mañana
Lemma Details
Translation: morning; tomorrow
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'maneana', meaning 'early time', derived from 'mane' (morning). The word evolved to mean both 'morning' and 'tomorrow' in Spanish, reflecting how the next day begins with morning. This dual meaning is unique to Spanish among Romance languages and creates an interesting semantic connection between the concepts of 'the coming morning' and 'tomorrow'.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'mañana' as containing 'maña' (skill/trick) + 'na' - as if it takes skill to get up in the morning or to plan for tomorrow.
- The 'ñ' sound in 'mañana' can be remembered as the 'new' day coming (morning/tomorrow).
- Associate the word with the English phrase 'in the mañana' to remember it means both 'morning' and 'tomorrow'.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Beyond its literal meanings, 'mañana' has become associated with the stereotype of procrastination in Spanish-speaking cultures, as in the phrase 'mañana, mañana' (meaning to put things off until tomorrow). This stereotype is often misunderstood by non-Spanish speakers as laziness, when it actually reflects a more relaxed cultural attitude toward time and urgency.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Mañana' (with ñ) means 'morning/tomorrow' while 'maña' means 'skill' or 'trick'.
Notes: The accent falls on the first syllable in 'mañana' (MA-ña-na).
Mnemonic: Add an extra 'na' to 'maña' (skill) to get 'mañana' - it takes skill to wake up in the morning!
Explanation: While the same word, 'mañana' can function as both a noun ('the morning/tomorrow') and an adverb ('tomorrow').
Confused word:
Mañana iré al cine.
Tomorrow I will go to the cinema.
Notes: As a noun, 'mañana' is often preceded by articles (la mañana) or prepositions (por la mañana).
Mnemonic: When 'mañana' stands alone without articles or prepositions, it's usually the adverb meaning 'tomorrow'.