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cierto

syerr-toh/ˈθjeɾto/

“cierto” means “true” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

true, certain

Also: sure
A vibrant image of the sun rising exactly on the horizon over a calm blue ocean, symbolizing an undeniable, fixed fact.

📝 In Action

La historia que me contó es cierta.

A2

The story he told me is true.

Es un hecho cierto que el sol sale por el este.

B1

It is a certain fact that the sun rises in the east.

No estoy cierto de la hora, déjame revisar.

B1

I'm not sure of the time, let me check.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dar por cierto – to take for granted, to assume as true
  • estar cierto de algo – to be sure/certain of something
  • lo cierto es que... – the truth is that...

a certain, a particular

Also: some
A row of five identical, gray, closed boxes sits on a shelf. Only one single box is softly illuminated by a warm spotlight, suggesting a specific, but unnamed item.

📝 In Action

Cierto día, recibí una carta misteriosa.

B1

A certain day, I received a mysterious letter.

Hay cierta persona en la oficina que siempre llega tarde.

B1

There's a certain person in the office who always arrives late.

Ciertas reglas no se pueden romper.

B2

Certain rules cannot be broken.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • en cierto modo – in a certain way, in a way
  • hasta cierto punto – up to a certain point, to some extent
  • a cierta hora – at a certain time

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cierto" in Spanish:

a certain→a particular→certain→sure→true→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cierto

Question 1 of 1

In the sentence 'Hay ciertas cosas que es mejor no saber', what does 'ciertas' mean?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'certus', which meant 'sure,' 'fixed,' or 'determined.' It was often used to describe things that were decided and reliable.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: certainFrench: certainItalian: certoPortuguese: certo

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest difference between using 'cierto' before or after a noun?

It's all about meaning! BEFORE a noun, 'cierto' means 'a certain' or 'a particular' (like 'cierto amigo' - 'a certain friend'). AFTER a noun, it means 'true' or 'sure' (like 'una historia cierta' - 'a true story'). The position completely changes the meaning.

Can I use 'cierto' and 'seguro' to mean the same thing?

Not really. They are close but have a key difference. 'Cierto' is about a fact being objectively true ('Es cierto que dos más dos son cuatro'). 'Seguro' is often about a person's feeling of confidence or being sure ('Estoy seguro de que va a llover'). You can be 'seguro' about something that turns out not to be 'cierto'!