📝 In Action
Esta goma de borrar cuesta veinticinco centavos.
A1This eraser costs twenty-five cents.
El café subió de precio, ahora cuesta unos centavos más.
A2The coffee went up in price, now it costs a few cents more.
No tengo billetes grandes, solo centavos en la cartera.
B1I don't have large bills, only change in my wallet.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Plural
Since 'centavos' is the plural form of 'centavo' (cent), it is almost always used in the plural, even for small amounts like ten cents ('diez centavos').
The 100 Rule
In most Spanish-speaking countries, 100 centavos make up one unit of the main currency (like 1 peso or 1 dollar), just as 100 cents make up 1 dollar.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular for Amounts
Mistake: "Cuesta cien centavo."
Correction: Cuesta cien centavos. (Always use the plural form when referring to an amount greater than one.)
⭐ Usage Tips
When to Use 'Centavos'
Use 'centavos' when the price is less than a whole unit of currency (e.g., '50 centavos'), or when referring to small coins in general ('Tengo muchos centavos').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: centavos
Question 1 of 1
If something costs 50 centavos, what does that mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'centavos' used in every Spanish-speaking country?
Yes, the concept of 'centavos' (cents) is universally understood across the Spanish-speaking world as the smallest unit of money, even if the main currency is called a peso, bolívar, or quetzal.