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segundo

seh-GOON-dohseˈɣun.do

second

A frog running a race, clearly positioned second behind a rabbit, illustrating the concept of ordinal order.

📝 In Action

Vivo en el segundo piso.

A1

I live on the second floor.

Esta es mi segunda oportunidad.

A2

This is my second chance.

Carlos III fue el segundo hijo del rey.

B1

Charles III was the king's second son.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • de segunda mano – second-hand / used
  • en segundo lugar – in second place / secondly
  • un segundo plano – the background / a less important position

second

Also: moment
NounmA1
A friendly cartoon character quickly raising a single finger to signal a very brief pause or moment.

📝 In Action

Espera un segundo, por favor.

A1

Wait a second, please.

La película dura una hora, veinte minutos y diez segundos.

A2

The movie is one hour, twenty minutes, and ten seconds long.

Volveré en un segundo.

A2

I'll be back in a moment.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • en cuestión de segundos – in a matter of seconds
  • por segundos – by seconds (e.g., missed it by seconds)

second course

Also: main course
NounmA2
Latin AmericaSpain
A large, colorful plate holding a substantial main course of grilled chicken and potatoes, placed next to a smaller, finished plate from a light starter.

📝 In Action

De segundo, quiero el pescado a la plancha.

A2

For the main course, I want the grilled fish.

¿Qué tienen de segundo en el menú del día?

B1

What do you have for the second course on the menu of the day?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • plato principal (main dish)
  • plato fuerte (main dish (strong plate))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • pedir el segundo – to order the main course

I second

VerbC1regular arformal
Two people at a conference table. One person is pointing at a plan, and the second person is giving a strong thumbs-up gesture, confirming their support.
infinitivesegundar
gerundsegundando
past Participlesegundado

📝 In Action

Yo segundo la moción de la presidenta.

C1

I second the president's motion.

Word Connections

Synonyms

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedsegunda
yosegundo
túsegundas
ellos/ellas/ustedessegundan
nosotrossegundamos
vosotrossegundáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsegundaba
yosegundaba
túsegundabas
ellos/ellas/ustedessegundaban
nosotrossegundábamos
vosotrossegundabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedsegundó
yosegundé
túsegundaste
ellos/ellas/ustedessegundaron
nosotrossegundamos
vosotrossegundasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedsegunde
yosegunde
túsegundes
ellos/ellas/ustedessegunden
nosotrossegundemos
vosotrossegundéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsegundara
yosegundara
túsegundaras
ellos/ellas/ustedessegundaran
nosotrossegundáramos
vosotrossegundarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "segundo" in Spanish:

i second→main course→moment→second→second course→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: segundo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'segundo' to talk about a unit of time?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
segundar(to second, to support) — Verb
secundario(secondary) — Adjective
segundero(second hand (of a clock)) — Noun
secundar(to second, to support (alternative spelling)) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'secundus', which meant 'following' or 'coming next'. This Latin word itself is related to the verb 'sequor', which means 'to follow'. So, the 'second' one is simply the one that 'follows' the first.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: segundoItalian: secondoFrench: second

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'segundo' and 'dos'?

Think of it like 'second' vs. 'two' in English. Use 'dos' for counting things ('tengo dos gatos' - I have two cats). Use 'segundo' for putting things in order ('es mi segundo gato' - he is my second cat).

How do I say 'secondly' or 'in the second place'?

The most common way is to say 'en segundo lugar'. For example: 'Primero, tenemos que comprar pan. En segundo lugar, necesitamos leche.' (First, we have to buy bread. Secondly, we need milk.)

Does 'segundo' ever shorten to 'segund' like 'primero' shortens to 'primer'?

No, it doesn't. 'Segundo' always stays 'segundo' before a masculine noun. You would say 'el segundo libro', not 'el segund libro'. This is a difference from 'primero' (primer) and 'tercero' (tercer).