📝 In Action
Hoy es mi primer día de clases.
A1Today is my first day of classes.
El primer paso es siempre el más difícil.
A2The first step is always the hardest.
Ganó el primer premio en el concurso.
B1He won the first prize in the contest.
💡 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).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: primer
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
📚 More Resources
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.