Can I use 'la ultima' like 'la mejor'?

Question

"La/lo mejor" means the best, so can I use "la última" in the same way to mean "the very best"?

no, it does not equate. - Silvia, Dec 27, 2011

Good question, katy, I still need help with my answers, it's abit depressing. - annierats, Dec 27, 2011

I have heard this said and was wanting to know if that is what was meant. Thanks for the comments everyone. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

Answer 1

Mejor as an adjective means better and you can use it in comparing other things. por example:

Mi coche es mejor que el suyo. My car is better than his car. Lo mejor de pelicular fue el precio. The best thing about the movie was the price.

último is also an adjective. It means last (in a series or in time) For example:

¿Cuando la última vez viste tus padres? When was the last time you saw your parents.

Maria es la última persona en la casa. Maria is the last person in the house.

To say something is the best of all, use Mejor.

Este es el mejor de todo. This is the best of all.

Excellent post. - territurtle, Dec 27, 2011

Thank you for your thoughts on this one. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

Yes great explanation except I think you made a typo as "major" means "important" which I guess can be used as better but then you used "mejor" in your example. - Yeser007, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 2

I would use "la máxima".

That too! :) - chileno, Dec 27, 2011

Answer 3

More or less....

The latest fashion. (La última moda)

The latest navigational system. (El último sistema de navegación).

In fact, you are talking about the most recent thing but, at the same time, you are saying that this is the best.

However, take into account the one member's answer in this thread.

Maria is the last person in this house. (María es la última persona en esta casa). In this case, "última" and "mejor" are not interchangeable because you are saying that Maria is unimportant in this house.

That's what I say! ;) - chileno, Dec 27, 2011

Thank you. I think this is very helpful to understand. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

Answer 4

No, it means last, final, definitive, most remote, most extreme. . .

However, if you have a list of things with the last one being the best one, then it would happen to mean the same thing as best. If the order of the list were reversed, it would mean worst.

I appreciate the comment, Lorenzo. Thanks. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

Answer 5

katydew:

YES. You can use it the same way it used in English as in:

This the latest (and best) in technology.

Esto es lo último (y mejor) en tecnología.

The other answer are correct, but do not answer what you're looking for...

latest does not necessarily mean best! - Silvia, Dec 27, 2011

Just because something is old does not mean it is good. Just because something is new does not mean it is better. - lorenzo9, Dec 27, 2011

O sea "esto es lo últino de lo último" as in "lo último en tecnología" as in "the latest in technology" does not equate to " the latest and best tecnology"? - chileno, Dec 27, 2011

That is helpful. Thank you. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

Answer 6

More or less....

The latest fashion. (La última moda)

The latest navigational system. (El último sistema de navegación).

In fact, you are talking about the most recent thing but, at the same time, you are saying that this is the best.

However, take into account one member's answer in this thread.

Maria is the last person in this house. (María es la última persona en esta casa). In this case, "última" and mejor" are not interchangeable because you are saying that Maria is unimportant in this house.

The difference is in "latest" and "last". When we translate "última" as "latest", then "último/a" and "mejor" are interchangeable. But if we translate "última" as "last" then it is not interchangeable. I mean, "latest" is most times "mejor" and, at the same time, "último". And "last" is only "último".

latest not lastest - lorenzo9, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 7

Mi ultimo esfuerzo resultó el mejor.

My last effort was the best.

El ultimo resutado fue el mejor.

The last result was the best.

The sentences are probably flawed but serve, I hope, to illustrate the difference. They can be used in the same way but mean different things.

Thanks Annie. - katydew, Dec 27, 2011

De nada Katy, una pregunta muy interesante. - annierats, Dec 27, 2011