cuarta
/KWAR-tah/
fourth
Cuarta means 'fourth' (feminine).
cuarta(adjective)
fourth
?feminine ordinal number
fourth one
?when referring to a feminine object implicitly
📝 In Action
Esta es la cuarta vez que visito Madrid.
A1This is the fourth time I visit Madrid.
Ella fue la cuarta persona en llegar a la meta.
A2She was the fourth person to reach the finish line.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching Gender
As an adjective, 'cuarta' must match the gender of the noun it modifies. Use 'cuarto' for masculine nouns (e.g., el cuarto día) and 'cuarta' for feminine nouns (e.g., la cuarta hora).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong form with time
Mistake: "Son las cuatro y cuarto (using 'cuarto' when talking about time)."
Correction: This is actually correct! When talking about time ('a quarter past'), Spanish uses the masculine noun 'cuarto', not 'cuarta'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sequence Reminder
Remember 'cuarta' comes from 'cuatro' (four). It simply tells you that something is number four in a list.
In music, cuarta refers to a musical fourth interval.
cuarta(noun)
musical fourth
?interval in music
quarter
?a portion (less common than 'cuarto')
,old measure of length
?historical measurement
📝 In Action
La melodía empieza con una cuarta ascendente.
B1The melody starts with an ascending fourth.
En ese pueblo, todavía miden la tela por cuartas.
C1In that town, they still measure the cloth using 'cuartas' (an old measure).
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
When used as a noun, 'cuarta' almost always refers to a technical or specialized context, like music theory or historical measurements, rather than a general fraction of something.
⭐ Usage Tips
Musical Context
If you are talking about music, 'cuarta' is the standard term for the interval of a fourth (like C to F).
Cuarta can also mean 'whip' or 'riding crop'.
📝 In Action
El domador llevaba una cuarta en la mano.
B2The tamer carried a whip in his hand.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Vocabulary
While common in some rural areas of Spain and Latin America, 'látigo' is the more universal word for a whip.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cuarta
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cuarta' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see 'cuarto' (masculine) and 'cuarta' (feminine)?
They both mean 'fourth,' but you must match the gender of the noun you are describing. Use 'cuarto' for masculine things (e.g., el cuarto piso) and 'cuarta' for feminine things (e.g., la cuarta puerta). As nouns, 'cuarto' often means a room or a quarter of an hour, while 'cuarta' often refers to a musical interval or a whip.