Entretanto...
 

Are these two words interchangable; entretanto and mientras?

Entretanto and mientras tanto are interchangeable.
They both mean meanwhile or in the meantime.

Mientras, by itself, means while.

Can you also say, por ahora in the same context? I know this literally mean for now.

Por ahora means for the time being.

You´re right, Rusty.
Thanks.

• Estuve leyendo mientras esperaba.
• ¿Qué haremos mientras / entre tanto?
• Por ahora no sé nada.

Jane, Rusty, this question is not easy. Mientras and entre tanto / entretanto mean the same, but they are used differently. It's again, a question of placement. It's common to use mientras in the middle or at the end of a sentence, but I don't think it is common to use entre tanto in the middle of a sentence:

• Estaré aquí mientras. :good:
• Estaré aquí mientras llegas. :good:

• Estaré aquí entre tanto. :good:
• Estaré aquí entre tanto llegas. :?: (it's OK, but it sounds a little odd).

Anyway, I would like to check this with other native Spanish speakers, as this can only be my way of talking.

Yeah, that last sentence sounds strange to me, too. Tienes razón.

Voy a hacer un pastel mientras se calienta el horno
Voy a hacer un pastel, entretanto, se calienta el horno.
Yes, it's curious, I was "forced" to use ","
I will respond later :D

Voy a la cama mientras tanto tu prepraras la cena.

Voy a caminar mientras tanto tu me esperas en la casa.

Yo vine al mi cita, mientras tanto tu sigues esperando una cita.


I hope my examples can help you, meanwhile, can you study more about this thread, and later you'll can to say more examples with the use of meanwhile.

Se puede decir, mientras tanto, tambien con el mismo sentido como mientras?