina says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:39:

If you want something done right now you have to say something like: En este mismo momento, en este instante.

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Chriscan says on Jul 15, 2008, 11:43:

my wife drives me crazy with this

************* WARNING ************* my words often come from my ass

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kernow62 says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:24:

We have something in Cornwall that equates I think. Dreckly which is how locals pronounce directly, which basically means whenever we get around to it.

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paulr says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:29:

Don´t get me started on aqui, aca, alli, alla. If i say to a taxi driver, para aqui por favor, he always replys, para aca? and visa versa.

Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

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gato-bandido says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:31:

You can also say "ya" to mean "right now". "Ahorita" is sooner than "ahora" but can still take a while... LOL

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Monita Linda says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:40:

Ahorita can be in a few hours....

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jorgegdiaz says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:41:

Since we are on topic, mañana means in a few days.

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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nueva york bombero says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:42:

So this thread will keep going ....ahorita o ahora? o despues???

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Lisa Zee says on Jul 15, 2008, 12:48:

Va pa largo.

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Mononoke28 says on Jul 15, 2008, 13:08:

In Colombian terms:

Ahora = later
Mañana = in a few days
Vamos a ver = NEVER

Diana

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Lisa Zee says on Jul 15, 2008, 13:10:

LOL

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beisbollover says on Jul 15, 2008, 13:32:

Does anyone know if ahora is used the same way in other Spanish speaking countries?

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la campiña says on Jul 15, 2008, 13:57:

AHORITA is very common

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jorgegdiaz says on Jul 15, 2008, 14:23:

ahora mismo no se...

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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paisa29 says on Jul 15, 2008, 14:32:

eso depende del sitio y del contexto, en México y algunos paises de centro-america significa ya mismo, pero en Colombia todo depende...

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papiChulo says on Jul 15, 2008, 15:22:

I believe "ahorita" means... very soon and not in your F&*kin life-time... :)

"Don´t get me started on aqui, aca, alli, alla. If i say to a taxi driver, para aqui por favor, he always replys, para aca? and visa versa"... Paur I'm glad you posted that LOL... never could understand that too.

you'll never go before your time

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deathnova says on Jul 15, 2008, 15:34:

I remember thinking in Panama "WTH, you said ahorita like two hours ago" on a daily basis.

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pedro says on Jul 15, 2008, 18:10:

I always understood "ahora" to mean sooner than "ahorita"?

What about "en seguida", where does that rank?

que nota!

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paisa29 says on Jul 15, 2008, 18:59:

En seguida... la casa o la tienda del lado... jajaja

Hola Pedro! Como estas? estas en Medellín?

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lanegrapaisa says on Jul 15, 2008, 19:38:

colombiareports.com : "de una" is used to express either a sense of urgency or agreement.
vamos, pero "de una" let's go, but now! also if someone says..entonces que? un guarito? you will most likely hear the answer... "de una" meaning you want a "guaro" ...you bet!

Hasta el santo Papa tira peos!

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lanegrapaisa says on Jul 15, 2008, 19:40:

Oh, also, ahora can mean earlier today, like...when did you buy that? ahora or ahorita, would mean you bought it just a while ago.

Hasta el santo Papa tira peos!

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Robert Jorge says on Jul 15, 2008, 22:19:

One of the first words I learned to use was "ya". I learned ahora didn't carry a sense of urgency. But "YA!!" - that got the message across .... that I meant "right now" - or faster. Of course, it could still take a week to 10 days in Colombia.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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christobeldawg says on Jul 15, 2008, 22:21:

ahorra mismo means right now, as in in a day or two or three. jaja

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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Lcacique says on Jul 15, 2008, 23:21:

Mononke: "Vamos a ver = NEVER"

I'm pretty sure that si Dios quiere also means NEVER.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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dwmte7 says on Jul 16, 2008, 00:11:

it's what my wife says, when she's shinning me on....when's dinner? ahora

dwmte

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chester says on Jul 16, 2008, 02:36:

isn't it terrible?

you're all ready to go, and then they say 'ahora' and you get all excited since you think you're now going to go ....and then you sit on your ass for hours and hours more.

I don't recall other spanish speaking countries using the word in the same manner.

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paisa29 says on Jul 16, 2008, 10:42:

AHORA yo tengo una duda... cuando alguien te dice: talk to you later, eso significa mas tarde el mismo día o en otra oportunidad?

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dwmte7 says on Jul 16, 2008, 12:19:

for some reason, paisita....i feel i've been living with you for the last 20 yearss...is your name luz stella...jeje

dwmte

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paisa29 says on Jul 16, 2008, 12:23:

Douglas... 20 years ago I was almost a child. jajaja

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Mononoke28 says on Jul 16, 2008, 13:34:

"Talk to you later" puede ser cuando sea pero no en este preciso momento. Puede ser más tarde, mañana, la semana entrante... cuando sea.

Diana

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paisa29 says on Jul 16, 2008, 13:47:

Gracias

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dwmte7 says on Jul 16, 2008, 15:09:

almost? waiting to reincarnate or still in the thoughtform stage?

dwmte

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beisbollover says on Jul 16, 2008, 15:44:

So the bottom line is that the word "ahora" which translates in English to "now" is used in Colombia as a word that would translate into "later-on, soon, maybe, just wait". And in fact, there is no word in Colombian Spanish that translates from the English word "now". "Now" just doesn't exist in the vocabulary of Colombian Spanish.

This is a concept difficult to understand for me and I think for most Americans. However, the beauty of being in love with Colombia is partly altering ones perspective of life.

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jonny305 says on Jul 16, 2008, 20:41:

lol i always wondered about this thanks

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Robert Jorge says on Jul 16, 2008, 22:50:

"ya" is "now"

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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lpdiver says on Jul 17, 2008, 03:55:

listo?

ts

"cook some rice!"

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Cerealkiller says on Jul 17, 2008, 04:48:

If you want things done right away say "ya" there is no other word in Colombia which conveys the message in a clearer manner.
Ahora/ Ahorita means later
Ahora mismo means right away but it is seldom used in Colombia
Ahi vamos viendo / En estos dias means tough titties, not happening.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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lpdiver says on Jul 17, 2008, 05:31:

pronto?

ts

"cook some rice!"

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Cerealkiller says on Jul 17, 2008, 05:33:

listo = alright, yes, deal
Pronto= soon, but thats even more cryptic than the rest. Pronto could be tomorrow on next year.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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dwmte7 says on Jul 17, 2008, 07:44:

pronto...next year. that's what my wife means when she says 'ahora' when i want a fix on dinner time.

dwmte

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dwmte7 says on Jul 17, 2008, 07:45:

ahora...that's colombianese for a shine on.

dwmte

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sophosmoros says on Aug 25, 2008, 09:53:

I grew up understanding the word "ahora" to mean "today." That's how my family (from El Salvador) has always used it. It wasn't until recently that I realized that it translated into english as "now." Some people I know from Mexico use "ahora" as "now" and "hoy" as "today." I'm always having to correct myself when speaking to them.

There is no ambiguity in the word "ya." It absolutely means "now." Also, we always used "ahorita" to mean "right now" and "ahoritita" as an exaggerated form to mean, "right now, I'm not kidding."

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