quinto
“quinto” means “fifth” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
fifth
Also: fifth
📝 In Action
Mi cumpleaños es el quinto día del mes.
A1My birthday is the fifth day of the month.
Ella vive en el quinto piso, justo arriba del nuestro.
A2She lives on the fifth floor, right above ours.
¿Quién es el quinto jugador de tu equipo?
A1Who is the fifth player on your team?
a fifth
Also: one fifth
📝 In Action
Solo me diste un quinto del pastel, ¡yo quería más!
B1You only gave me a fifth of the cake, I wanted more!
Un quinto de la población habla ese idioma.
B2One fifth of the population speaks that language.
recruit
Also: small beer bottle
📝 In Action
En España, le llamaban 'quinto' a los jóvenes que iban al servicio militar.
B2In Spain, they called 'quinto' the young men who went to military service.
Hace mucho calor. ¿Nos traes un par de quintos, por favor?
B1It's very hot. Could you bring us a couple of small beers, please?
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quinto
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'quinto' as an ordinal adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *quintus*, which means 'fifth.' It shares its root with the Spanish word for the number five, 'cinco.'
First recorded: Medieval Latin texts (as *quintus*)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'quinto' ever shorten its form, like 'primer' or 'tercer'?
No, 'quinto' always keeps its full form, even before a singular masculine noun. You must say 'el quinto día', not 'el quin día'.
What is the difference between 'quinto' and 'quinta'?
'Quinto' is the masculine form ('el quinto libro'). 'Quinta' is the feminine form ('la quinta vez'). However, 'una quinta' can also be a noun meaning a country house or estate in some regions.