igualmente
/iˌɡwalˈmente/
In Spanish, igualmente means "likewise" or "same to you."
igualmente is a polite, shorthand response used to return a greeting or a well-wish to another person. It allows you to reciprocate sentiments like Que tengas un buen día (Have a good day) or Mucho gusto (Nice to meet you) without repeating the entire sentence. For example, if someone says ¡Buen viaje! (Have a good trip!), responding with igualmente is a natural way to wish them the same.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is an adverb formed from the adjective igual (equal) and the suffix -mente, which is the Spanish equivalent of the English suffix -ly.
Which one should you use?
While igualmente is used to return well-wishes, it is not used to mean "also" when you are adding information to a list of facts. In those cases, you should use también.
How do you pronounce it?
/iˌɡwalˈmente/
Did you know?
- The suffix in igualmente, -mente, shares a common ancestor with the English word 'mind' and the Latin 'mens', meaning 'mind'.
- In English, 'likewise' can be used with a sarcastic or biting tone to mirror a rude comment, but igualmente almost always remains polite or neutral.
- In formal written Spanish, writers often avoid using igualmente and instead use phrases like del mismo modo to prevent too many adverbs ending in -mente from appearing.
Examples in context
- Muchas gracias, igualmente.Thank you very much, same to you.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are leaving a coffee shop.
- María¡Adiós, Mateo! Que tengas un buen día.Goodbye, Mateo! Have a good day.
- MateoGracias, igualmente, María.Thanks, same to you, María.
- María¡Nos vemos pronto!See you soon!
- Mateo¡Hasta luego!See you later!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry igualmente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries igualmente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
