por ahora
Lemma Details
Translation: for now; for the time being; at present; at the moment
Part of Speech: adverbial phrase
Etymology: This adverbial phrase combines 'por' (for, through, by) and 'ahora' (now). 'Por' comes from Latin 'pro' (for, in favor of), while 'ahora' derives from Latin 'ad horam' meaning 'at this hour'. The combination creates a temporal expression indicating a current but potentially temporary state.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Por ahora, no tenemos planes de expandir el negocio.
For now, we don't have plans to expand the business.
Vamos a quedarnos aquí por ahora.
We're going to stay here for the time being.
Por ahora, esta solución es suficiente.
For now, this solution is enough.
No hay más noticias por ahora.
There is no more news at the moment.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'por' as 'for' and 'ahora' as 'now' = 'for now'
- Imagine a clock showing the current hour ('hora' in Spanish) to remember 'ahora' means 'now'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is commonly used in Spanish to indicate a temporary situation or decision. It's often used in both casual conversation and formal contexts to indicate that something is true or applicable at the present time, but might change in the future.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Por ahora' means 'for now' or 'for the time being' (indicating a current but potentially temporary state), while 'hasta ahora' means 'until now' or 'so far' (referring to the period of time from the past up to the present moment).
Notes: Both phrases include 'ahora' (now) but serve different temporal functions.
Mnemonic: 'Por' points to the present moment and possibly forward (for now), while 'hasta' indicates a span from the past to the present (until now).
Explanation: 'Por ahora' is an adverbial phrase meaning 'for now', while 'por hora' means 'per hour' and is used for rates or speeds.
This word:
Por ahora, seguiremos con el plan original.
For now, we will continue with the original plan.
Notes: The pronunciation is slightly different, with emphasis on different syllables.
Mnemonic: Think of 'por hora' as having a space between the words, indicating a rate (per hour), while 'por ahora' is about the current time period.