esperéis

Esperáis is the second-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb esperar. It is used in contexts where the conversational subject is the informal plural you in regions that use the vosotros form, notably Spain. In much of Latin America, the corresponding form is replaced by ustedes esperan, since ustedes is used for both formal and informal you plural.

Meanings and usage: esperar has senses related to waiting for someone or something, as well as hoping or expecting. Therefore, esperar in the present can express both waiting (Esperáis al autobús) and hoping or expecting something to occur (Esperáis una respuesta pronto). When followed by a subordinate clause introduced by que, the subordinate verb usually appears in the present subjunctive or other tenses (Esperáis que llegue el autobús; no esperáis por más tiempo).

Grammar: esperar is a regular -ar verb. The present indicative endings for the forms are: yo espero, tú esperas, él/ella/Ud. espera, nosotros esperamos, vosotros esperáis, ellos esperan. The accent on the í in esperáis marks the stress on the last syllable.

Regional variation: as part of the vosotros paradigm, esperáis is common in Spain and in communities that maintain the vosotros form. In many Spanish-speaking regions that use ustedes instead of vosotros, the equivalent present form is esperan (ustedes esperan), not esperáis.

Pronunciation: esperáis is typically pronounced with the stress on the final syllable, roughly es-pe- ráis, with the final -áis pronounced as a stressed syllable.

Etymology: esperáis derives from the verb esperar, itself from late Latin exspectāre, meaning to look forward to or await.

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