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How to Say "quick" in Spanish

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rápido

adjectiveA1general
Use 'rápido' to describe something that happens in a short amount of time or moves at a high speed.

Examples

El tren es muy rápido.

The train is very fast.

ligero

/li-HEH-roh//liˈxe.ɾo/

adjectiveB1general
Choose 'ligero' when emphasizing speed and agility, often describing a person's movement or a vehicle's performance.
A cheetah running at full speed across a green field, emphasizing quick movement.

Examples

Es un corredor muy ligero; ganó la carrera fácilmente.

He is a very fast runner; he won the race easily.

Necesitamos tomar una decisión ligera sobre esto.

We need to make a quick decision about this.

Adverbial Form

To say something is done 'quickly' or 'lightly' (the adverb), you usually use the feminine form of the adjective plus '-mente': 'ligeramente'.

pronto

/PRON-toh//ˈpɾon.to/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'pronto' to indicate being ready or prepared to do something immediately.
A cheerful child wearing bright red shoes and a helmet, standing perfectly still next to a colorful bicycle, looking eagerly forward.

Examples

Estoy pronto para salir.

I am ready to leave.

Ella es una mujer pronta y decidida.

She is a quick and decisive woman.

Dieron una pronta respuesta a nuestra solicitud.

They gave a quick response to our request.

An Adjective That Changes

When 'pronto' is an adjective meaning 'ready' or 'quick', it describes a person or thing. This means it has to change to match what it's describing: 'pronto' (masculine), 'pronta' (feminine), 'prontos' (masculine plural), 'prontas' (feminine plural).

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: “La comida está pronto.”

Correction: La comida está pronta. Because 'comida' is a feminine word, the adjective describing it must also be feminine.

breve

/breh-veh//ˈbɾeβe/

adjectiveA1general
Employ 'breve' to describe something that lasts for a short duration, like a pause, a moment, or a short piece of writing.
A small brown rabbit quickly hops a very short distance across a green grassy path.

Examples

Hagamos una pausa breve antes de continuar.

Let's take a brief pause before continuing.

Su discurso fue muy breve y directo.

His speech was very short and direct.

En breve, te explico el plan.

In short, I'll explain the plan to you. (Common phrase: 'en breve')

Agreement Rule

Unlike many adjectives, 'breve' doesn't change between masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'un momento breve' and 'una carta breve'). It only changes for plural: 'breves'.

Confusing Time vs. Physical Length

Mistake: “Usar 'breve' para describir la longitud física de un objeto (e.g., *La mesa es breve*).”

Correction: Use 'corto' for physical length (e.g., 'La mesa es corta') and reserve 'breve' mostly for time or abstract length (like a speech or summary).

Rápido vs. Breve

Learners often confuse 'rápido' (fast, quick in terms of speed or time) with 'breve' (short in duration). Remember, 'rápido' is about speed, while 'breve' is about length of time.

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