medio
/me-dyo/
half
Visualizing the adjective meaning 'half': an orange cut in half (media naranja).
medio(Adjective)
half
?Describing a quantity, like 'half a liter'
middle
?As in 'middle class'
,average
?As in 'average score'
📝 In Action
Quiero medio kilo de manzanas, por favor.
A1I want half a kilo of apples, please.
Son las doce y media.
A1It's half past twelve.
Mi hermano es de la clase media.
A2My brother is from the middle class.
El precio medio de una casa aquí es muy alto.
B1The average price of a house here is very high.
💡 Grammar Points
It Changes to Match!
When used like this to describe something, 'medio' changes to match the thing it's describing. Use 'media' for feminine things, and add an '-s' for plural things: 'medio vaso' (half a glass), 'media taza' (half a cup), 'medios limones' (half lemons), 'medias páginas' (half pages).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Medio' Instead of 'Mitad'
Mistake: "Quiero el medio de la pizza."
Correction: Quiero la mitad de la pizza. Use 'mitad' when you mean 'the half' as a noun (a thing), and 'medio/a' when you're describing something as 'half full' or 'half a pizza'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Telling Time
When telling time, you'll always use 'y media' to mean 'half past' the hour. For example, 'Son las tres y media' (It's 3:30).
Visualizing the adverb meaning 'somewhat' or 'partly': The door is only partially open (medio abierta).
medio(Adverb)
somewhat
?As in 'somewhat tired'
,kind of
?Informal, 'I'm kind of busy'
half
?As in 'half-asleep'
,partly
?As in 'partly open'
📝 In Action
La sopa está medio fría.
B1The soup is kind of cold.
Estoy medio cansada hoy.
B1I'm somewhat tired today.
Dejó la puerta medio abierta.
B1He left the door half open.
💡 Grammar Points
It Never Changes!
When 'medio' means 'kind of' or 'somewhat', it's acting as an adverb. This means it NEVER changes. It's always 'medio', even if you're talking about a woman or multiple things. It describes the state or quality, not the noun itself.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Making it Match (When You Shouldn't)
Mistake: "Ella está media loca."
Correction: Ella está medio loca. Because 'medio' here means 'kind of', it doesn't change. It's describing *how* crazy she is, not describing *her* directly. This is a very common mistake, so watch out for it!
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound More Natural
Using 'medio' for 'kind of' or 'a little bit' is very common in spoken Spanish. It makes you sound less absolute and more natural. Instead of 'Estoy triste' (I am sad), you could say 'Estoy medio triste' (I'm a bit sad).
Visualizing the noun meaning 'means': A train is a favorite means of transport (medio de transporte).
medio(Noun)
means
?A method or way of doing something, e.g., 'a means of transport'
medium
?As in 'the media' or 'an artistic medium'
,environment
?Usually in the phrase 'medio ambiente'
,way
?A method for achieving something
📝 In Action
El tren es mi medio de transporte favorito.
A2The train is my favorite means of transport.
Los medios de comunicación tienen mucha influencia.
B1The media has a lot of influence.
Debemos proteger el medio ambiente.
B1We must protect the environment.
No tengo los medios para comprar un coche nuevo.
B2I don't have the means (the money) to buy a new car.
⭐ Usage Tips
Look for 'de'
As a noun, 'medio' is very often followed by 'de' to specify what kind of means, medium, or environment it is: 'medio de transporte', 'medios de comunicación', 'medio de pago'.
Visualizing the noun meaning 'middle' or 'center': A table placed in the middle of the room (en el medio de la sala).
📝 In Action
Hay una mesa en el medio de la sala.
B1There is a table in the middle of the room.
No me gusta sentarme en el medio en el cine.
B1I don't like to sit in the middle at the movies.
La casa está en medio de la nada.
B2The house is in the middle of nowhere.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Phrase 'en medio de'
You will almost always see this meaning of 'medio' inside the phrase 'en medio de' (in the middle of). Think of them as a single unit.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: medio
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct? 'My sister is kind of tired.'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it 'La puerta está medio abierta' and not 'media abierta'?
This is a great question because it's a tricky point! In this sentence, 'medio' means 'kind of' or 'partly'. It's describing *how* open the door is, not the door itself. Words that describe actions or states (adverbs) don't change in Spanish. So, even though 'puerta' is feminine, 'medio' stays the same. If you were describing 'half a door' (the object), you would say 'media puerta'.
What's the difference between 'medio' and 'mitad'?
'Medio' is usually an adjective (describing word) meaning 'half', like 'medio limón' (half a lemon). 'Mitad' is a noun (a thing) meaning 'the half', like 'Quiero la mitad' (I want the half). A simple trick: if you can say 'a half' in English, use 'medio/a'. If you can say 'the half', use 'mitad'.