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Llevo 38 minutos esperando en el andén.

Llevo 38 minutos esperando en el andén.
I have been waiting 38 minutes on the platform.
FromLesson 18inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Llevo 38 minutos esperando en el andén.

What does the structure llevar + time + gerund mean?
It means “to have been doing something for [time]” up to now. So Llevo 38 minutos esperando = “I have been waiting for 38 minutes.” The action started in the past and is still ongoing.
What are other natural ways to say the same thing?
  • Hace 38 minutos que espero en el andén.
  • Espero en el andén desde hace 38 minutos. / Estoy en el andén desde hace 38 minutos.
  • He estado esperando 38 minutos en el andén. (also fine; a bit more neutral) All are correct; llevar + gerund is very idiomatic in Spain for ongoing actions.
Can I use por to express the duration, like “por 38 minutos”?

No. Spanish generally doesn’t use por for plain durations here. Use either the bare time expression or durante:

  • Llevo 38 minutos esperando.
  • He estado esperando durante 38 minutos.
Is durante required?

Not with llevar + gerund. With other verbs it’s often optional:

  • He estado esperando (durante) 38 minutos.
Which word order is better: Llevo 38 minutos esperando or Llevo esperando 38 minutos?
Both are correct. Llevo 38 minutos esperando is a bit more common and foregrounds the amount of time; Llevo esperando 38 minutos slightly highlights the ongoing action.
Can I use the present perfect instead, like “I’ve been waiting…”?
Yes: He estado esperando 38 minutos en el andén. It’s fine and common. Llevo 38 minutos esperando is often more colloquial and focuses more sharply on the accumulated duration.
How do I say it if the waiting is over?

Use a past tense:

  • Completed, self-contained event: Estuve esperando 38 minutos en el andén.
  • Background in the past: Llevaba 38 minutos esperando cuando llegó el tren. Avoid Llevé 38 minutos esperando (unnatural with this construction).
What exactly does andén mean in Spain?
It’s the train/metro platform. For buses on the street, use parada. In a bus station, andén can label a bay/platform number. Vía typically refers to the track number.
Is en the right preposition with andén?
Yes. Say en el andén. Sobre el andén sounds overly literal (“on top of”) unless you need that physical meaning.
How do I pronounce Llevo and andén?
Any spelling or accent points to watch?
  • andén must have the accent.
  • Llevo has none.
  • Spelling out the number: treinta y ocho (no hyphens). Using 38 is fine in everyday writing.
Why is it el andén and not la andén?
Because andén is masculine: el andén, un andén.
Should it be esperando el tren or esperando al tren?
Both occur. Standardly, with things you can use no preposition: esperar el tren. In Spain, esperar al tren is also very common in everyday speech. With people, you must use a: esperar a mi amigo.
Why use the gerund esperando here?

With llevar + gerund, the gerund marks an action in progress and its duration. Compare:

  • Llevo 38 minutos en el andén (I’ve been on the platform 38 minutes; just location).
  • Llevo 38 minutos esperando (I’ve been waiting 38 minutes; emphasizes the activity).
Can I move the location phrase around?

Yes:

  • Llevo 38 minutos esperando en el andén.
  • Llevo 38 minutos en el andén esperando.
  • En el andén, llevo 38 minutos esperando. All are fine; end placement is very common.
How can I add “already” to sound impatient in Spanish?

Use ya:

  • Ya llevo 38 minutos esperando.
  • Llevo ya 38 minutos esperando. Both convey frustration/emphasis.
How do I write “38 minutes” in words or abbreviate it?
  • treinta y ocho minutos
  • Abbreviations: 38 min or 38 min. (both seen).
What are some natural, colloquial tweaks?
  • Llevo casi 40 minutos esperando.
  • Llevo un buen rato esperando.
  • Llevo media hora esperando.
  • Llevo más de media hora esperando.
  • Llevo ya 40 minutos largos esperando. (very colloquial)
How do I say “I’ve been waiting for it/him/her” with a pronoun?

Place the clitic on the gerund or before the conjugated verb:

  • Llevo 38 minutos esperándolo.
  • Lo llevo esperando 38 minutos. Use lo/la/los/las to match the object (e.g., el tren → lo).
Is Llevo 38 minutos de espera possible?
Yes, and you’ll hear things like Llevamos dos horas de espera. It treats the wait as a measurable period. It’s a bit more report-like or formal than Llevo 38 minutos esperando.
Any regional notes I should know?
  • Llevar + gerund is widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world.
  • In Spain, you’ll often hear esperar (al) tren; avoid esperar por el tren to mean “wait for the train” (that use of por is more common in parts of the Caribbean).
  • For buses in Spain: en la parada, not en el andén (unless it’s a bus station bay).
Could I just say Llevo 38 minutos and stop there?
In context (e.g., pointing at the platform), people will usually understand you mean “waiting,” but it’s clearer to keep esperando or mention the activity explicitly.
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