Inklingo
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primer

first?used right before a masculine noun

pree-MEHR

/pɾiˈmeɾ/
AdjectivemA1
neutral
A bright red toy race car clearly winning a race, crossing a finish line ribbon ahead of two other cars.

📝 In Action

Hoy es mi primer día de clases.

A1

Today is my first day of classes.

El primer paso es siempre el más difícil.

A2

The first step is always the hardest.

Ganó el primer premio en el concurso.

B1

He won the first prize in the contest.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • último (last, final)

Common Collocations

  • el primer día – the first day
  • en primer lugar – in the first place, firstly
  • el primer amor – first love
  • el primer paso – the first step

Idioms & Expressions

  • amor a primera vista – love at first sight

💡 Grammar Points

The Short Form of 'Primero'

'Primer' is a special, shortened version of the word 'primero' (first). You only use this short form when it comes directly before a masculine noun, like 'el primer coche' (the first car).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Primer' vs. 'Primero'

Mistake: “Es mi primero año aquí.”

Correction: Es mi primer año aquí. Remember to drop the '-o' from 'primero' when it's placed right before a masculine noun like 'año'.

Using with Feminine Nouns

Mistake: “Fue la primer vez que viajé sola.”

Correction: Fue la primera vez que viajé sola. For feminine nouns like 'vez', you must use the full form 'primera'. 'Primer' is only for masculine nouns.

⭐ Usage Tips

When to Use the Full 'Primero'

If the word for 'first' doesn't come right before the noun it describes, you use the full form 'primero'. Example: 'De todos los corredores, él llegó primero' (Of all the runners, he arrived first).

🔀 Commonly Confused With

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: primer

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

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Word Family

primero(first) - Adjective / Adverb
primera(first) - Adjective
primo/prima(cousin) - Noun
primario(primary) - Adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'primer' and 'primero'?

'Primer' is a shortened version of 'primero' that you use ONLY when it's placed directly before a masculine noun (like 'el primer día'). In almost all other situations, you use 'primero' (e.g., 'Él llegó primero' - He arrived first) or 'primera' for feminine nouns ('la primera vez').

Do other numbers do this, like 'segundo' (second)?

Great question! Only 'primero' (first) and 'tercero' (third) have these short forms ('primer' and 'tercer'). All the other ordinal numbers, like 'segundo', 'cuarto', 'quinto', etc., always keep their full form, no matter where they are in the sentence.