Inklingo
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menudo

meh-NOO-doh/meˈnuðo/

small, tiny

Also: petty, minute
A minuscule grey mouse standing next to an enormous block of yellow cheddar cheese, emphasizing the size difference.

📝 In Action

Las cuentas de collar eran tan menudas que casi no las veías.

B1

The necklace beads were so tiny that you could hardly see them.

Se entretiene con cosas menudas y sin importancia.

B2

He gets distracted by petty, unimportant things.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • a menudo – often, frequently

small change, loose change

Also: pennies
NounmB1
A small pile of various shiny metal coins spilling out of a worn leather pouch onto a wooden surface.

📝 In Action

Perdón, no tengo cambio. ¿Me puede pagar con menudo?

A2

Excuse me, I don't have change. Can you pay me with small coins?

Encontré un poco de menudo en el bolsillo del pantalón.

B1

I found a little bit of loose change in my pants pocket.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pagar con menudo – to pay with change

offal, tripe

Also: giblets
NounmB2
A white ceramic bowl containing pale, textured cooked tripe cut into small squares.

📝 In Action

El caldo de menudo es muy popular en el norte de México.

B2

Menudo soup (made with tripe) is very popular in Northern Mexico.

Mi abuela prepara el menudo con mucho chile y especias.

C1

My grandmother prepares the tripe stew with a lot of chili and spices.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • vísceras (viscera)
  • callos (tripe (stew))

what a, quite a

Also: big
Adjectivem/fB2informal
A small child standing next to an impossibly large, brightly colored triple-scoop ice cream cone, conveying extreme surprise.

📝 In Action

¡Menuda fiesta nos perdimos anoche!

B2

What a party we missed last night!

Has encontrado un menudo tesoro en ese viejo libro.

C1

You've found quite a treasure in that old book.

¡Menudo lío se ha armado!

B2

What a mess has been made!

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • ¡Menudo susto! – What a scare!

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: menudo

Question 1 of 2

Which translation of 'menudo' is used in the following sentence: '¡Menudo coche te has comprado!'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
menudear(to happen frequently) — Verb
minuto(minute (time)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word *minūtus*, meaning 'small' or 'diminished.' This is the same root that gave us the English words 'minute' (the tiny unit of time) and 'minuscule.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: minutoFrench: menu

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'menudo' means 'small' or 'big' (intensive)?

The meaning depends entirely on the context and structure. If it is describing size neutrally (e.g., 'letras menudas'), it means small. If it is used in an exclamation structure (e.g., '¡Menuda sorpresa!') or emphasizes a quality, it means 'big,' 'significant,' or 'quite a lot of,' often with a tone of surprise.