📝 In Action
Necesito un trozo de tela de diez centímetros.
A1I need a piece of cloth ten centimeters long.
La regla solo tiene veinte centímetros, no es suficiente para la mesa.
A1The ruler only has twenty centimeters, it’s not enough for the table.
El nivel del agua subió cinco centímetros después de la tormenta.
A2The water level rose five centimeters after the storm.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Plural
Even though it ends in '-as' in English, 'centímetros' is a masculine word in Spanish, just like its base word 'metro' (meter). Always use masculine articles and adjectives with it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong gender
Mistake: "Cien las centímetros."
Correction: Cien los centímetros. (Remember, it's masculine, so we use 'los'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Dimensions Structure
When giving dimensions, use 'de' (of) after the object: 'La caja es de 30 centímetros de ancho' (The box is 30 centimeters wide).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: centímetros
Question 1 of 1
What is the correct way to ask for the length of a piece of wood in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'centímetros' masculine if it measures things, which often use feminine nouns?
The gender is determined by the core unit, 'el metro' (the meter), which is masculine. All smaller units derived from 'metro' (like milímetros and centímetros) inherit this masculine gender.