Mientras espero el autobús en la parada, tomo medio vaso de agua.

While I wait for the bus at the stop, I drink half a glass of water.

Breakdown of Mientras espero el autobús en la parada, tomo medio vaso de agua.

• yo: I
• el agua: the water
• en: at
• de: of
• esperar: to wait
• el vaso: the glass
• medio: half
• .: period
• mientras: while
• ,: comma
• el autobús: the bus
• la parada: the stop
• tomar: to have (to drink)

Questions & Answers about Mientras espero el autobús en la parada, tomo medio vaso de agua.

Why does Spanish use mientras + present tense (Mientras espero...) instead of something like while I am waiting?

In Spanish, mientras commonly introduces an action that is happening at the same time as another, and the present simple often covers what English would express with a present continuous.
So Mientras espero... tomo... can mean While I’m waiting... I drink... (either as something happening now or as a habitual situation, depending on context).

Could I say Mientras estoy esperando el autobús... instead of Mientras espero el autobús...?

Yes. Mientras estoy esperando... is more explicitly “right now / in progress.”
Mientras espero... is more neutral and very natural; it can describe what you do in that situation generally or in the current moment.

Is there a difference between esperar el autobús and esperar al autobús?

Usually you say esperar el autobús because it’s a thing, not a person.
With people, Spanish often uses the personal a: Espero a Juan.
You might see esperar al autobús in some contexts, but it’s not the standard choice here.

Why is it el autobús and not just autobús (no article)?

Spanish typically uses the definite article more than English does in these everyday situations.
Espero el autobús is like “I’m waiting for the bus (the one that’s coming).”
Without the article (Espero autobús) sounds incomplete or unnatural in most contexts.

What’s the difference between autobús and bus in Spain?

Both exist. Autobús is neutral/formal and understood everywhere. Bus is very common in speech and signage too.
In Spain you’ll hear both: Espero el bus / Espero el autobús.

Why does autobús have an accent mark?

Autobús is stressed on the last syllable (-bús). Words ending in -s are normally stressed on the second-to-last syllable, so an accent mark is needed to show the “exception” stress: au-to-bús.

Does en la parada mean “at the stop” or “in the stop”?

It means at the stop. Spanish uses en for location in many cases where English chooses at or in.
En la parada is the normal way to say you’re at the bus stop area.

Could I say en el paradero or en la estación instead of en la parada?

In Spain, la parada (de autobús) is the standard phrase for a bus stop.
Paradero is more common in parts of Latin America.
Estación is typically for larger stations/terminals (train station, bus station), not a simple stop.

Why is it la parada (feminine)?

Because the noun parada is grammatically feminine in Spanish, so you use la. Gender is grammatical, not based on meaning. You learn it with the word: la parada, el autobús.

Why is it tomo (from tomar)? Isn’t tomar “to take”? Shouldn’t it be bebo?

In Spain, tomar is very commonly used to mean to have/drink (and also to take medicine, transport, etc.).
So tomo medio vaso de agua is completely natural. Bebo medio vaso de agua is also correct and slightly more literal (“I drink”).

Does tomo medio vaso de agua sound like I drink the whole half-glass, or just sip from it?

It normally implies you drink a quantity equal to half a glass (you consume that amount). If you want to emphasize “I take a sip,” you’d use something like doy un sorbo or tomo un sorbo.

Why is it medio vaso de agua and not la mitad de un vaso de agua?

Medio vaso de agua is the everyday, compact way to say “half a glass of water.”
La mitad de un vaso de agua is also correct but more explicit/wordy, and can sound more “measured” or emphatic.

Can the sentence be rearranged, like Tomo medio vaso de agua mientras espero el autobús en la parada?

Yes, that word order is also natural.
Spanish allows flexible order for emphasis. Starting with Mientras espero... sets the scene first; starting with Tomo... highlights the action first.