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tercera

tehr-SEH-rah/teɾˈθeɾa/

“tercera” means “third” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

third

Also: 3rd
Three identical pink flowers arranged in a row. The third flower in the sequence is highlighted with a faint glow around it.

📝 In Action

Esta es la tercera puerta a la izquierda.

A1

This is the third door on the left.

Ella fue la tercera persona en llegar a la reunión.

A2

She was the third person to arrive at the meeting.

Vivo en la tercera casa de esta calle.

A1

I live in the third house on this street.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tercera edad – old age / senior citizens
  • tercera parte – third part / one third

third gear, third base

Also: third (person or thing)
NounfB1
A simple, stylized view of a car's gear shift lever positioned firmly in the middle-forward slot, representing third gear.

📝 In Action

Necesitas cambiar a tercera para subir la colina.

B1

You need to shift into third gear to go up the hill.

El corredor se deslizó hacia la tercera.

B2

The runner slid into third base.

La tercera fue la vencida.

C1

The third time was the charm (Literally: The third was the conquered one).

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • poner la tercera – to put (a vehicle) into third gear

Idioms & Expressions

  • La tercera en discordia – The third person causing conflict, often in a relationship (a love triangle)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "tercera" in Spanish:

third base→third gear→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tercera

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'tercera'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tercero(third (masculine)) — Adjective / Noun
tres(three) — Number
terciar(to intervene / to divide into three parts) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

'Tercera' comes directly from the Latin word 'tertiaria,' which means 'the third one' or 'related to three.' It is a direct descendant of the Latin root for the number three.

First recorded: Around the 10th-12th century in Old Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: terzaFrench: tierce

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'tercera' and 'tercero'?

'Tercera' is the form you use when the person or thing you are talking about is feminine (like 'la mesa' or 'la mujer'). 'Tercero' is the masculine form, used for masculine nouns (like 'el día' or 'el coche').

Does 'tercera' ever shorten like 'tercer'?

No. Only the masculine form 'tercero' shortens to 'tercer' when it comes before a single masculine noun (e.g., 'el tercer libro'). 'Tercera' always keeps its full form.