When you translate the English word "forward" into Spanish, you run into a linguistic roadblock immediately. English uses "forward" as a spatial direction, a chronological marker, a button on an email client, a soccer command, and an abstract sign of progress. Spanish doesn't have a single, magical all-purpose word that covers every single one of those scenarios. Instead, it relies on a precise mix of adverbs, prepositional phrases, and distinct verbs.
If you translate every instance of "forward" as adelante, you'll frequently sound unnatural or flat-out wrong. Mastering how to say forward in Spanish means looking past literal equivalents and matching the right term to the actual context—whether you're moving a physical object, forwarding an email, or talking about career momentum.
Spatial Direction: Moving and Placing Ahead
The most fundamental use of "forward" is physical movement or physical placement in front of a reference point. In these cases, Spanish speakers lean heavily on adelante or hacia adelante.
Adelante works as an adverb meaning "ahead" or "forward." It's common when giving movement commands or pointing out physical locations.
- Camina dos pasos adelante. (Take two steps forward.)
- Por favor, pasa adelante. (Please, come on in / step forward.)
When you want to emphasize the exact trajectory or movement toward a destination in front of you, hacia adelante (literally "toward the front") is often more precise. This phrase emphasizes continuous motion rather than just a static position.
- El coche se movió lentamente hacia adelante. (The car moved slowly forward.)
- Empuja la palanca hacia adelante para acelerar. (Push the lever forward to accelerate.)
Notice that you wouldn't use adelante as a direct adjective modifying a noun in the way English does (you don't say "the forward seat"). Instead, Spanish structures these phrases with prepositional modifiers like de adelante (the front one).
- Siéntate en el asiento de adelante. (Sit in the front seat.)
Abstract Progress and Momentum
English speakers constantly use "forward" to describe abstract advancement: moving forward with a project, looking forward to a career change, or pushing a company forward. In Spanish, direct spatial words take a backseat to specific action verbs.
Instead of translating "to move forward" as mover forward, Spanish uses verbs built explicitly for progress. Avanzar is the heavy hitter here. It means to advance or make headway, capturing the exact essence of professional or personal progression without needing an extra directional adverb.
- Necesitamos avanzar con el borrador final. (We need to move forward with the final draft.)
- La investigación está avanzando muy rápido. (The investigation is moving forward very quickly.)
For overcoming difficult life circumstances, financial struggles, or personal hardships, Spanish speakers reach for a specific idiomatic phrasal verb: salir adelante. This translates roughly to "to get ahead" or "to pull through."
- A pesar de los obstáculos, ella logró salir adelante. (Despite the obstacles, she managed to move forward / pull through.)
When you are talking about initiating a plan, project, or machine from a standstill, use poner en marcha (to set in motion) or impulsar. These phrases capture the driving force behind institutional or strategic momentum.
- El consejo aprobó el presupuesto para poner en marcha el nuevo programa. (The board approved the budget to push the new program forward.)
Chronological Time and Sequencing
When "forward" indicates time, scheduling, or shifting a timeline into the future, a literal spatial translation will completely derail your sentence.
To express "from now on" or "moving forward" in a timeline sense, Spanish uses de ahora en adelante or a partir de ahora. These expressions draw a clear line between past rules and future expectations.
- De ahora en adelante, las entregas serán los viernes. (Moving forward / From now on, deliveries will be on Fridays.)
- A partir de la próxima semana implementaremos el nuevo software. (Starting next week, we will implement the new software.)
If you are talking about moving a specific date or appointment to a later time in scheduling, you use posponer, aplazar, or reprogramar (to postpone or reschedule), rather than any directional term.
- Tenemos que posponer la reunión para el jueves. (We have to push the meeting forward to Thursday—note that in English "push forward" can mean earlier or later depending on context, but in Spanish you must specify adelantar for earlier or posponer for later.)
If you want to move a meeting or event to an earlier date, Spanish actually does use a form of adelante: the verb adelantar.
- ¿Podemos adelantar la cita para las tres? (Can we move the appointment forward to three o'clock?)
Technology, Digital Actions, and Logistics
Modern communication has introduced entirely new meanings for "forward"—specifically regarding emails, messages, and digital files.
Because email technology arrived from the English-speaking world, Spanish speakers in professional environments frequently borrow the English verb directly, conjugating it like a regular Spanish -ar verb (forwardear), though this is considered colloquial or corporate slang. The correct, standard technical translation for forwarding an email or message is reenviar.
- Te voy a reenviar el correo del cliente. (I'm going to forward the email from the client to you.)
- Por favor, reenvía este documento al departamento de ventas. (Please forward this document to the sales department.)
In supply chain management, freight, and shipping logistics, "forwarding" cargo or freight requires formal terminology. A freight forwarder is known as a transitario or agente de carga, and the act of shipping goods onward is handled through verbs like expedir or enviar en tránsito.
Encouragement and Interjections
In English, people often shout "Forward!" as a rallying cry, or say "Go ahead!" to give someone permission to speak or act.
When giving someone the green light to proceed or speak, Spanish speakers use adelante as a standalone interjection. It's warm, polite, and extremely common.
- (Someone knocks on the door) — ¡Adelante! (Come in! / Go ahead!)
- —¿Puedo hacer una pregunta? —Adelante, te escucho. (—Can I ask a question? —Go ahead, I'm listening.)
When cheering someone on athletically or offering emotional encouragement to keep going despite setbacks, native speakers often combine adelante with the verb seguir or use alternative encouragement terms.
- ¡Sigue adelante, no te rindas!* (Keep going forward / Keep at it, don't give up!)
- ¡Ánimo, tú puedes! (Come on, you've got this!)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Language learners often make predictable translation errors when trying to navigate these nuances. Avoiding these traps will instantly make your Spanish sound more polished and authentic.
- Don't say "ir forward" or "hacer un forward." Mixing English verbs with Spanish prepositions or turning English nouns into awkward slang sounds jarring. Use avanzar for progress and reenviar for digital messages.
- Don't use adelante for abstract time shifts. Remember that time horizons require de ahora en adelante (from now on), not spatial markers.
- Don't confuse scheduling directions. In English, "pushing a meeting forward" often means moving it to a later date, but it can also be ambiguous. In Spanish, always use adelantar if you are moving it to an earlier time, and posponer or aplazar if you are pushing it back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exact difference between adelante and hacia adelante?
Adelante is a versatile adverb that can mean forward, ahead, or come in, often denoting a relatively fixed position or a simple command. Hacia adelante explicitly translates to "toward the front" and highlights physical movement, trajectory, or ongoing directional momentum.
How do you say "looking forward to" in Spanish?
You don't use the word forward at all. Instead, Spanish uses the reflexive verb ilusionarse or, much more commonly, the expression tener ganas de or the verb esperar with excitement. For example: Tengo muchas ganas de verte (I'm looking forward to seeing you) or Esperamos su respuesta (We look forward to your reply).
Is adelante used the same way across all Spanish-speaking countries?
While the core spatial meanings remain identical worldwide, regional conversational habits differ. In Spain, adelante is heavily relied upon for welcoming guests and encouraging remarks. In many parts of Latin America, alternative phrases like pase or siga are frequently paired with or substituted for it depending on the exact formality of the context.
Can adelante mean "hurry up"?
Not directly, though it can carry a sense of urging someone to proceed or enter. If you want to tell someone to hurry up, verbs like apurarse or darse prisa are the accurate choices.
