Spanish Phrase
No está disponible
Meaning
This phrase is the standard way to communicate that someone cannot be reached or is busy at the moment. It is versatile and can refer to a person being away from their desk, on another call, or simply occupied with another task.
When to use
Use this in professional environments, such as answering a phone at work or responding to a visitor in an office. It is also suitable for formal social situations where you need to excuse someone's absence.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Noestádisponible
Negation with 'No'
In Spanish, the word 'no' always precedes the conjugated verb to make a sentence negative.
Estar vs Ser
The verb 'está' comes from 'estar', which is used for locations and temporary conditions like being busy or available.
Adjective Agreement
'Disponible' is an invariable adjective, meaning it stays the same for both masculine and feminine subjects, though it becomes 'disponibles' for plural subjects.
🗨In Conversation
¿Se encuentra la jefa en su oficina?
Is the boss in her office?
Lo siento, ahora mismo no está disponible.
I'm sorry, right now she is not available.
✕Common Mistakes
Él no es disponible para hablar.
Availability is a temporary state, so you must use the verb 'estar' instead of 'ser'.
No está disponiblamente.
Use the adjective 'disponible' rather than trying to create an adverb; the state is described by the adjective.
↔Alternatives
Está ocupado
He/she is busy
No se encuentra en este momento
He/she is not in at the moment
No puede ponerse
He/she can't come to the phone
Cultural Tip
In Spanish-speaking business culture, it is often considered more polite to follow this phrase with a brief explanation or an offer to take a message. Simply saying 'no está' without further assistance can sometimes come across as slightly dismissive.