el siguiente
/el siɡjente/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "next in line" is translated as el siguiente.
The phrase refers to the person who is immediately after another in a queue or sequence. While el siguiente can mean 'the next one in a sequence', it is also frequently used to mean 'the next one' in terms of time or order, similar to 'the following' in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in number with the subjects, using los siguientes for masculine/mixed groups and las siguientes for feminine groups.
How do you pronounce it?
/el siɡjente/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, queues are less rigid than in English-speaking countries. People may stand closer together or form a 'cluster' rather than a straight line, making the identity of el siguiente less obvious.
- The word siguiente is a linguistic relative of the English word 'sequential'. Both trace their roots back to the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ-, meaning 'to follow'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you are waiting in a queue and want to ask who is 'next in line', you might say ¿Quién sigue? ('Who follows?') instead of using the noun el siguiente.
Examples in context
- Oye, me toca a mí, ¿no?(Hey, it's my turn, right?)
- Él es el siguiente en la fila.He is the next in line.
- El siguiente en la lista es Juan.The next in line on the list is Juan.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are waiting at a coffee shop.
- LucíaCreo que tú eres el siguiente.I think you are next in line.
- AlejandroSí, me toca a mí ahora.Yes, it is my turn now.
- LucíaPide un café para mí también.Order a coffee for me too.
- AlejandroClaro, Lucía, yo lo pido.Of course, Lucía, I'll order it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, siguiente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
