durante
Lemma Details
Translation: during; throughout; for the duration of
Part of Speech: preposition
Etymology: Durante comes from Latin 'durante', the ablative form of the present participle 'durans' from the verb 'durare' meaning 'to last, endure, continue'. This same Latin root gave English words like 'duration', 'endure', and 'durable'. The connection to time and persistence is preserved in both languages.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'duration' in English - 'durante' is what happens DURING a period of time.
- Sounds like 'enduring' - something that lasts throughout a period.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Used very frequently in both written and spoken Spanish to indicate time periods. It's one of the essential prepositions for expressing duration in Spanish.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'durante' refers to a specific time period or duration ('during'), 'mientras' means 'while' or 'as long as' and often introduces a subordinate clause.
Notes: 'Durante' is always followed by a noun phrase, while 'mientras' is typically followed by a verb.
Mnemonic: 'Durante' relates to duration (a period of time), while 'mientras' relates to simultaneous actions.
Explanation: Both can sometimes express duration, but 'durante' specifically means 'during/throughout' a period, while 'por' can mean 'for' a period but has many other meanings too.
Confused word:
Trabajé por ocho horas.
I worked for eight hours.
Notes: In some contexts they can be interchangeable when expressing duration, but 'por' has many other uses (cause, means, exchange, etc.).
Mnemonic: 'Durante' is more specific to time periods, while 'por' has many uses beyond time.