Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| último | /ˈultimo/ | |
| postrero | /posˈtɾeɾo/ | |
| postrer | /posˈtɾeɾ/ | |
| postrimero | /postɾimeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| postrimer | /postɾimeɾ/ (from spelling rules) | |
| postremo | /postɾemo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| postremero | /postɾemeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | alternative form |
The primary way to say 'last' as a final adjective is último. This is used to describe the final item in a sequence. Note that the adverb últimamente is related but means 'lately' or 'recently'.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between using a word for 'final' and using a word for 'previous'. Use último to mean the final item in a series. If you mean 'last' in the sense of 'previous' (such as 'last week'), use pasado. Additionally, while último is standard, the forms postrero, postrimero, postrer and postremo are also related to the concept of being last.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In highly literary or poetic contexts, you may encounter postrero or postrimero, which are rarely used in everyday conversation. For more formal contexts, the words final or anterior can be used to convey the meaning of 'last' or 'previous'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, último must agree in gender with the noun it modifies: use última for feminine nouns. The form postrer is a specific version of postrero used only when it appears before a masculine singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈultimo/
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, última hora can mean 'last hour', but it is most commonly used as the standard term for 'breaking news'.
- While último means 'last', the word penúltimo is used very frequently in Spanish to specifically denote the 'second to last' item.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, referring to someone as el último can be a colloquial way to describe the youngest child in a family.
Examples in context
- Él va el último.He goes last.This sentence is useful for showing how to use último to indicate position in a sequence.Tatoeba #6688910 by arh, translation #6689637 by Eccles17
- Tom llegó el último.Tom arrived last.This sentence demonstrates the use of último to describe an arrival order.Tatoeba #922680 by Shishir, translation #37189 by CK
- Quedé en último lugar.I came last.This sentence shows how to use último when describing a place or rank.Tatoeba #653003 by Shishir, translation #5828933 by CK
- la última vezThe last time
- el último díaThe last day
- el mes anteriorLast month
- el fin de semana pasadoLast weekend
- el año pasadoLast year
- últimamente he estado ocupadoI've been busy lately
- el mes pasadoThe last month
- La última vez que fuimos al cine, vimos una película fantástica.The last time we went to the movies, we saw a fantastic film.
- ¿Viste mi mensaje del fin de semana pasado?Did you see my message from last weekend?
- El mes anterior estuvo lleno de desafíos.Last month was full of challenges.
- 293 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are checking their itinerary for a trip.
- Javier¿Cuál es nuestro último destino?What is our last destination?
- MaríaEl último es Madrid.The last one is Madrid.
- Javier¡Qué bien, es una ciudad hermosa!Great, it is a beautiful city!
- MaríaSí, es el final de nuestro viaje.Yes, it is the end of our trip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “last” translations and entries último, postrero, postrer, postrimero, postrimer, postremo, postremero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
