mientras
Spanish
Alternative forms
- mientre (obsolete)
Etymology
From earlier demientre, from Old Spanish domientre, influenced by the preposition de and adverbial -s (cf. a cuestas), from Late Latin dum interim.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmjentɾas/ [ˈmjẽn̪.t̪ɾas]
- Rhymes: -entɾas
- Syllabification: mien‧tras
Adverb
mientras
- meanwhile
Derived terms
- mientras tanto
Conjunction
mientras
- (with the indicative) while, whilst, as (at the same time as)
- Synonym: en cuanto
- Quédate aquí con los chicos mientras hablo con la gerente.
- Stay here with the kids while I talk with the manager.
- (with the subjunctive) as long as, so long as (expressing a condition)
- Synonym: con tal que
- Mientras llueva, me quedaré en casa.
- As long as it rains, I'll stay at home.
- (with the indicative) while, whereas (indicating difference)
- (with comparatives) however much; however many; (constructing parallel comparatives) “the..., the...”
- Synonym: cuanto
- Mientras más lo hago, más me gusta.
- The more I do it, the more I like it.
Derived terms
- mientras que
Further reading
- “mientras”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
- “mientras” in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas, primera edición, Real Academia Española, 2005.
Anagrams
- mentiras, mentirás, terminas