yo esperaba

was waiting, was hoping

→ esperar
esper to wait (for) + aba imperfect indicative: I/he/she
verb · first singular · imperfect indicative Common #2,394
was waiting, was hoping Imperfect past tense (yo/él/ella/usted). Often describes an ongoing past action or background situation.
SP: Yo esperaba el autobús cuando empezó a llover.
EN: I was waiting for the bus when it started to rain.
Conjugation of esperar
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First esperaba esperábamos
Second esperabas —
Third esperaba esperaban
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
First esperaba esperábamos
Second esperabas —
Third esperaba esperaban

El abogado esperaba a Ben.

The lawyer was waiting for Ben.

Detrás de la puerta, la riqueza lo esperaba.

Wealth awaited him behind the door.

La tarea me tomó más tiempo del que esperaba.

The task took me longer than I expected.

Tom esperaba ver a Mary.

Tom was hoping to see Mary.

El abogado le esperaba.

The lawyer was waiting for him.

Esperaba a su amado.

She was waiting for her beloved.

— Nosferatu (1922)

No lo esperaba.

I didn't expect it.

Sin embargo, el coche que te esperaba era el mismo que te dejó.

However, the car that was waiting for you was the same one that dropped you off.

— Ahora me ves 3 (2025)

Esperaba encontrar huellas dactilares en el paraguas, pero no ha habido suerte.

I was hoping to find fingerprints on the umbrella, but no luck.

— Memories of Murder (Crónica de un asesino en serie) (2003)

Él sabía qué destino le esperaba.

He knew what fate awaited him.

Ella esperaba ansiosa el regreso de su esposo.

She anxiously awaited her husband's return.

Esperaba que vinieras.

I was hoping you'd come.

Esperaba sorprenderte.

I hoped to surprise you.

Sólo dije que esperaba dejar de vender coches y retirarme al campo.

I just said I hoped to stop selling cars and retire to the countryside.

— Rebeca (1940)

Te esperaba más tarde, apenas acabo de salir del trabajo.

I was expecting you later, I just got off work.

— Sin amor (2017)

Todo el curso esperaba al nuevo profesor.

The whole class was waiting for the new teacher.

Esperaba ir contigo.

I was hoping to go with you.

— Happy Together (1997)

Esperaba verte aquí hoy.

I was hoping to see you here today.

Esperaba más de vos.

I expected more from you.

Yo misma, no lo esperaba de sí.

I myself didn't expect it from him.

— Moscú no cree en las lágrimas (1980)

Es exactamente como esperaba.

It’s exactly as I expected.

Esperaba prescindir de esto.

I was hoping to do without this.

— La cinta blanca (2009)

Vi un accidente de tránsito mientras esperaba al bus.

I saw a traffic accident while waiting for the bus.

Os esperaba.

I was waiting for you.

Los resultados del examen no son los que esperaba.

The exam results are not what I expected.

Tom esperaba algo muy diferente.

Tom was expecting something very different.

Eso no me lo esperaba.

I didn't expect that.

No los esperaba tan pronto.

I wasn't expecting them so soon.

— Deseando amar (2000)

Le esperaba, pero no tan pronto.

I was expecting him, but not so soon.

Falleció repentinamente, cuando menos se lo esperaba.

He died suddenly, when it was least expected.

— Vivir (1952)

Lo hizo mejor de lo que cualquiera esperaba.

He did better than anyone expected.

Esperaba algo peor.

I expected something worse.

El hombre que esperaba el autobús perdió la paciencia.

The man waiting for the bus lost his patience.

Tenoch, se disculpó, su novia lo esperaba para ir al cine.

Tenoch apologized; his girlfriend was waiting for him to go to the movies.

— Y tu mamá también (2001)

No ha salido tal y como esperaba.

It didn't turn out the way I expected.

— Chicago (2002)

Eso es lo que esperaba de mi hija.

That's what I expected from my daughter.

Esperaba esa pregunta dentro de media hora.

I was expecting that question in half an hour.

Una multitud esperaba verlo.

A crowd was waiting to see him.

Fue más corto de lo que él esperaba.

It was shorter than he expected.

Es la última persona que esperaba en mi puerta.

He is the last person I expected at my door.

— Caché (Escondido) (2005)

Esperaba tener éxito.

I expected to succeed.

Te esperaba.

I was waiting for you.

— Moscú no cree en las lágrimas (1980)

Él esperaba verme.

He expected to see me.

— Roofman: Un ladrón en el tejado (2025)

Esperaba más de ella.

I expected more from her.

Sí, no esperaba dormir hasta tan tarde.

Yes, I didn't expect to sleep in so late.

— Psicosis (1960)

Esperaba volver a verla.

I was hoping to see her again.

Esperaba no tener que hacer esto.

I hoped I wouldn't have to do this.

— Campo de sueños (1989)

Si me hubiesen pedido una cita los esperaba con un café.

If they had asked me for a date, I would have waited for them with a coffee.

— El secreto de sus ojos (2009)

En los brazos del cielo la luna esperaba sola.

In the arms of the sky, the moon waited alone.

— Devdas (2002)

Perdí a mis niños en la multitud que esperaba el último barco hacia la libertad.

I lost my children in the crowd waiting for the last boat to freedom.

Tom esperaba ganar el primer premio.

Tom was hoping to win first prize.

¡Sí! ¡Por fin llegó el paquete que esperaba!

Yes! The package I was waiting for has finally arrived!

Tu madre te esperaba pacientemente.

Your mother was waiting patiently for you.

Y esperaba morir aquí también.

And I expected to die here too.

— Whistle: El silbido del mal (2026)

Bueno, eso no me lo esperaba para nada.

Well, I wasn't expecting that at all.

Tom esperaba salir temprano pero se durmió.

Tom had hoped to leave early but he overslept.

Me lo esperaba.

I expected it.

Esperaba a Favell, pero no había venido.

I was expecting Favell, but he hadn't arrived.

— Rebeca (1940)

No lo esperaba nadie.

No one expected it.

— Los lunes al sol (2002)

Esperaba convencerlo de que viniera conmigo.

I hoped to convince him to come with me.

— Campo de sueños (1989)

Ella esperaba a su amante en la estación.

She was waiting for her lover at the station.

Esperaba que vinieras tú.

I was hoping you would come.

— Thirst (2009)

Mientras esperaba a Kate vi a Bob y a Mary.

While I was waiting for Kate, I saw Bob and Mary.

Lo esperaba.

I was expecting it.

Esperaba sorprender a Tom.

I hoped to surprise Tom.

Te esperaba la semana pasada.

I was expecting you last week.

— El señor de los anillos: La comunidad del anillo (2001)

Tom comió mucho más de lo que esperaba.

Tom ate much more than he expected.

Esperaba hacer amigos cerca de su lugar de trabajo.

He hoped to make friends near his workplace.

Nadie esperaba tal derrota rápida para el luchador ruso.

No one expected such a quick defeat for the Russian fighter.

— Dangal (2016)

Esperaba ver a tu abogado contigo.

I was expecting to see your lawyer with you.

— París, je t'aime (2006)

Esperaba más de un luchador del equipo titular.

I expected more from a fighter on the starting lineup.

No me lo esperaba.

I didn't expect it.

— El profesional (Léon) (1994)

Se aseguro de que nadie le viera llegar a la habitación donde ella le esperaba.

He made sure that no one saw him arrive at the room where she was waiting for him.

— Contratiempo (2017)

Esperaba poder almorzar juntos la próxima semana.

I was hoping to have lunch together next week.

Fue un cambio rápido que nadie esperaba en la empresa.

It was a rapid change that no one in the company expected.

Muchas gracias, Mark, es exactamente lo que esperaba.

Thank you so much, Mark, it's exactly what I expected.

— Love Actually (2003)

Ese no es el resultado que ella esperaba.

That isn’t the result she expected.

Tom esperaba oír de Mary.

Tom was hoping to hear from Mary.

Le esperaba un terrible destino.

A terrible fate awaited him.

Todo salió como lo esperaba.

Everything went as expected.

Fumé un cigarrillo mientras te esperaba.

I smoked a cigarette while I waited for you.

— El profesional (Léon) (1994)

No os esperaba tan pronto.

I wasn't expecting you so soon.

Hoy logré hacer todo lo que esperaba.

Today I managed to do everything I hoped to do.

Quizás no se crea que no le esperaba.

Perhaps he doesn't believe that I wasn't expecting him.

— Caché (Escondido) (2005)

Tom esperaba volver con Mary.

Tom hoped to get back together with Mary.

Esperaba algo mejor.

I expected something better.

— Lazzaro feliz (2018)

Es la reacción que esperaba al principio.

It's the reaction I expected at first.

— Juno (2007)

La esperaba más tarde, Sra. Goodman.

I was expecting you later, Mrs. Goodman.

— Contratiempo (2017)

Esperaba encontrarme con ella aquí.

I was hoping to meet her here.

Eso esperaba.

I hoped so.

Es más de lo que esperaba.

It's more than I expected.

Ella esperaba poder ir a Atenas.

She hoped she could go to Athens.

Fue más corto de lo que ella esperaba.

It was shorter than she expected.

Ahora, traidor, eso no lo esperaba.

Now, traitor, I wasn’t expecting that.

— Tropa de élite 2 (2010)

Nadie esperaba eso.

Nobody expected that.

No me sorprendió para nada porque lo esperaba.

It didn't surprise me at all because I expected it.

Esperaba su llamada.

I was waiting for your call.

Te esperaba, quería ver te.

I was waiting for you, I wanted to see you.

— Las invasiones bárbaras (2003)

Él esperaba con ansias la cita de esa noche.

He was eagerly looking forward to that night’s date.

Les esperaba.

They were waiting for them.

Esperaba llegar aquí antes.

I was hoping to get here sooner.

Tom leía un periódico mientras esperaba al bus.

Tom was reading a newspaper while waiting for the bus.

Esperaba ver te.

I was hoping to see you.

— El tiempo contigo (2019)

Disculpe, esperaba a alguien mayor.

Excuse me, I was expecting someone older.

— Algunos hombres buenos (1992)

Esperaba más de él.

I expected more from him.

No es la respuesta que esperaba.

It’s not the answer I expected.

Esto también es lo último que esperaba.

This is also the last thing I expected.

— La gran enfermedad del amor (2017)

Sí, debo admitir que no eres quien esperaba.

Yes, I must admit that you are not who I expected.

— Eternity (2025)

Una enorme multitud esperaba.

A huge crowd was waiting.

Tom esperaba conseguir un beso.

Tom was hoping to get a kiss.

Yo tampoco esperaba entrar al Estadio de los Yanquis.

I didn't expect to get into Yankee Stadium either.

Tomó más de lo que esperaba.

It took longer than I expected.

Buenos días, le esperaba.

Good morning, I was expecting you.

— Roma. Ciudad abierta (1945)

Le esperaba.

I was waiting for him.

Es a ti a quien esperaba.

It was you I was waiting for.

Es lo último que esperaba.

It's the last thing I expected.

— La gran enfermedad del amor (2017)

No lo esperaba de ti.

I didn't expect that from you.

— Moscú no cree en las lágrimas (1980)

Una gran multitud esperaba el discurso del presidente.

A large crowd awaited the president's speech.

Esperaba ansiosamente a la ambulancia mientras sus labios se ponían azules.

She waited anxiously for the ambulance as her lips turned blue.

No le esperaba esta noche.

I wasn't expecting him tonight.

— Cuentos de Tokio (1953)

Esperaba que vinieras a mí anoche.

I was hoping you'd come to me last night.

Ella era la última persona que esperaba encontrar aquel día.

She was the last person he expected to run into that day.

El perro esperaba día tras día el regreso de su amo.

The dog waited day after day for his master to return.

Te esperaba en el aeropuerto, ¿qué te ha pasado?

I was expecting you at the airport, what happened to you?

— La dolce vita (1960)

Esperaba esto.

I expected this.

— Sin conexión (2025)

No creo que nadie se lo esperaba.

I don't think anyone expected that.

Esperaba una conducta más sensata por su parte.

I expected more sensible behavior from him.

— Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal (2001)

Ya me lo esperaba.

I expected it.

Esperaba más de ti.

I expected more from you.

Esperaba no tener que llegar a esto, pero aquí tiene mi carta de dimisión.

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but here is my resignation letter.

— Atlantis: El imperio perdido (2001)

Un destino atroz le esperaba.

A terrible fate awaited him.

Esto no me lo esperaba.

I didn't expect this.

Tom esperaba más de ellos.

Tom expected more from them.

La pregunta del examen era más difícil de lo que esperaba.

The exam question was more difficult than I expected.