cada
/ˈkada/
The English word "every" is translated into Spanish as cada.
cada is used to refer to all members of a countable group in a distributive sense, meaning "each" or "every" one of them.
Meaning: all of a countable group (det)
Which one should you use?
While cada is used to express totality by referring to the members of a group one by one, it must be used with singular nouns. In contrast, if you want to use a plural noun to express the same concept of totality, you would use todos (all).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, cada is always followed by a singular noun, even if the meaning implies a group of many items. If you wish to use "every one" or "each one" as a pronoun, you should use the phrases cada uno for masculine subjects or cada una for feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkada/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the expression cada dos por tres has nothing to do with math and actually means 'very often' or 'constantly'.
- The word cada is a distant relative of the English word 'catalogue', as both stem from the Ancient Greek preposition κατά.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying cada dos por tres does not mean 'every two by three' but is an idiom meaning 'very often' or 'constantly'.
Examples in context
- Me pagan cada mes.I get paid every month.This sentence shows how to use cada when talking about monthly payments.Tatoeba #9640688 by stormy_clau, translation #9584732 by DJ_Saidez
- Cada uno a lo suyo.Every man for himself.This sentence demonstrates a common idiomatic expression using cada.Tatoeba #985803 by Shishir, translation #1559492 by sam_m
- Cada gato es único.Every cat is unique.This sentence shows how to use cada with a singular noun to describe a group.Tatoeba #11690842 by ecorralest101, translation #11690561 by shekitten
- Trabajo cada díaI work every day
- Toda personaEvery person
- Una manzana por cada niñoAn apple for every child
- Cada uno de los amigosEvery one of the friends
- Un regalo para todosA gift for everyone
- 641 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about their exercise routines.
- Sofía¿Vas al gimnasio cada día?Do you go to the gym every day?
- DanielNo, voy cuatro veces por semana.No, I go four times a week.
- SofíaYo trato de ir cada mañana.I try to go every morning.
- DanielEso es muy impresionante, Sofía.That is very impressive, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “every” translations and entries cada, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cada, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
