Inklingo
← Dictionary

cero

SEH-roh[ˈseɾo]

zero

Also: naught
NounmA1
Mexico
An empty, clear glass jar sitting on a wooden table, symbolizing the quantity zero.

📝 In Action

El resultado de la resta es cero.

A1

The result of the subtraction is zero.

Hoy la temperatura bajó a cero grados.

A2

Today the temperature dropped to zero degrees.

Mi número de teléfono tiene dos ceros.

A1

My phone number has two zeros.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • bajo cero – below zero (sub-zero)
  • a cero – to zero (score)

zero

Also: no
Adjectivem/fB1
A perfectly clean, white dinner plate resting alone on a brightly colored tablecloth, indicating nothing is present.

📝 In Action

Tenemos cero tolerancia al fraude.

B1

We have zero tolerance for fraud.

El proyecto tiene un riesgo cero.

B2

The project has zero risk.

Necesitas tener cero miedo para hacer esto.

B1

You need to have zero fear to do this.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • nivel cero – level zero (ground floor/starting point)
  • emisión cero – zero emission

scratch

Also: nil
NounmA2 neutral/informal
A single pair of running shoes positioned right up against a brightly painted white starting line on an athletic track.

📝 In Action

Empezamos de cero después de la crisis.

A2

We started from scratch after the crisis.

¿Cuánto sacaste en el examen? Un cero.

B1

What did you get on the exam? A zero (a failing grade).

El marcador está tres a cero.

A1

The score is three to zero.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • cien (one hundred (perfect score))

Common Collocations

  • de cero – from scratch
  • poner a cero – to reset (to zero)

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un cero a la izquierda – To be useless or insignificant (literally, to be a zero on the left, which doesn't affect the value)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cero" in Spanish:

naught→nil→no→scratch→zero→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cero

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'cero' to mean 'starting over'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cero absoluto(absolute zero) — Noun
cero grados(zero degrees) — Noun
cero emisiones(zero emissions) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The concept of zero came to Europe through Arabic mathematics. 'Cero' comes from the Medieval Latin word 'zephirum,' which itself was a Latinization of the Arabic word 'ṣifr,' meaning 'empty' or 'zero.'

First recorded: Around the 15th century in Spanish, replacing earlier forms.

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: zeroFrench: zéroPortuguese: zero

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'cero' masculine or feminine?

'Cero' is always masculine ('el cero') when used as a noun (the number or the digit). When used as an adjective (meaning 'none'), it is invariable and doesn't change gender.

How do Spanish speakers usually read the number 0 in a phone number?

It depends on the region. They might say 'cero,' but sometimes they might simply say the letter 'o' (like in English) for brevity, or just rely on context.