entera
/en-TEH-rah/
whole
Entera as an adjective means 'whole' or 'undivided,' like this complete orange.
entera(Adjective)
whole
?undivided
,entire
?complete
full
?not partial
,full-fat
?used for dairy products like milk
📝 In Action
Comí la pizza entera y ahora me duele el estómago.
A1I ate the whole pizza, and now my stomach hurts.
La familia entera asistió a la boda.
A2The entire family attended the wedding.
Para esta receta solo usamos leche entera.
A2For this recipe, we only use whole (full-fat) milk.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Match
Remember, 'entera' is the feminine form. You must only use it when describing feminine nouns, like 'mesa' (table) or 'vida' (life). For masculine nouns, use 'entero'.
Emphasis
To really stress that something is totally whole, you often place 'entera' right after the noun it describes: 'la casa entera' (the whole house).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Genders
Mistake: "El ciudad entera es ruidosa."
Correction: La ciudad entera es ruidosa. (Because 'ciudad' is feminine, you need 'la' and 'entera'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Todo'
You can often use 'toda' (all of) instead of 'entera', but 'entera' focuses more on the object being undivided, whereas 'toda' focuses on quantity.
When used as a noun, entera refers to 'whole milk' or full-fat dairy.
📝 In Action
En el supermercado pedí una entera, no una desnatada.
B1At the supermarket, I asked for a whole milk, not a skim milk.
¿Prefieres la entera o la semi?
B1Do you prefer whole (milk) or semi-skimmed?
💡 Grammar Points
Nominalization
When 'entera' is used as a noun, it's a handy abbreviation for the full phrase 'leche entera.' Since 'leche' (milk) is feminine, the adjective 'entera' takes over its role.
⭐ Usage Tips
Ordering Tip
In many cafes and shops, simply asking for 'una entera' is sufficient and natural when you want whole milk for your coffee.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: entera
Question 1 of 2
Which English word is the best translation for 'entera' in the sentence: 'La noche entera no pude dormir.'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I use 'entera' versus 'entero'?
'Entera' is the feminine form, used only when describing feminine nouns (like 'casa' or 'manzana'). 'Entero' is the masculine form, used for masculine nouns (like 'día' or 'libro'). They both mean 'whole' or 'entire'.
Can 'entera' be used figuratively?
Yes. Sometimes you might hear 'una persona entera' to describe a person (usually a woman) who is honest, upright, or complete in character, meaning she is fully dedicated to her principles.