Spanish · B2 · Family moment
Hoping for Another Hug in Spanish
This guide helps parents articulate their baby's unspoken desires and fears in Spanish, focusing on comfort and reassurance. At the B2 level, we use the passive infinitive (ser + past participle) to translate complex English 'being' structures naturally.
What you'll learn
- Express a child's expectations using passive infinitive constructions.
- Offer reassurance about fears of being left or forgotten.
- Formulate questions about a baby's hopes using past and present tenses.
Spanish phrases for hoping for another hug
¿Esperas ser cogido en brazos, pequeño?
Are you hoping to be picked up, little one?
'Esperar' captures both 'to hope' and 'to expect'. 'Ser cogido' is the passive infinitive.
Esperas ser alimentado de inmediato, ¿verdad?
You're expecting to be fed straight away, aren't you?
The tag '¿verdad?' is a natural way to translate 'aren't you?' in Spanish.
¿Esperabas ser llevado un poco más de tiempo?
Were you hoping to be carried a little longer?
Uses the imperfect 'esperabas' to reflect a continuous hope in the past.
No tienes que tener miedo de ser dejado atrás; vienes conmigo.
You don't need to be afraid of being left behind; you're coming with me.
Note the use of 'de ser' to translate 'of being'.
¿Esperas ser mecido suavemente en mis brazos?
Are you hoping to be rocked gently in my arms?
'Mecer' is specifically 'to rock' (a cradle or baby).
Esperas ser envuelto en tu toalla suave, ¿no es así?
You're expecting to be wrapped in your soft towel, aren't you?
'Envuelto' is the irregular past participle of 'envolver'.
No tienes que tener miedo de ser olvidado; estoy justo aquí.
You don't need to be afraid of being forgotten; I'm right here.
'Ser olvidado' functions as the object of the preposition 'de'.
¿Esperabas ser mimado otra vez antes de tu siesta?
Were you hoping to be cuddled again before your nap?
'Mimar' or 'ser mimado' often implies cuddling and affection.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
esperar
to hope / to expect
In Spanish, one verb covers both concepts depending on context.
ser + participle
to be [done]
This is the passive voice construction used after verbs of emotion or expectation.
mecer
to rock / to swing
A common verb in childcare for gentle rhythmic movement.
atrás
behind
Used here in the sense of location/position relative to the parent.
Passive Infinitive Complements
In Spanish, to express 'hoping to be [action]', we use the structure: Verb (esperar/temer) + ser + Past Participle. The participle must agree in gender and number with the child (usually masculine singular '-o' if gender is unknown or male, or feminine '-a' for a girl).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hoping to be... | Esperar + ser + participio | Espero ser escuchado. |
| Afraid of being... | Tener miedo de + ser + participio | Tienes miedo de ser visto. |
More examples
El bebé no quiere ser dejado solo.
The baby doesn't want to be left alone.
Using 'querer' with the passive infinitive.
¿Temes ser bañado?
Are you afraid of being bathed?
Shortened form using 'temer' instead of 'tener miedo de'.