etcétera
/etθeteɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "so on" can be translated into Spanish as etcétera.
etcétera is used to mean "and the rest" or "and so on" in English.
Which one should you use?
y así sucesivamente is a more formal way to express the concept of a continuous sequence, meaning "and so on" or "and so forth".
How do you pronounce it?
/etθeteɾa/
Did you know?
- It is a common mistake for learners to say y etcétera, but in Spanish, the y is redundant because the et in etcétera already means 'and'.
- If you are listing items in a menu or a store, using etcétera can sometimes feel dismissive, as if you cannot be bothered to finish your list.
- In Spanish, etcétera is sometimes jokingly shortened to etcétera, etcétera when a speaker wants to emphasize that a list is incredibly long or tedious.
Examples in context
- Debes comprar leche, huevos, mantequilla, etcétera.You must buy milk, eggs, butter, and so on.Tatoeba #2944714 by marcelostockle, translation #19481 by acell
- Compré frutas como manzanas, bananas, naranjas y así sucesivamente.I bought fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, and so on.
- Fui de compras y encontré ropa, zapatos, accesorios y todo eso.I went shopping and found clothes, shoes, accessories, and all that.
- Mis pasatiempos son el fútbol, el tenis, leer, bailar, etcétera.My hobbies are soccer, tennis, reading, dancing, and so on.
- Mi profesora enseña matemáticas, ciencias naturales, geografía y demás.My teacher teaches math, natural sciences, geography, and so on.
- Podemos estudiar matemáticas, física, química, etcétera.We can study math, physics, chemistry, and so on.
- En la tienda venden camisas, pantalones, zapatos, etcétera.In the store they sell shirts, pants, shoes, and so on.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing what to bring to a party.
- LucíaNecesitamos servilletas, vasos, platos, etcétera.We need napkins, cups, plates, and so on.
- Mateo¿Quieres que yo compre los vasos?Do you want me to buy the cups?
- LucíaSí, por favor, compra todo eso.Yes, please, buy all of that.
- MateoEstá bien, iré al supermercado ahora.Okay, I will go to the supermarket now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
