media
“media” means “half” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
half
📝 In Action
Necesito media taza de leche para la receta.
A1I need half a cup of milk for the recipe.
Nos vemos en media hora.
A1See you in half an hour.
Compró media sandía en el mercado.
A2She bought half a watermelon at the market.
sock
Also: stocking, pantyhose
📝 In Action
Se me rompió una media y ahora tengo un agujero.
A2I got a tear in my stocking and now I have a hole.
¿Dónde está la otra media? Siempre pierdo una.
A2Where is the other sock? I always lose one.
Para la fiesta, usó un vestido con medias negras.
B1For the party, she wore a dress with black pantyhose.
average
Also: mean
📝 In Action
La media de edad en la oficina es de 35 años.
B1The average age in the office is 35.
Para calcular la media, suma los valores y divide por el número de valores.
B2To calculate the mean, add the values and divide by the number of values.
Su nota está por encima de la media de la clase.
B1His grade is above the class average.
he/she/it mediates
Also: you (formal) mediate
📝 In Action
La ONU media en el conflicto para buscar una solución pacífica.
C1The UN mediates in the conflict to seek a peaceful solution.
Un buen gerente media entre los empleados para resolver disputas.
B2A good manager mediates between employees to resolve disputes.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: media
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'media' to mean 'average'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'media', the feminine form of 'medius', which means 'middle' or 'half'. The meaning 'sock' or 'stocking' evolved from the term 'calzas medias', which meant 'half-length leg coverings' that covered the leg from the foot to the knee.
First recorded: Around the 13th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'media' and 'medio'?
They both mean 'half', but you have to match them to the gender of the word they describe. Use 'media' for feminine words (like 'media hora' for 'half hour') and 'medio' for masculine words (like 'medio litro' for 'half a liter').
How do you say 'the media' (like TV, newspapers, and internet news)?
For that, you use the masculine plural word 'los medios'. For example, 'Los medios de comunicación informaron sobre el evento' (The media reported on the event).
Is 'media' a sock or a stocking?
It can be both! In some places, like parts of Latin America, 'media' is the general word for sock. In other places, like Spain, it usually means a longer stocking or pantyhose, and they use 'calcetín' for a regular sock. It depends on the region.