Spanish Phrase
Ten paciencia conmigo, porfa.
Meaning
‘Please be patient with me.’ The speaker is asking the listener to give them some leeway, usually because they need more time or are still learning something.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings—among friends, classmates, or coworkers you’re on a first‑name basis with. It works well when you’re asking for a little extra time, explaining a mistake, or simply need the other person to stay calm while you figure things out.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenpacienciaconmigoporfa
Imperative of tener
‘Ten’ is the affirmative informal imperative of ‘tener’ (to have). It’s used to give a direct request or command to someone you address with ‘tú’.
Noun ‘paciencia’
‘paciencia’ is a feminine singular noun meaning ‘patience’. It does not change in the imperative construction.
Enclitic pronoun ‘conmigo’
‘conmigo’ = ‘con’ + ‘mí’ (me). In Spanish the preposition and the pronoun fuse into one word.
‘porfa’ – informal ‘por favor’
‘porfa’ is a colloquial contraction of ‘por favor’. It signals a friendly, casual tone and should be avoided in formal contexts.
🗨In Conversation
¿Puedes ayudarme a terminar el informe?
Can you help me finish the report?
Ten paciencia conmigo, porfa. Aún estoy aprendiendo a usar la tabla de datos.
Please be patient with me. I'm still learning how to use the data table.
✕Common Mistakes
Tienes paciencia conmigo, porfa.
‘Tienes paciencia’ is present indicative, not a request. Use the imperative ‘Ten’ to ask someone to be patient.
Ten paciencia con mi, porfa.
The correct pronoun after ‘con’ is the fused form ‘conmigo’. ‘Con mi’ is ungrammatical.
Ten paciencia conmigo, por favor.
While not wrong, using the full ‘por favor’ in a very casual chat can sound overly formal; ‘porfa’ matches the informal register of the rest of the sentence.
↔Alternatives
Ten paciencia, por favor.
Be patient, please.
Sé paciente conmigo, por favor.
Be patient with me, please.
Ten un poco de paciencia, porfa.
Have a little patience, please.
Cultural Tip
‘Porfa’ is extremely informal and is common in text messages, social media, and spoken conversation among peers. In a workplace email or when speaking to a teacher, replace it with the full ‘por favor’ or omit it altogether. Also, note that the imperative ‘ten’ can sound a bit abrupt; adding ‘por favor’ (or ‘porfa’) softens the request.