menos
/MEH-nohs/
Just like this smaller pile has fewer coins, 'menos' is used to talk about a smaller amount or quantity of something.
menos (Adverb)
📝 In Action
Quiero menos azúcar en mi café, por favor.
A1I want less sugar in my coffee, please.
En la fiesta había menos gente de la que esperaba.
A2There were fewer people at the party than I expected.
Intenta trabajar menos y descansar más.
B1Try to work less and rest more.
💡 Grammar Points
Making Comparisons
Use 'menos... que' to say something is 'less... than' something else. For example, 'Este coche es menos rápido que el tuyo' (This car is less fast than yours).
❌ Common Pitfalls
One Word for 'Less' and 'Fewer'
Mistake: "Looking for a separate Spanish word for 'fewer' as in English."
Correction: In Spanish, 'menos' works for both! Use it for things you can't count (less sugar) and things you can count (fewer chairs).
⭐ Usage Tips
Saying 'At Least'
The phrase 'por lo menos' means 'at least' and is incredibly useful. For example, 'Por lo menos tenemos salud' (At least we have our health).
All the birds are facing the same way, 'menos' (except) for this one. This shows how 'menos' can single something out.
menos (Preposition)
📝 In Action
Todos mis amigos vienen a la fiesta, menos Ricardo.
A2All my friends are coming to the party, except Ricardo.
Puedes comer de todo, menos los pasteles.
A2You can eat everything, except the cakes.
Trabajo todos los días menos los domingos.
B1I work every day except Sundays.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Synonym for 'Excepto'
'Menos' is often used just like 'excepto'. You can usually swap them without changing the meaning. 'Todos menos Juan' is the same as 'Todos excepto Juan'.
This shows five fingers 'menos' two, leaving three. 'Menos' is the word for 'minus' in math.
menos (Adverb)
📝 In Action
Cinco menos dos son tres.
A1Five minus two is three.
Diez menos siete igual a tres.
A1Ten minus seven equals three.
La temperatura es de dos grados menos cero.
A2The temperature is two degrees below zero.
⭐ Usage Tips
More than just Math
You'll also hear 'menos' for temperatures below freezing. 'Hace cinco grados menos cero' means 'It's minus five degrees'.
When the big hand is on this side of the clock, we use 'menos' to say how many minutes 'to' the next hour it is.
menos (Adverb)
📝 In Action
Son las diez menos cuarto.
A2It's a quarter to ten. (Literally: It's ten minus a quarter.)
Nos vemos a las seis menos veinte.
A2See you at twenty to six.
Faltan cinco para las ocho. / Son las ocho menos cinco.
B1It's five to eight.
💡 Grammar Points
Telling Time After the Half-Hour
For minutes 1-30, you use 'y' (e.g., 'son las dos y diez'). For minutes 31-59, you state the next hour and use 'menos' to subtract the minutes (e.g., 'son las tres menos veinte' for 2:40).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'y' Instead of 'menos'
Mistake: "Saying 'Son las siete y cincuenta' for 7:50."
Correction: While understandable, it's much more natural to say 'Son las ocho menos diez'. Think of it as '10 minutes to 8'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: menos
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'menos' to mean 'except'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'por lo menos' and 'al menos'?
Great question! In most everyday situations, they mean the exact same thing: 'at least'. You can use them interchangeably. 'Por lo menos tenemos café' and 'Al menos tenemos café' both mean 'At least we have coffee'.
Can I say 'cuarenta minutos a las cuatro' for 3:40, like 'forty minutes to four'?
While people might understand you, it sounds very unnatural in Spanish. The standard, natural way is to use 'menos'. For 3:40, you would say 'Son las cuatro menos veinte' (It's four minus twenty).
Is 'menos' always spelled the same? Does it change for gender or number?
Yes, 'menos' is a word that always stays the same. It doesn't change whether you're talking about masculine, feminine, singular, or plural things. It's always just 'menos'.