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igual

ee-GWAL/iˈɣwal/

same

Also: equal, alike
Two identical bright red apples sitting next to each other on a clean white surface.

📝 In Action

Tú y yo tenemos la misma edad, somos iguales.

A1

You and I are the same age, we are equals.

Estos dos vestidos son casi iguales.

A2

These two dresses are almost the same.

Todos los ciudadanos tienen iguales derechos.

B1

All citizens have equal rights.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ser igual a/que – to be the same as
  • en partes iguales – in equal parts
  • a igualdad de condiciones – all other things being equal

just as

Also: equally, maybe / perhaps
A cartoon hand cutting a round, colorful cake into two perfectly equal halves with a knife.

📝 In Action

Mi hermana es igual de alta que yo.

A2

My sister is just as tall as me.

El profesor trata a todos los estudiantes por igual.

B1

The teacher treats all the students equally.

Me da igual si vamos al cine o al parque.

A2

I don't mind / It's all the same to me if we go to the movies or the park.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • igualmente (equally)
  • del mismo modo (in the same way)

Common Collocations

  • igual de + adjetivo/adverbio + que – just as + adjective/adverb + as
  • dar igual – to not matter, to be all the same
  • por igual – equally

Idioms & Expressions

  • me da igual – I don't care; It doesn't matter to me.

maybe

Also: perhaps, what if
AdverbB1informal
Spain
A small person standing at a fork in a dirt road, looking unsure whether to go toward the sunny beach or the snowy mountain.

📝 In Action

Hace frío. Igual no salimos esta noche.

B1

It's cold. Maybe we won't go out tonight.

No me ha llamado... Igual se ha olvidado.

B1

He hasn't called me... Perhaps he forgot.

Igual podemos ir a la playa el fin de semana.

B2

Maybe we can go to the beach this weekend.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • quizás (perhaps)
  • tal vez (maybe)
  • a lo mejor (maybe)

equal

Also: peer
NounmB2formal
Two simple figures of the same height shaking hands firmly across a small table, symbolizing a professional meeting between equals.

📝 In Action

Como su jefe, no puede tratarlo como a un igual.

B2

As his boss, he cannot treat him as an equal.

Entre iguales, la competición es más justa.

C1

Among peers, the competition is fairer.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tratar como a un igual – to treat as an equal
  • de igual a igual – on equal terms, as equals

🔀 Commonly Confused With

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: igual

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly uses 'igual' to mean 'maybe'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'aequālis', which meant 'equal', 'uniform', or 'like'. Over time, the 'ae' sound at the beginning evolved into 'i' in Spanish, giving us 'igual'.

First recorded: Around the 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: equalFrench: égalItalian: ugualePortuguese: igual

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'igual que' and 'igual a'?

In most everyday situations, there's no real difference! You can use them interchangeably to say something is 'the same as' something else. For example, 'Tu camisa es igual que la mía' and 'Tu camisa es igual a la mía' both mean 'Your shirt is the same as mine'.

Is 'igual' always informal when it means 'maybe'?

Yes, it's best to think of it as informal. It's perfect for conversations with friends, but in a formal email, a presentation, or an academic paper, you should use more formal words like 'posiblemente', 'quizás', or 'tal vez'.

Can I say 'iguala' or 'iguales' when using it as an adverb?

No. When 'igual' is used as an adverb (to describe *how* something is, like in 'igual de alto'), it never changes. It's always 'igual'. It only changes to 'iguales' when it's an adjective describing more than one noun (e.g., 'dos coches iguales').