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How to Say "respective" in Spanish

English → Spanish

respectivo

/res-pehk-TEE-voh//res.pek.ˈti.βo/

adjectiveB1
Use 'respectivo' when referring to things that belong to or are associated with specific people or places, indicating a one-to-one match.
A boy and a girl standing side by side, each holding their own backpack that matches the color of their shirt.

Examples

Los estudiantes volvieron a sus respectivos asientos.

The students returned to their respective seats.

Los niños regresaron a sus respectivos hogares.

The children returned to their respective homes.

Cada pasajero debe ocupar su respectivo asiento.

Each passenger must occupy their respective seat.

Los científicos presentaron sus respectivos hallazgos en la conferencia.

The scientists presented their respective findings at the conference.

The Word Changes Based on the Noun

Like most Spanish words that describe something, this word must match the gender (male/female) and number (singular/plural) of the noun it talks about: respectivo, respectiva, respectivos, or respectivas.

Positioning

It usually comes before the noun when you want to emphasize that things belong to specific people in a group, like 'sus respectivas camas' (their respective beds).

Don't confuse with 'Respetuoso'

Mistake: “Él es muy respectivo con los mayores.”

Correction: Él es muy respetuoso con los mayores. Use 'respetuoso' to mean someone has a lot of respect; use 'respectivo' only for matching items to people.

correspondiente

/koh-rehs-pohn-DYEN-teh//koresponˈdjente/

adjectiveB1
Use 'correspondiente' when indicating that something matches or belongs to something else based on a specific criterion or function, rather than direct ownership.
Two puzzle pieces of different colors that fit perfectly together.

Examples

Cada capítulo tiene un ejercicio correspondiente.

Each chapter has a corresponding exercise.

Pon cada libro en su estante correspondiente.

Put each book on its corresponding shelf.

Cada pasajero debe ocupar el asiento correspondiente a su billete.

Each passenger must take the seat corresponding to their ticket.

Los precios variarán según la categoría correspondiente del hotel.

Prices will vary according to the respective category of the hotel.

One form for everyone

This word ends in 'e', which means it stays the same whether you are talking about a masculine or feminine thing. You don't need to change it to 'correspondienta'.

Plural matching

While it doesn't change for gender, it does change for number. If you are talking about multiple things, add an 's' to make it 'correspondientes'.

The 'O' Trap

Mistake: “el lugar correspondiento”

Correction: el lugar correspondiente. Words ending in 'e' like this one do not change to 'o' for masculine nouns.

Choosing Between 'Respectivo' and 'Correspondiente'

The most common mistake is using 'respectivo' when you mean 'correspondiente'. Remember that 'respectivo' implies a direct, personal link (e.g., 'their respective homes'), while 'correspondiente' suggests a functional or criteria-based match (e.g., 'the corresponding answer').

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