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mes

messmes

“mes” means “month” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

month

NounmA1
A sequence illustrating the full cycle of the moon, from new moon to full moon, representing the passage of a month.

📝 In Action

Enero es el primer mes del año.

A1

January is the first month of the year.

Mi cumpleaños es el mes que viene.

A1

My birthday is next month.

Trabajé allí durante un mes.

A2

I worked there for a month.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • el mes pasado – last month
  • el mes que viene / el próximo mes – next month
  • a principios de mes – at the beginning of the month
  • a mediados de mes – in the middle of the month
  • a finales de mes – at the end of the month
  • una vez al mes – once a month

Idioms & Expressions

  • echarle los meses a alguien – to guess someone's due date (for pregnancy)

period / menses

NounmB2informal
A simplistic depiction of a person curled up comfortably on a couch, holding a heating pad to their abdomen, symbolizing menstrual cramps.

📝 In Action

Este mes todavía no me ha venido el mes.

B2

I haven't gotten my period yet this month.

Tengo dolores porque estoy con el mes.

B2

I have cramps because I'm on my period.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • la regla (the period)
  • la menstruación (the menstruation)

Common Collocations

  • tener el mes – to have one's period
  • venirle el mes a alguien – for someone to get their period

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "mes" in Spanish:

month→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: mes

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'mes' to mean something other than a unit of time?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
mensual(monthly) — Adjective
mensualmente(monthly) — Adverb
mesada(monthly allowance / pension) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
estresdespuésinglés
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'mēnsis', which also meant 'month'. This Latin word is related to the word for 'measure', because ancient cultures measured time by the cycles of the moon.

First recorded: Used since the earliest forms of Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: mêsFrench: moisItalian: mese

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'the months of the year' in Spanish?

You say 'los meses del año'. Unlike in English, the names of the months in Spanish are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. For example: 'enero, febrero, marzo...'

Is it 'el mes que viene' or 'el próximo mes' for 'next month'?

Both are correct and very common! 'El próximo mes' is slightly more formal, but you can use them interchangeably in most conversations.