When something is secundario, it means it's not the main thing, or it's less important. Think of it like a supporting role in a movie – the main actor is the star, and others are secundario.
For example, if you're planning a trip, the destination is primary, and deciding what snacks to bring might be secundario. It's still part of the plan, but not the most crucial part.
You might also hear it when talking about education, like 'escuela secundaria' which means high school. In this context, it refers to the stage of education after primary school, making it 'secondary' in sequence.
So, when you see or hear secundario, just remember it means something that comes in second place in terms of importance or order.
§ "Secundario": Definition and Usage
- Spanish Word
- secundario (adjective)
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- Less important than something else; supplementary.
The Spanish adjective "secundario" is a versatile word that helps you describe things as less important, secondary, or supplementary to something else. It's often used to contrast with something principal or primary. Think of it as indicating a lower rank in importance or a supporting role.
§ Basic Sentence Structure
Like most adjectives in Spanish, "secundario" needs to agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. This means it can be "secundario" (masculine singular), "secundaria" (feminine singular), "secundarios" (masculine plural), or "secundarias" (feminine plural).
El objetivo principal es aprender, el dinero es secundario.
The main goal is to learn, money is secondary.
Esta es una cuestión secundaria.
This is a secondary issue.
§ Using with Nouns
You can place "secundario" before or after the noun, but placing it after is more common and often gives it a more descriptive weight. When it comes before, it can sometimes emphasize the secondary nature more directly.
Examples:
Un papel secundario (A secondary role/part)
Él tuvo un papel secundario en la película.
He had a secondary role in the movie.
Efectos secundarios (Side effects)
Este medicamento puede tener efectos secundarios.
This medicine can have side effects.
Educación secundaria (Secondary education/High school)
Todavía estoy en la educación secundaria.
I am still in high school (secondary education).
§ Common Phrases and Contexts
"Secundario" appears in several common phrases. Knowing these will help you use the word naturally.
En segundo plano / En un plano secundario (In the background / In a secondary plane)
Dejó su carrera profesional en un plano secundario.
He left his professional career in a secondary position (in the background).
Función secundaria (Secondary function/role)
El software tiene una función secundaria de respaldo.
The software has a secondary backup function.
§ "Secundario" vs. "Importante" / "Principal"
Often, you'll use "secundario" to draw a contrast. It's the opposite of "principal" (main/primary) or "importante" (important).
Lo principal es tu salud, todo lo demás es secundario.
The main thing is your health, everything else is secondary.
Mastering "secundario" will add nuance to your Spanish, allowing you to clearly express the relative importance of different elements in a conversation or description. Practice using it in sentences and you'll get the hang of it quickly!
چقدر رسمی است؟
"El papel de este comité es meramente subordinado a la junta directiva."
"El aspecto secundario del proyecto fue pospuesto."
"Dejamos ese detalle en segundo plano por ahora."
"El ayudante del líder se encargó de las tareas pequeñas."
"Ese tema es solo un acompañante, no es lo importante."
راهنمای تلفظ
- Pronouncing the 'c' as an 's' sound in all contexts.
- Forgetting to roll the 'r' sound.
اصطلاحات و عبارات
"en segundo plano"
in the background, secondary (figurative)
Su trabajo se mantuvo en segundo plano mientras él cuidaba a su familia. (His work remained secondary while he took care of his family.)
neutral"de menor importancia"
of minor importance
Es un detalle de menor importancia en el gran esquema de las cosas. (It's a detail of minor importance in the grand scheme of things.)
neutral"papel secundario"
supporting role
Ella siempre ha tenido un papel secundario en la empresa. (She has always had a supporting role in the company.)
neutral"algo secundario"
something secondary
Para mí, el dinero es algo secundario. (For me, money is something secondary.)
neutral"pasar a un segundo plano"
to take a back seat, to become secondary
Sus intereses personales pasaron a un segundo plano después de casarse. (His personal interests took a back seat after he got married.)
neutral"cuestión secundaria"
secondary matter, side issue
El color del coche es una cuestión secundaria; lo importante es que funcione bien. (The car's color is a secondary matter; what's important is that it works well.)
neutral"un asunto secundario"
a secondary issue
La comida era un asunto secundario en la fiesta; la música era lo principal. (The food was a secondary issue at the party; the music was the main thing.)
neutral"secundario a"
secondary to
El éxito personal es secundario a la felicidad familiar. (Personal success is secondary to family happiness.)
formal"tener un papel secundario"
to play a secondary role
En esta historia, el villano tiene un papel secundario. (In this story, the villain plays a secondary role.)
neutral"como algo secundario"
as something secondary
Siempre he visto mi carrera como algo secundario a mi pasión. (I have always seen my career as something secondary to my passion.)
neutralخانواده کلمه
اسمها
صفتها
تمرین در زندگی واقعی
موقعیتهای واقعی
Education - Describing secondary education, or a secondary school subject.
- Educación secundaria: High school / Secondary education.
- Escuela secundaria: Secondary school / High school.
- Asignatura secundaria: A secondary subject (less important than a main one).
Work/Projects - Identifying a less critical task or role.
- Tarea secundaria: Secondary task (a less important task).
- Rol secundario: Secondary role (a supporting or less important role).
- Objetivo secundario: Secondary objective (a goal that is not the main one).
Health/Medical - Referring to side effects or minor health issues.
- Efecto secundario: Side effect.
- Síntoma secundario: Secondary symptom (a less prominent symptom).
- Causa secundaria: Secondary cause (not the primary reason).
Literature/Film - Discussing a supporting character or plotline.
- Personaje secundario: Secondary character / Supporting character.
- Trama secundaria: Subplot / Secondary plot.
- Papel secundario: Supporting role (in a play or film).
General Use - Describing something as not being the main or primary focus.
- Importancia secundaria: Secondary importance (less important).
- Problema secundario: Secondary problem (a minor problem).
- Consideración secundaria: Secondary consideration (something to think about, but not the main point).
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
"¿Cuál fue tu asignatura secundaria favorita en la escuela? (What was your favorite secondary subject in school?)"
"En tu trabajo, ¿cuáles son algunas tareas secundarias que haces? (In your job, what are some secondary tasks you do?)"
"¿Crees que los efectos secundarios de los medicamentos son siempre importantes? (Do you think side effects of medicines are always important?)"
"¿Prefieres los personajes principales o los secundarios en una película? (Do you prefer main or secondary characters in a movie?)"
"¿Hay algo que consideras de importancia secundaria en tu vida diaria? (Is there anything you consider of secondary importance in your daily life?)"
موضوعات نگارش
Describe un momento en el que algo que parecía secundario se volvió muy importante. (Describe a time when something that seemed secondary became very important.)
Escribe sobre una película o libro y sus personajes secundarios favoritos. ¿Por qué te gustan? (Write about a favorite movie or book and its secondary characters. Why do you like them?)
¿Cómo manejas las tareas secundarias en tu día a día? ¿Las priorizas o las dejas para el final? (How do you handle secondary tasks in your daily life? Do you prioritize them or leave them for last?)
Reflexiona sobre cómo los objetivos secundarios pueden contribuir a un objetivo principal. (Reflect on how secondary objectives can contribute to a main objective.)
Piensa en un problema que al principio parecía secundario, pero luego demostró ser más significativo. (Think about a problem that at first seemed secondary, but then proved to be more significant.)
سوالات متداول
10 سوالThe main meaning of 'secundario' is 'secondary' or 'less important than something else'. It describes something that comes after the primary or main thing, or something that is supplementary.
Yes, absolutely! In Spanish, 'escuela secundaria' or 'educación secundaria' refers to secondary school or secondary education. For example, 'Mi hermano va a la escuela secundaria' means 'My brother goes to secondary school'.
It can be about both! While it often implies less importance, it can also refer to a sequential order, meaning 'second' or 'next in line'. However, for pure numerical order, you'd usually use 'segundo'.
To make 'secundario' plural, you add an 's' to the end. So, it becomes 'secundarios' for masculine plural and 'secundarias' for feminine plural. Remember, it's an adjective, so it needs to agree with the noun it modifies.
You could say: 'Su papel en la obra fue secundario.' (His/Her role in the play was secondary.) This means it wasn't the main or leading role.
Yes, it's very common! You'll often hear 'efectos secundarios' to mean 'side effects', especially in medical contexts. For example, 'El medicamento tiene algunos efectos secundarios.' (The medicine has some side effects.)
While both can imply 'less important', 'menor' often refers to 'smaller' in size, quantity, or age, or 'minor' in significance. 'Secundario' specifically means 'secondary' or 'supplementary' in relation to a primary thing. For instance, 'problemas menores' (minor problems) versus 'un aspecto secundario' (a secondary aspect).
You would use 'carretera secundaria' (secondary road) to refer to a less important road, often one that connects smaller towns or serves as an alternative to a main highway. For example, 'Tomamos una carretera secundaria para evitar el tráfico.' (We took a secondary road to avoid traffic.)
It can, depending on the context, imply a lack of importance, but not necessarily in a negative way. It simply means 'not primary' or 'subordinate'. If you want to strongly emphasize 'unimportant' or 'trivial', other words might be more direct, like 'insignificante' or 'sin importancia'.
Think of the English word 'secondary'. They are very similar in meaning and origin. If something is 'secondary', it's not the main thing, it's less important, or it comes second. This direct link makes it easy to remember 'secundario'.
خودت رو بسنج 42 سوال
Para el director, la puntualidad es algo _____. La calidad del trabajo es lo principal.
In this context, 'secundario' means less important, which fits because quality is stated as the main thing.
En mi opinión, el color del coche es _____, el precio es lo que más me interesa.
Here, 'secundario' indicates that the color is not the most important factor, aligning with the speaker's interest in the price.
Aunque la historia de amor es _____, ayuda a desarrollar los personajes principales.
The story being secondary means it supports the main characters but isn't the core plot.
No te preocupes por esos detalles, son algo _____ para el proyecto.
When something is 'secundario', it implies it's not crucial or essential, suggesting the person shouldn't worry too much about it.
Su papel en la obra es _____, pero su actuación es muy buena.
A secondary role is not the main one, but the actor can still perform well in it.
La comida es deliciosa, pero el ambiente es un aspecto _____ en este restaurante.
If the food is delicious, the environment is less important, making it 'secundario'.
The assistant's role is secondary.
We consider the project secondary.
The secondary information is not essential.
این را بلند بخوانید:
Mi trabajo es secundario.
تمرکز: secundario
تو گفتی:
تشخیص گفتار در مرورگر شما پشتیبانی نمیشود. از کروم یا اج استفاده کنید.
این را بلند بخوانید:
Ella tiene un interés secundario en la música.
تمرکز: secundario
تو گفتی:
تشخیص گفتار در مرورگر شما پشتیبانی نمیشود. از کروم یا اج استفاده کنید.
این را بلند بخوانید:
Este problema es secundario.
تمرکز: secundario
تو گفتی:
تشخیص گفتار در مرورگر شما پشتیبانی نمیشود. از کروم یا اج استفاده کنید.
Describe a 'secundario' character from your favorite book or movie. What makes them less important than the main character?
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
En mi película favorita, el amigo del héroe es un personaje secundario. Él ayuda al héroe, pero la historia no es sobre él. (In my favorite movie, the hero's friend is a secondary character. He helps the hero, but the story is not about him.)
Imagine you are planning a trip. What are some 'secundarias' activities you would like to do, besides the main attractions?
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
Cuando viajo, las actividades secundarias pueden ser buscar pequeñas tiendas o probar comida local en un mercado. La atracción principal es un museo, pero me gusta explorar los lugares secundarios. (When I travel, secondary activities can be looking for small shops or trying local food in a market. The main attraction is a museum, but I like to explore the secondary places.)
Write a sentence using 'secundario' to describe something that is not your main focus at school or work.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
Para mí, aprender un idioma es un interés secundario en este momento, porque mi trabajo principal es terminar un proyecto grande. (For me, learning a language is a secondary interest right now, because my main job is to finish a big project.)
¿Cuál es el trabajo secundario de María?
این متن را بخوانید:
María tiene dos trabajos. Su trabajo principal es en una oficina, donde trabaja de lunes a viernes. Su trabajo secundario es pasear perros los fines de semana para ganar un poco más de dinero. Le gusta su trabajo secundario porque pasa tiempo al aire libre.
¿Cuál es el trabajo secundario de María?
El pasaje dice que su trabajo secundario es pasear perros los fines de semana. (The passage says her secondary job is walking dogs on weekends.)
El pasaje dice que su trabajo secundario es pasear perros los fines de semana. (The passage says her secondary job is walking dogs on weekends.)
¿Qué tipo de recetas son 'secundarias' en el libro de cocina?
این متن را بخوانید:
En un libro de cocina, hay recetas principales y recetas secundarias. Las recetas principales son para los platos fuertes, como la carne o el pescado. Las recetas secundarias son para las guarniciones, como las verduras o el arroz. Ambas son importantes para una buena comida, pero una es más importante para el plato principal.
¿Qué tipo de recetas son 'secundarias' en el libro de cocina?
El pasaje explica que las recetas secundarias son para las guarniciones, como las verduras o el arroz. (The passage explains that secondary recipes are for side dishes, like vegetables or rice.)
El pasaje explica que las recetas secundarias son para las guarniciones, como las verduras o el arroz. (The passage explains that secondary recipes are for side dishes, like vegetables or rice.)
¿Cuál era la noticia más importante del día?
این متن را بخوانید:
El director de la escuela hizo un anuncio importante sobre el nuevo horario. Después, un profesor dio información secundaria sobre las actividades extracurriculares. La información del profesor era útil, pero el anuncio del director era la noticia más importante del día.
¿Cuál era la noticia más importante del día?
El pasaje indica que el anuncio del director era la noticia más importante del día, y la información del profesor era 'secundaria'. (The passage indicates that the director's announcement was the most important news of the day, and the teacher's information was 'secondary'.)
El pasaje indica que el anuncio del director era la noticia más importante del día, y la información del profesor era 'secundaria'. (The passage indicates that the director's announcement was the most important news of the day, and the teacher's information was 'secondary'.)
El papel del asistente es _______, mientras que el gerente toma las decisiones principales.
In this context, the assistant's role is less important than the manager's, making 'secundario' the correct choice.
Aunque la trama principal es sobre el misterio, hay una historia de amor _______ que añade profundidad.
The love story is 'less important' or 'supplementary' to the main mystery plot, so 'secundaria' is the right fit.
Sus intereses _______ incluyen la jardinería, pero su pasión principal es la pintura.
Gardening is a less important interest compared to painting, making 'secundarios' the correct adjective.
La educación _______ en España es obligatoria y se imparte en institutos.
Spanish educational stages include 'educación primaria' and 'educación secundaria', which refers to secondary education.
Consideramos el costo un factor _______; la calidad es nuestra prioridad número uno.
If quality is the top priority, then cost is less important, or 'secundario'.
Aunque el problema de la contaminación es grave, las preocupaciones económicas son un asunto _______ para el gobierno.
If the pollution problem is grave, then economic concerns are 'less important' in comparison, thus 'secundario' is appropriate.
Choose the best synonym for 'secundario' in the following sentence: 'Su papel en la obra fue secundario.'
'Adicional' means additional or supplementary, which aligns with the definition of 'secundario' as less important or supplementary.
Which of these situations would most likely be described as 'secundario'?
A small, optional task is less important and supplementary, fitting the meaning of 'secundario'.
In the sentence 'Los detalles secundarios no son tan importantes como el objetivo principal,' what does 'secundarios' refer to?
'Secundarios' means less important, so 'los detalles secundarios' refers to the less important details.
If something is 'secundario,' it means it is the most important thing.
'Secundario' means less important, not the most important.
A 'carretera secundaria' is a major highway.
A 'carretera secundaria' is a secondary road, usually less important than a main highway.
You can use 'secundario' to describe a supporting role in a play.
A supporting role is less important than the main role, fitting the meaning of 'secundario'.
Aunque la trama principal era interesante, los personajes ___ hicieron la historia menos atractiva.
In this context, 'secundarios' refers to the less important characters, which fits the sentence meaning that they made the story less attractive despite the interesting main plot.
El problema principal es la financiación; todo lo demás es ___.
Here, 'secundario' implies that other issues are less important compared to the main problem of funding.
La construcción de la carretera es un objetivo ___, pero la reparación del puente es la prioridad absoluta.
'Secundario' indicates that the road construction is a less important goal than the bridge repair, which is the absolute priority.
Sus intereses ___ incluyen la jardinería y la fotografía, aunque su pasión principal es la música.
In this sentence, 'secundarios' refers to interests that are less central or supplementary to her main passion, music.
No te preocupes por los detalles ___, concéntrate en la idea principal del proyecto.
'Secundarios' is used here to advise focusing on the main idea rather than the less important or supplementary details.
Aunque el papel que me ofrecieron era ___, decidí aceptarlo para ganar experiencia.
Here, 'secundario' means the role was less important, but the speaker accepted it for experience, fitting the definition.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: 'El calentamiento global es la preocupación principal, y otros problemas ambientales son ______.'
'Secundarios' fits because global warming is stated as the main concern, making other environmental problems less important in comparison.
Which of the following is an antonym for 'secundario' in the context of importance?
'Primordial' means of utmost importance, directly opposing the meaning of 'secundario' (less important).
Complete the sentence: 'Aunque la trama principal era fascinante, las historias ______ de los personajes de apoyo también enriquecieron la novela.'
The supporting characters' stories are 'secundarias' because they supplement the main plot, adding richness without being the central focus.
In a formal business setting, a 'comité secundario' would typically have more authority than a 'comité principal'.
A 'comité secundario' (secondary committee) would inherently have less authority than a 'comité principal' (main committee), as 'secundario' implies a lesser role or importance.
If a task is described as 'secundaria', it means it is of equal importance to the primary task.
If a task is 'secundaria', it is less important or supplementary to the primary task, not of equal importance.
A 'efecto secundario' (side effect) in medicine refers to a primary and intended consequence of a treatment.
A 'efecto secundario' is an unintended or secondary consequence of a treatment, not its primary and intended effect.
/ 42 درست
نمره کامل!
مثال
La educación secundaria es obligatoria en muchos países.
محتوای مرتبط
این کلمه در زبانهای دیگر
واژههای بیشتر business
a cambio
B1As a return or substitute; in exchange, in return.
a cambio de
B1In exchange for.
a cargo de
B1In charge of; responsible for.
a diario
B1Every day; daily.
a excepción de
B1With the exception of; except for.
a fin de que
B1In order that; so that.
a fondo
B1Thoroughly or in depth.
a la vez
B1At the same time; simultaneously.
a medida que
B1At the same rate or in the same way as.
a medio plazo
B1In the medium term, over a moderate period of time.
