segundo
/seˈɡundo/masculine
The English phrase "second" (referring to a unit of time) is translated into Spanish as segundo.
segundo is used as a noun to mean one-sixtieth of a minute or the SI unit of time. When telling time, use the singular form segundo for a single second and the plural form segundos for more than one second.
Meaning: one-sixtieth of a minute, SI unit of time (noun)
Which one should you use?
While segundo is the masculine noun for a unit of time, it can also function as an ordinal number (second). For example, the phrase La segunda vez means 'The second time' and uses the feminine form to agree with the noun 'vez'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word segundo is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/seˈɡundo/
Did you know?
- The word segundo shares a historical root with the word según, which means 'according to'. Both originate from the Latin idea of following or succeeding something else.
- Because segundo can mean 'second' as an ordinal number, it can also mean 'a second person' or 'an assistant' in certain contexts.
- While segundo is the standard term for time, Spanish speakers often use the word momentito (a little moment) when asking someone to wait for a few seconds, making segundo sound more technical in casual conversation.
Examples in context
- Saldré en un segundo.I'll be out in a second.This sentence is useful for expressing how soon you will be available.Tatoeba #7546556 by arh, translation #2546097 by CK
- Solo tomará un segundo.It'll just take a second.This sentence is useful for describing the duration of an action.Tatoeba #1551081 by marcelostockle, translation #869439 by CM
- Che, esperá un segundo.Hey, hold on a second.This sentence is useful for asking someone to wait a moment.Tatoeba #3665382 by hayastan, translation #3575394 by CK
- El segundo producto en la lista es el más caro.The second product on the list is the most expensive.
- Mi equipo quedó en segundo lugar en el torneo de fútbol.My team finished in second place in the soccer tournament.
- Esta es la segunda vez que me olvido las llaves en casa.This is the second time I've forgotten the keys at home.
- 15 segundos15 seconds
- Espera solo 15 segundos antes de reiniciar el juego.Wait only 15 seconds before restarting the game.
- El segundo pisoThe second floor
- Vivo en el segundo piso de este edificio.I live on the second floor of this building.
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are timing a race with a stopwatch.
- Alejandro¡Mira! Ganaste por un segundo.Look! You won by one second.
- LucíaNo puede ser, fue muy rápido.No way, it was very fast.
- AlejandroSí, cada segundo cuenta en esta carrera.Yes, every second counts in this race.
- LucíaGracias por medir el tiempo, Alejandro.Thanks for timing it, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “second” translations and entries segundo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
