What it's NOT
ultimate does NOT translate to último.
To say "último" in English, use last / final.
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False cognate · False friend
ultimate
Does NOT mean último
It means the greatest / definitive
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
ultimate means the greatest / definitive.
Why it's confused
Spanish "último" is whatever comes last, the most recent in time. English "ultimate" is the greatest, the best possible, the highest point of something. Last in English is "last" or "final."
How it's pronounced
ultimateÁL-ti-met
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Examples of correct use
English
It's the ultimate adventure.
Spanish
Es la aventura definitiva.
English
Our ultimate goal is peace.
Spanish
Nuestro objetivo máximo es la paz.
A trick to remember it
Ultimate = the greatest/definitive. The last one (Spanish "último") = last/final.
Mini quiz
"The ultimate goal" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "ultimate" mean in English?
"Ultimate" means "the greatest / definitive". It looks a lot like "último", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "último" in English?
To say "último" in English, use "last / final". If you use "ultimate" instead, you would actually be saying "the greatest / definitive".
Do "ultimate" and "último" mean the same thing?
Spanish "último" is whatever comes last, the most recent in time. English "ultimate" is the greatest, the best possible, the highest point of something. Last in English is "last" or "final."
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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