minuto

/mee-NOO-toh/

minute

A classic, simple hourglass standing on a table with sand actively flowing from the top chamber to the bottom chamber, symbolizing the passage of 60 seconds.

The most common meaning of 'minuto' is a unit of time equal to 60 seconds.

minuto(Noun)

mA1

minute

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds

Also:

moment

a very short period of time

📝 In Action

La reunión empieza en cinco minutos.

The meeting starts in five minutes.

Espera un minuto, por favor. Ya casi termino.

Wait a minute, please. I'm almost done.

Corrió la milla en menos de seis minutos.

He ran the mile in under six minutes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

instante (instant)
momento (moment)

Common Collocations

en el último minuto – at the last minute
un par de minutos – a couple of minutes
minuto de silencio – minute of silence

Idioms & Expressions

al minuto – right away, instantly; up-to-the-minute
por minutos – by a very narrow margin

💡 Grammar Points

Making it Plural

Just like in English, if you have more than one, you need to add an 's'. For example, 'un minuto' (one minute) becomes 'dos minutos' (two minutes).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'un' vs. 'uno'

Mistake: "Necesito uno minuto."

Correction: Necesito un minuto. Before a masculine word like 'minuto', always use 'un' for 'one' or 'a'. 'Uno' is for counting ('uno, dos, tres') or when it stands alone.

⭐ Usage Tips

'Minuto' vs. 'Momento'

'Minuto' is a specific unit of 60 seconds. 'Momento' is more general, like 'moment'. If you need exactly 60 seconds, use 'minuto'. If you just mean 'a short while', 'momento' is often more natural.

A close-up view of a large, perfect circle where a very fine, thin slice is separated and highlighted, representing a small angular measurement.

In technical fields like geometry, 'minuto' (arcminute) refers to a unit of angular measurement, 1/60th of a degree.

minuto(Noun)

mC1

minute

a unit of angular measurement

Also:

arcminute

specifically, 1/60th of a degree

📝 In Action

La latitud se mide en grados, minutos y segundos.

Latitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Un grado se divide en sesenta minutos de arco.

One degree is divided into sixty minutes of arc.

Word Connections

Synonyms

minuto de arco (minute of arc)

Common Collocations

grado, minuto y segundo – degree, minute, and second

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Everything

You'll almost never see this meaning in everyday life. Unless the conversation is about maps, stars, or math, you can be 99.9% sure that 'minuto' means the unit of time.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: minuto

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'minuto' in its MOST common, everyday sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

minutero(minute hand (of a clock)) - noun

minutar(to time; to take the minutes (of a meeting)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'minuto' and 'momento'?

'Minuto' is a specific measure of time: exactly 60 seconds. 'Momento' is a more general, undefined short period, just like 'moment' in English. Saying 'Espera un momento' (Wait a moment) feels a bit more flexible and common than 'Espera un minuto' (Wait one minute).

How do I abbreviate 'minuto' or 'minutos'?

The official international abbreviation is 'min'. You'll see this in recipes or technical writing. For example, 'Hervir durante 10 min.' (Boil for 10 min.). In informal writing, you might see people use 'mins.' but 'min' is the standard.