← Back to Fala2Me

impromptu wait

[/ɪmˈprɒmptjuː weɪt/]
noun phrasepl: impromptu waits
espera improvisada
1. An unplanned or unexpected period of waiting that occurs without prior notice or preparation
Due to the traffic accident, we had an impromptu wait of thirty minutes at the intersection.
Devido ao acidente de trânsito, tivemos uma espera improvisada de trinta minutos no cruzamento.
2. A spontaneous pause or delay in an activity or process that was not scheduled
The impromptu wait for the doctor's appointment gave us time to discuss our plans.
A espera improvisada pela consulta do médico nos deu tempo para discutir nossos planos.
NYC Slang
random wait
Synonyms
unexpected waitunplanned delayspontaneous pausesudden hold-up
Antonyms
scheduled waitplanned delayexpected pause

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
espera improvisada
Most common usage in Brazilian Portuguese
São Paulo
espera de improviso
Alternative phrasing used in São Paulo region
Portugal
espera imprevista
Portuguese variant preferring 'imprevista' (unforeseen)

Related Idioms & Phrases

caught waiting
stuck in a hold-up
unexpected hold
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →