At the same time vs In the meantime vs Meanwhile

Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.

At the same time

Top 2000 (común)

In the meantime

Top 2000 (común)

Meanwhile

Top 2000 (común)B1adverb
 At the same timeIn the meantimeMeanwhile
Pronunciación🇬🇧 //æt ðə seɪm taɪm//🇺🇸 //æt ðə seɪm taɪm//🇬🇧 //ɪn ðə ˈmiːnˌtaɪm//🇺🇸 //ɪn ðə ˈmiːnˌtaɪm//🇬🇧 /["/ˈmiːnwaɪl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmiːnwaɪl/"]/
SignificadoQue pasa al mismo tiempo o junto.Occurring simultaneously or together.Durante un período de tiempo en el que algo está sucediendo.During a period of time when something is happening.Al mismo tiempo que sucede algo más.At the same time as something else happens.
EjemploThey left the house at the same time.I'll prepare dinner; in the meantime, could you set the table?Leave the cake to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the topping.
RegistroNeutralNeutralNeutral
Qué tan comúnTop 2000 (común)Top 2000 (común)Top 2000 (común)
Nivel CEFR--B1
Categoría gramaticaladverb
Colocacionesdo two things at the same time, speak at the same time, work at the same time, occur at the same time, feel at the same timein the meantime, stay busy in the meantime, in the meantime activitiesmeanwhile, back at the ranch, meanwhile, in another part of town, meanwhile, across the street
Antónimos--afterwards, later
Errores comunesConfusing 'at the same time' with 'at the same moment'., Using it with only one subject., Placing it incorrectly in the sentence.Using it inappropriately in formal writing without context., Confusing it with 'meanwhile', which has a similar but slightly different nuance., Using it at the beginning of a sentence without a clear time reference.Omitting the comma before 'meanwhile' when used at the beginning of a sentence., 'Meanwhile' is sometimes misused in informal contexts where 'in the meantime' might be more appropriate.
Notas de usoÚsalo para describir cosas que pasan juntas. No es muy formal, mejor para hablar con amigos.Use when describing events happening together. Avoid in very formal contexts; more suitable for everyday conversations.Se usa para referirse a un período de tiempo entre dos eventos. Común tanto en el inglés hablado como en el escrito. Apropiado en conversaciones informales y contextos formales.Used to refer to a period of time between two events. Common in both spoken and written English. Appropriate in casual conversations and formal contexts.Usa 'mientras tanto' para conectar dos acciones que ocurren al mismo tiempo, típicamente en escritura o discurso formal. Evita usarlo en conversaciones muy informales.Use 'meanwhile' to connect two actions occurring at the same time, typically in writing or formal speech. Avoid using it in very casual conversations.

Míralo en clips reales

At the same time
In the meantime

Preguntas frecuentes: At the same time vs In the meantime vs Meanwhile

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre At the same time, In the meantime y Meanwhile?

At the same time: Occurring simultaneously or together. In the meantime: During a period of time when something is happening. Meanwhile: At the same time as something else happens.

¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?

At the same time: They left the house at the same time. In the meantime: I'll prepare dinner; in the meantime, could you set the table? Meanwhile: Leave the cake to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the topping.

¿Puedo usar At the same time, In the meantime y Meanwhile indistintamente?

No siempre. At the same time, In the meantime y Meanwhile están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.

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