última
/OOL-tee-mah/
last
The final ribbon in a series is the última.
📝 In Action
Es la última página del libro.
A1It's the last page of the book.
Esta es tu última oportunidad para comprar boletos.
A2This is your last chance to buy tickets.
La última vez que te vi fue el martes.
A2The last time I saw you was on Tuesday.
💡 Grammar Points
Placement: It Goes Before!
Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'última' almost always comes before the noun it's describing. Think of it like in English: you say 'the last page' (la última página), not 'the page last'.
Matching the Noun
'Última' is the feminine form. You use it for feminine nouns, like la casa (the house) or la canción (the song). For masculine nouns, like el día (the day), you need to change it to último.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'a'
Mistake: "Vi la `últim` película."
Correction: Vi la `última` película. Remember to use the full feminine form `última` when talking about a feminine noun like `película` (movie).
Something that is the most recent or newest is the última.
📝 In Action
¿Has leído la última novela de esa autora?
B1Have you read the latest novel by that author?
Esta es la última versión del software.
B1This is the latest version of the software.
Según la última encuesta, la gente prefiere el café.
B2According to the latest poll, people prefer coffee.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Everything
How do you know if 'última' means 'final' or 'latest'? The rest of the sentence will tell you. La última página is the 'final' page of a book. La última noticia is the 'latest' news on TV. It becomes clear once you see what it's describing.
When referring to 'the last one' (feminine), we use la última.
📝 In Action
De todas las camisas, me gusta más la última.
A2Of all the shirts, I like the last one the most.
Llegaron tres personas, y la última era mi hermana.
B1Three people arrived, and the last one was my sister.
💡 Grammar Points
A Handy Shortcut
You can use 'la última' all by itself to mean 'the last one' when it's clear what you're talking about. It's a way to avoid repeating a noun. For example, instead of saying 'la última persona', you can just say 'la última'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Matching the Missing Noun
Mistake: "La corredora fue el último en llegar."
Correction: La corredora fue la última en llegar. Even when the noun isn't there, 'última' must still match the gender of the person or thing it's standing in for. Since `corredora` (runner) is feminine, you use `la última`.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: última
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'última' to mean 'latest'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'última' and 'pasada'?
'Última' usually means the very final one in a series (like 'la última semana del año' - the last week of the year). 'Pasada' means the one that just went by (like 'la semana pasada' - last week). The final week of the year is always in December, but 'last week' changes every week!
Can I say 'la última de la clase'?
Yes, you can. It means 'the last one in the class'. It can refer to the last person to finish a task, or it can be used to mean the person with the lowest grades. The meaning depends on the context.