enseguida
Lemma Details
Translation: immediately; right away; at once; straightaway; promptly
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: Derived from the phrase 'en seguida', where 'en' means 'in' and 'seguida' comes from 'seguir' (to follow). The literal meaning is 'in sequence' or 'in what follows', which evolved to indicate something happening without delay. It's related to English words like 'sequence' and 'sequel', all stemming from Latin 'sequi' (to follow).
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El médico te atenderá enseguida.
The doctor will see you right away.
Enseguida me di cuenta de mi error.
I immediately realized my mistake.
Enseguida de llegar, empezó a trabajar.
As soon as he arrived, he started working.
Te llamo enseguida que termine.
I'll call you as soon as I finish.
Vuelvo enseguida.
I'll be right back.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'en seguida' as 'in sequence' - one thing immediately following another without delay.
- Remember it as 'en' (in) + 'seguida' (followed/sequence) = 'in what follows immediately'.
- Associate it with English 'sequel' - what comes immediately after.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Widely used in everyday Spanish conversation. In service contexts, 'enseguida' is frequently used by waiters, shop assistants, and other service providers to indicate prompt attention to customers' needs.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'enseguida' (written as one word) and 'en seguida' (written as two words) are essentially the same expression and can be used interchangeably in modern Spanish, 'enseguida' is more common in contemporary usage.
This word:
Vuelvo enseguida.
I'll be right back.
Confused word:
Vuelvo en seguida.
I'll be right back.
Notes: The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) accepts both forms, though 'enseguida' is more frequently used in modern Spanish.
Mnemonic: Both forms are correct, but the single-word version 'enseguida' is more streamlined, just like its meaning of doing something without delay.
Explanation: While both indicate timing, 'enseguida' means 'immediately/right away' whereas 'luego' means 'later/afterwards' with a less urgent timeframe.
This word:
Hazlo enseguida.
Do it right away.
Confused word:
Hazlo luego.
Do it later.
Notes: The distinction in timing is important - 'enseguida' implies urgency while 'luego' allows for more delay.
Mnemonic: 'Enseguida' has 'en' (in) at the beginning, suggesting immediacy, while 'luego' sounds like 'later'.