sumo
“sumo” means “supreme” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
supreme
Also: utmost, highest
📝 In Action
Manejó el jarrón antiguo con sumo cuidado.
B2He handled the antique vase with utmost care.
El Sumo Pontífice visitará el país el próximo mes.
C1The Supreme Pontiff will visit the country next month.
Es un asunto de sumo interés para la comunidad.
B2It is a matter of the highest interest to the community.
I add
Also: I sum up
📝 In Action
Yo sumo los ingredientes a la mezcla uno por uno.
A1I add the ingredients to the mix one by one.
Siempre sumo mis gastos al final del mes.
A2I always add up my expenses at the end of the month.
Me sumo a la propuesta de mis compañeros.
B1I join (add myself to) my colleagues' proposal.
sumo
📝 In Action
El sumo es un deporte tradicional de Japón.
A2Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport.
Vimos una lucha de sumo por la televisión.
B1We saw a sumo match on television.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sumo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'sumo' to mean 'utmost'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The adjective and verb come from the Latin 'summus' (highest) and 'summare' (to sum). The noun for the sport is a direct loanword from Japanese 'sumō'.
First recorded: 13th century (Latin roots); 20th century (Japanese sport).
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'sumo' mean juice?
Only if you are listening to someone from Spain, where 'zumo' (juice) is pronounced exactly like 'sumo'. However, they are spelled differently. 'Sumo' with an 'S' never means juice.
Is 'sumo' used for feminine nouns?
No. For feminine nouns, you must change it to 'suma', as in 'una suma importancia' (though 'de suma importancia' is the most common phrase).
Is 'sumo' a common word?
As a verb ('I add'), yes! As an adjective meaning 'supreme,' it is quite formal and you'll mostly see it in books or news reports.