segunda
/seh-GOON-dah/
second
As an adjective, 'segunda' means 'second' in order, such as the second door.
segunda(Adjective)
second
?in order, like 'the second house'
latter
?referring to the second of two things mentioned
📝 In Action
La segunda puerta a la derecha es el baño.
A1The second door on the right is the bathroom.
Esta es la segunda vez que te lo digo.
A2This is the second time I'm telling you.
Prefiero la segunda opción que me diste.
B1I prefer the second option you gave me.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
This word is the 'feminine' version, so you use it to describe feminine nouns. For example, 'la casa' (the house) is feminine, so you say 'la segunda casa'. For masculine nouns like 'el libro' (the book), you'd use 'segundo'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'dos' instead of 'segunda'
Mistake: "La casa dos."
Correction: La segunda casa. Use 'segunda' (or 'segundo') to talk about order (first, second, third). Use 'dos' to count how many things there are (one, two, three).
⭐ Usage Tips
Word Order
Like most numbers that describe order, 'segunda' usually comes right before the thing it's describing. For example, 'la segunda página' (the second page).
As a noun, 'segunda' means 'second' as a unit of time, representing a brief instant.
📝 In Action
Espera una segunda, ya casi termino.
A2Wait a second, I'm almost done.
Un minuto tiene sesenta segundas.
A2A minute has sixty seconds.
Llegó a la meta con tres segundas de ventaja.
B2He reached the finish line with a three-second lead.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine for Time
When you're talking about a 'second' of time, the word is always feminine: 'la segunda' or 'una segunda'. You'll never see 'el segundo' used for time.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use it like 'moment'
In casual conversation, you can use 'una segunda' or 'un segundo' (a masculine version also used colloquially for 'a moment') just like you'd use 'one sec' or 'just a moment' in English.
In the context of driving, 'segunda' refers to second gear.
📝 In Action
Al llegar a 30 km/h, cambia a segunda.
B1When you reach 30 km/h, shift to second.
El coche hace un ruido raro cuando voy en segunda.
B1The car makes a weird noise when I'm in second gear.
⭐ Usage Tips
Driving Lingo
This meaning is specific to cars with a manual transmission (a stick shift). You'll often hear it with the verb 'meter' (to put in) or 'poner' (to put).
The formal verb 'segundar' (conjugated here as 'segunda') means to formally second or support a motion or proposal.
segunda(Verb)
to second
?to support a motion or proposal
to repeat
?to do something a second time
📝 In Action
El comité segunda la propuesta del director.
C1The committee seconds the director's proposal.
⭐ Usage Tips
Good to Recognize, Not to Use
This verb is so formal and rare that using it in conversation would sound very strange. It's helpful to know it exists if you read official documents, but stick to the adjective and noun forms in your own Spanish.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: segunda
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'segunda' to mean a unit of time?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'segundo' and 'segunda'?
It's all about matching the noun you're talking about. Use 'segunda' for feminine nouns (like 'la casa' -> 'la segunda casa') and 'segundo' for masculine nouns (like 'el piso' -> 'el segundo piso'). When talking about a 'second' of time, it's always the feminine 'la segunda'.
Why do Spanish speakers say 'segunda' for order but 'dos' for counting?
'Segunda' tells you the position of something in a list (first, second, third...). These are called ordinal numbers. 'Dos' tells you the quantity of something (one, two, three...). These are called cardinal numbers. English does the same thing with 'second' and 'two'.