ordinario
Lemma Details
Translation: ordinary; common; regular; usual; plain; vulgar; coarse
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'ordinarius' meaning 'regular, orderly, customary', derived from 'ordo' (order, arrangement). The English cognate 'ordinary' shares the same Latin root. The word originally referred to something arranged in order or following a regular pattern, later evolving to describe things that are common or unremarkable.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Lleva una vida ordinaria.
He leads an ordinary life.
Este es un procedimiento ordinario.
This is a regular procedure.
El correo ordinario tarda más en llegar.
Regular mail takes longer to arrive.
Su comportamiento es bastante ordinario.
His behavior is quite vulgar.
De ordinario, me levanto a las siete.
Usually, I get up at seven.
Mnemonics
- Think 'order' + '-ary' = something in the regular order of things.
- Sounds like 'ordinary' in English, with almost the same meaning.
- Remember that 'ordin-' relates to order and arrangement, so 'ordinario' is something that follows the normal order.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, 'ordinario' can sometimes carry a negative connotation when referring to people, suggesting someone is vulgar or lacking refinement. This is different from English 'ordinary' which is more neutral. In legal contexts, it can refer to regular jurisdiction or ordinary courts.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'ordinario' means ordinary or common, 'extraordinario' means extraordinary or exceptional - they are antonyms.
Confused word:
Fue un evento extraordinario.
It was an extraordinary event.
Notes: The prefix 'extra-' transforms the meaning to its opposite.
Mnemonic: 'Extra' in 'extraordinario' indicates something beyond or outside the ordinary.
Explanation: 'Ordinario' means ordinary or common, while 'ordenado' means orderly, tidy, or organized.
Confused word:
Su escritorio está muy ordenado.
His desk is very tidy.
Notes: Both words share the Latin root 'ordo' (order) but have evolved to have different meanings.
Mnemonic: 'Ordenado' relates to 'orden' (order) in the sense of organization, not regularity.