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año

AN-yo/ˈaɲo/

“año” means “year” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

year

Also: age
NounmA1
A circular illustration showing the four seasons blending into one another to represent the passage of a full year.

📝 In Action

El año tiene doce meses.

A1

The year has twelve months.

Feliz Año Nuevo.

A1

Happy New Year.

¿Cuántos años tienes?

A1

How old are you?

Tengo treinta años.

A1

I am thirty years old.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • el año pasado – last year
  • el próximo año / el año que viene – next year
  • cumplir años – to have a birthday
  • todos los años – every year

Idioms & Expressions

  • el año de la pera – a very long time ago; never going to happen

year

Also: grade
NounmA2
Various countries
A small student character standing proudly on the second step of a colorful block tower, representing a specific school grade or academic year.

📝 In Action

Estoy en mi primer año de universidad.

A2

I'm in my first year of university.

Mi hija pasa a segundo año el mes que viene.

B1

My daughter is moving up to second grade next month.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • año escolar – school year
  • año académico – academic year

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "año" in Spanish:

age→grade→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: año

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly says 'I am 25 years old' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
anual(annual) — Adjective
anualmente(annually) — Adverb
cumpleaños(birthday) — Noun
añejo(aged, old) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
dañobañotamañoextraño
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'annus', which meant 'year' or 'a circuit of the sun'. The 'nn' sound in Latin often evolved into the special 'ñ' sound in Spanish.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: anoItalian: annoFrench: an

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'año' and 'ano'? Why is the squiggle (~) so important?

The squiggle, called a tilde, completely changes the sound and meaning. 'Año' (pronounced AN-yo) means 'year'. 'Ano' (pronounced AH-no) means 'anus'. Accidentally leaving off the tilde is a very common and embarrassing mistake for learners, so always double-check!

Why do Spanish speakers say 'I have years' ('tengo años') instead of 'I am years old'?

It's just a different way of thinking about age. English sees age as a state of being ('I am'), while Spanish sees it as something you possess or accumulate over time ('I have'). It's one of the first big differences you learn, and it's a great example of how languages can express the same idea in unique ways.