Inklingo

How to Say "successive" in Spanish

English → Spanish

consecutivo

/kon-seh-koo-TEE-bo//konsekuˈtiβo/

adjectiveB1formal
Use 'consecutivo' when referring to events, numbers, or items that follow each other in a strict, unbroken, and often predictable order.
A row of colorful ducks walking in a straight line, one directly behind the other.

Examples

Llovió durante tres días consecutivos.

It rained for three consecutive days.

Es el cuarto año consecutivo que ganan el trofeo.

It is the fourth year in a row that they win the trophy.

Los números 5, 6 y 7 son consecutivos.

The numbers 5, 6, and 7 are consecutive.

Matching the Ending

Since this is an adjective, it must match the word it describes. Use 'consecutivo' for masculine words like 'días' and 'consecutiva' for feminine words like 'semanas'.

Placement Matters

In Spanish, 'consecutivo' almost always comes after the noun (the thing it describes), just like in the phrase 'días consecutivos'.

Using the wrong gender

Mistake: “Tres veces consecutivos.”

Correction: Tres veces consecutivas. (Because 'vez' is a feminine word).

sucesivo

/soo-seh-SEE-boh//suseˈsiβo/

adjectiveB1formal
Use 'sucesivo' to describe items or events that simply follow one after another in a sequence, without necessarily implying a strict or unbroken order.
A row of bright red apples lined up one after another on a wooden table.

Examples

Llovió durante tres días sucesivos.

It rained for three successive days.

Debemos analizar los sucesivos cambios en el clima.

We must analyze the subsequent changes in the climate.

Las sucesivas oleadas de calor afectaron la cosecha.

The successive heatwaves affected the harvest.

Matching the Noun

This word needs to match the gender and number of the object it describes: 'un día sucesivo' (masculine singular), 'una etapa sucesiva' (feminine singular), 'días sucesivos' (masculine plural), and 'etapas sucesivas' (feminine plural).

Word Order

In most cases, 'sucesivo' comes after the noun it describes (like 'días sucesivos'), but in formal writing, it can sometimes appear before the noun for emphasis (like 'las sucesivas crisis').

Success vs. Succession

Mistake: “Using 'sucesivo' to mean 'successful'.”

Correction: Use 'exitoso' for 'successful'. 'Sucesivo' only refers to the order of things (one after another).

Consecutivo vs. Sucesivo

Learners often confuse 'consecutivo' and 'sucesivo' because both mean 'following one after another'. However, 'consecutivo' is more common and implies a strict, unbroken sequence, while 'sucesivo' is more general.

Related Translations

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