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/Sounds like "AH" (as in "art") + "seh" (as in "set") + "RAH" (as in "rapper") + "toh" (as in "toll")/

Meaning

A while ago, but exactly how long depends entirely on context and who's saying it. "Hace rato" can be five minutes, two hours, or three weeks, only the tone of voice gives you the clue.

Examples

He got here a while ago, he's waiting for you.

It's been a while since I ate, I'm hungry.

Regional synonyms

A scatterbrained or impulsive person who acts without thinking and consistently makes a mess of things through pure recklessness. In Colombia and Venezuela, the atolondrado is always rushing but somehow always the last to arrive, with everything upside down and no idea what went wrong.