Right in Spanish | Meanings & Examples
There are various words for right in Spanish, depending on what you mean by “right.” Right in Spanish could be:
- Derecha
- Correcto
- Justo
- Adecuado
- Derecho
- Lo bueno
- Rectificar
Left and right in Spanish
When speaking about directions, left and right in Spanish are “izquierda” (pronounced ees-kee-ehr-dah) and “derecha” (pronounced deh-reh-chah).
“Straight” is “derecho” (pronounced deh-reh-choh). This is understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world and commonly used throughout Latin America to mean straight. However, in Spain it’s more common to hear “recto” (pronounced rehk-toh).
These can be nouns, adverbs, or adjectives or used in prepositional phrases to explain directions, location, or placement.
Por favor, entren por el lado izquierdo. [Please, enter through the left side.]
Sigue derecho, pasando el museo, y la tienda está a la derecha. [Continue straight, past city hall, and the shop is on the right.]
When used as adjectives, these words must change to match the gender and number of the noun they modify. For example “la pierna” [“the leg”] is feminine in Spanish, so “the right leg” would be “la pierna derecha.” On the other hand, “el brazo” [“the arm”] is masculine, so “the right arm” would be “el brazo derecho.”
For example, “Ella vota a la izquierda” means “She votes for the left.” Or, if you say, “Paco es de la derecha,” it means “Paco belongs to the right.”
A colloquial way to say this is to pluralize “derecha” or “izquierda.” For example, “Paco es de derechas” means “Paco is right-wing.” This option is more casual and focuses on the ideology of a person and less on the political party they belong to.
How to say right in Spanish for other meanings
The word right in English has many meanings. But when you want to say right in Spanish, different meanings are communicated by different words.
Several of these words are adjectives, so remember to change the endings to agree with the number and gender of the noun they modify.
Correcto
“Correcto” (pronounced koh-rrek-toh) means right in Spanish when referring to something being correct or accurate. It’s commonly used in everyday language and can also mean “just” in some contexts.
Tenía todas las respuestas correctas en el exámen. [I had all the answers correct on the exam.]
¿Eliges la respuesta B? ¡Correcto! [You choose answer B? That’s right!]
Justo
“Justo” (pronounced hoo-stoh) is used when right means “just” or “fair” in a moral or ethical sense. It can also mean “exact” or “precise” in the sense of something being “just right.”
Es justo que todos tengan las mismas oportunidades. [It’s right that everyone has the same opportunities.]
La pieza debe tener el tamaño justo para encajar. [The piece must have just the right size to fit in.]
Adecuado
“Adecuado” (pronounced ah-deh-kwah-doh) literally translates as “suitable” or “appropriate.” It means right in Spanish with the nuance of something being the “right fit.”
Mar es la persona adecuada para este trabajo. [Mar is the right person for this job.]
Espera el momento adecuado para pedir el dinero de tu madre. [Wait for the right moment to ask your mother for the money.]
Derecho
“Derecho” (pronounced deh-reh-choh) is a noun meaning “legal entitlement.” This is a masculine noun, so the ending of “derecho” never changes from “o” in this context. “Un derecho” means “a right” and “el derecho” means “the right,” although you can use this noun without a determiner.
Este es un derecho que no se puede quitar. [This is a right that cannot be taken away.]
El derecho a la educación es fundamental. [The right to education is fundamental.]
Lo bueno
“Lo bueno” is a noun meaning “good” or right in Spanish in a moral or ethical context. This is commonly used when talking about “right and wrong.”
Es importante hacer lo bueno. [It’s important to do what’s right.]
Lo bueno no siempre es fácil. [What’s right isn’t always easy.]
Rectificar
“Rectificar” (pronounced rehk-tee-fee-kahr) is a verb meaning “rectify.” As a transitive verb, “rectificar” means “to correct or right something” (e.g., “righting a wrong”). As an intransitive verb, it’s “rectificarse” and means “to correct yourself” or “to put things right.”
No siempre es fácil rectificar nuestros errores. [It’s not always easy to right our wrongs.]
Él me habló mal; pero justo después, se rectificó. [He spoke to me badly; but right after, he put things right.]
If you have any doubts about whether or not you’re using these words for right in Spanish correctly, a QuillBot Grammar Check can resolve them.
Frequently asked questions about right in Spanish
- How do you say I’ll be right back in Spanish?
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“I’ll be right back” in Spanish is “vuelvo enseguida” (pronounced bwehl-voh ehn-seh-ghee-dah) or “ahora vuelvo” (pronounced ah-oh-rah bwehl-voh).
“Vuelvo” comes from the verb “volver,” meaning “return.” “Ahora” and “enseguida” are adverbs meaning “now” and “right away.”
To say “I’ll be right back,” you don’t use the words for back or right in Spanish. “Back” is communicated by the verb, and “right” is implicit in the adverbs.
QuillBot’s free Translator can help you translate phrases like this.
- How do you say turn right in Spanish for directions?
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To say “turn right” in Spanish when giving directions, use “Gira a la derecha” (pronounced hee-rah ah lah deh-reh-chah).
“Gira” comes from the verb “girar” [“to turn”], “a” is the preposition “to,” “la” is the determiner “the,” and “derecha” is a noun meaning right in Spanish.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can check that you write phrases like this correctly in Spanish.
- How do you say right now in Spanish slang?
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“Right now” in Spanish slang is “ahorita” (pronounced ah-oh-ree-tah). This is commonly used in Latin America but is not so common in Spain.
In Spain, use “ahora mismo” (pronounced ah-oh-rah mees-moh), although this isn’t slang. “Ahora” is an adverb meaning “now.” “Mismo” means “same,” but in this context it means right in Spanish.
QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you find other words to express your intended meaning, even in Spanish.
- How do you say you’re right in Spanish?
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To say “you’re right” in Spanish, say “tienes razón” (pronounced tee-ehn-ehs rah-sohn). This is the singular, informal version of this phrase.
“Tienes” comes from the verb “tener” [“to have”]. “Razón” is a noun that translates literally as “reason” but in this context means right in Spanish.
For the singular formal, say “tiene razón,” and for the plural informal and formal, use “tienen razón,” unless you’re in Spain, where the plural informal is “tenéis razón.”
A QuillBot Grammar Check can make sure you’re using this phrase correctly in Spanish.
- What is derecha in English?
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“Derecha” (pronounced deh-reh-chah) in English is “right.”
It can be an adjective or noun meaning right in Spanish, as in the opposite of “left.” For example, “mi mano derecha” translates to “my right hand.”
“Derecha” can also mean “politically right” or “the political right.” For example, “Él es de la derecha” means “He belongs to the right.”
Use QuillBot’s free Translator to translate words like this from Spanish and other languages to English.
