justo
“justo” means “fair” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
fair, just
Also: exact, right, tight
📝 In Action
El profesor es muy justo con todos los estudiantes.
B1The teacher is very fair with all the students.
Necesito la cantidad justa de azúcar para la receta.
B1I need the exact amount of sugar for the recipe.
Estos pantalones me quedan un poco justos.
B2These pants are a bit tight on me.
just, exactly, right
Also: barely
📝 In Action
Llegué justo cuando empezaba la película.
A2I arrived just as the movie was starting.
Eso es justo lo que necesitaba.
B1That's exactly what I needed.
La farmacia está justo en la esquina.
A2The pharmacy is right on the corner.
Terminamos el proyecto justo a tiempo.
B1We finished the project just in time.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: justo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'justo' to mean 'exactly' or 'right there'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'iūstus', which meant 'just, lawful, or righteous'. This itself comes from the Latin word 'iūs', which meant 'law' or 'right'. You can see the family connection in English words like 'justice' and 'jury'.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'justo' and 'solo'?
'Justo' usually means 'exactly' or refers to a precise moment ('just in time'). 'Solo' (or 'solamente') means 'only' or 'just' when talking about quantity ('I just have one'). Think of 'justo' for precision and 'solo' for limitation.
Does 'justo' change its ending?
It depends on its job! If it's describing a noun (like 'a fair price' - un precio justo), it changes for gender and number (justo, justa, justos, justas). If it's telling you when or where (like 'right now' - justo ahora), it always stays 'justo'.