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total

toh-TAHL/toˈtal/

total, complete

Also: absolute
A vibrant red circle that is perfectly and completely filled with color, representing absolute completeness.

📝 In Action

Hubo una destrucción total de la casa por el fuego.

A2

There was a total destruction of the house due to the fire.

Necesitas tener fe total en tu equipo.

B1

You need to have complete faith in your team.

El costo total de la reparación fue de 500 euros.

A1

The total cost of the repair was 500 euros.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • parcial (partial)
  • incompleto (incomplete)

Common Collocations

  • guerra total – total war
  • satisfacción total – total satisfaction

total, sum

Also: whole
NounmB1
A large, neatly stacked tower constructed from many smaller, colorful building blocks, illustrating the final total amount.

📝 In Action

¿Cuál es el total de la cuenta, por favor?

A2

What is the total amount of the bill, please?

Necesitamos alcanzar un total de 100 puntos para ganar.

B1

We need to reach a total of 100 points to win.

Hemos reunido el total requerido.

B2

We have gathered the required total.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • suma (sum)
  • monto (amount)

Common Collocations

  • el gran total – the grand total

anyway, after all

Also: so
AdverbC1informal
Spain
A simple dirt path on a green hill that takes a short detour loop before immediately rejoining the main, straight path leading forward, symbolizing continuing 'anyway'.

📝 In Action

No puedo ir a la fiesta. Total, ya es muy tarde.

B2

I can't go to the party. Anyway, it's already very late.

No me importa si llueve, total, vamos en coche.

C1

I don't care if it rains; after all, we are going by car.

Total, si no funciona, lo intentamos otra vez.

C1

So, if it doesn't work, we'll try again.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • al fin y al cabo (in the end)
  • de todas formas (in any case)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "total" in Spanish:

after all→anyway→complete→sum→total→whole→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: total

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'total' in its informal, conversational sense of 'anyway' or 'after all'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
totalidad(entirety, wholeness (noun)) — Noun
totalizar(to total, to add up (verb)) — Verb
totalmente(totally, completely (adverb)) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The Spanish word 'total' comes directly from the Medieval Latin word 'totalis,' which means 'pertaining to the whole.' Its root is the Latin word 'totus,' meaning 'whole' or 'all.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: totalFrench: totalItalian: totale

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'total' ever change its ending to agree with feminine nouns?

No. When 'total' is used as an adjective (meaning complete or absolute), it is one of the few words that remains the same regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine. You always use 'total'.

Can I use 'total' instead of 'todo' (all)?

They are related but used differently. 'Todo' usually means 'all of' or 'every,' while 'total' emphasizes completeness or the final sum. For example, 'todos los días' (all the days/every day) is used instead of 'días totales'.