Inklingo

How to Say "around" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “around” is “alrededor” — use 'alrededor' as an adverb when referring to a general area or vicinity, meaning 'nearby' or 'in the vicinity'..

alrededor🔊A2

Use 'alrededor' as an adverb when referring to a general area or vicinity, meaning 'nearby' or 'in the vicinity'.

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aproximadamente🔊A2

Use 'aproximadamente' before a number or quantity to mean 'approximately' or 'about'.

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unos🔊A2

Use 'unos' before a number or quantity to indicate an approximation, similar to 'about' or 'around'.

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unas🔊A2

Use 'unas' before a number or quantity, typically referring to time or duration, to signify an approximation.

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hacia🔊A2

Use 'hacia' before a specific time to indicate an approximate time of arrival or occurrence, meaning 'around' or 'towards'.

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como🔊B1

Use 'como' followed by a time to indicate an approximate time, often used in informal speech for 'around' or 'about'.

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por🔊A2

Use 'por' to indicate movement or presence within a general area or vicinity, similar to 'around' or 'through'.

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entorno🔊B1

Use 'en torno a' as a phrase to describe being in the physical surrounding or proximity of something, often with movement.

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English → Spanish

alrededor

/al-reh-deh-DOR//alreðeˈðoɾ/

adverbA2general
Use 'alrededor' as an adverb when referring to a general area or vicinity, meaning 'nearby' or 'in the vicinity'.
A small child stands alone on a grassy hill, looking out at a wide, empty landscape stretching far away, emphasizing the surrounding area.

Examples

No había nadie alrededor.

There was nobody around.

Mira alrededor, el paisaje es increíble.

Look around, the landscape is incredible.

¿Hay un banco por aquí alrededor?

Is there a bank around here?

Los niños corrían alrededor del árbol.

The children were running around the tree.

Used Alone to Mean 'Nearby'

When you see 'alrededor' by itself, without 'de' after it, it simply means 'in the surrounding area' or 'nearby'. It answers the question 'where?' in a general sense.

'alrededor de' + a Thing

To talk about being physically 'around' a specific person, place, or thing, you always use the full phrase 'alrededor de'. Remember that 'de' + 'el' automatically combines to become 'del'.

Talking About People

You can also use this for people! To say 'around me' or 'around you', use 'alrededor de mí' and 'alrededor de ti'.

Forgetting 'de' for Specific Objects

Mistake: “Hay una valla alrededor la casa.”

Correction: Hay una valla alrededor de la casa. To say something is around a *specific* object (like 'the house'), you must add 'de'.

alrededor

prepositional phraseA2general
Use 'alrededor de' as a prepositional phrase to indicate movement circling or surrounding a specific object or place.

Examples

Los niños corrían alrededor del árbol.

The children were running around the tree.

aproximadamente

/ah-prok-see-mah-dah-MEN-teh//apɾoksiˌmaðamente/

adverbA2general
Use 'aproximadamente' before a number or quantity to mean 'approximately' or 'about'.
A cartoon hand is hovering over a tall, colorful stack of wooden blocks, gesturing vaguely to the height of the stack, representing an estimated quantity rather than a precise count.

Examples

La reunión durará aproximadamente una hora.

The meeting will last approximately one hour.

Hay aproximadamente cincuenta personas en el auditorio.

There are roughly fifty people in the auditorium.

El costo total será de doscientos euros, aproximadamente.

The total cost will be two hundred euros, approximately.

The '-mente' Adverb Ending

This word ends in '-mente,' which almost always turns an adjective (like 'aproximado') into an adverb, similar to adding '-ly' in English. It tells you how something is done or how much.

Using the Adjective instead of the Adverb

Mistake: “El precio es aproximado 50 dólares.”

Correction: El precio es aproximadamente 50 dólares.

unos

/oo-nohs//ˈunos/

adverbA2general
Use 'unos' before a number or quantity to indicate an approximation, similar to 'about' or 'around'.
A cluster of smooth, round, brown pebbles on moss, surrounded by a soft, glowing circular aura.

Examples

El viaje dura unos veinte minutos.

The trip takes about twenty minutes.

La sala tiene espacio para unas cien personas.

The room has space for approximately one hundred people.

Creo que pesa unos cinco kilos.

I think it weighs around five kilos.

Making a Guess

When you put 'unos' (or 'unas') right before a number, it changes its meaning to 'about' or 'approximately'. It's a super easy way to show that you're estimating, not giving an exact figure.

Forgetting to Match the Noun

Mistake: “Hay unos cien sillas en la sala.”

Correction: Hay unas cien sillas en la sala. Even when used for approximation, 'unos/unas' still has to agree with the noun it's connected to. Since 'sillas' (chairs) is feminine, you need to use 'unas'.

unas

/oo-nahs//ˈunas/

adverbA2general
Use 'unas' before a number or quantity, typically referring to time or duration, to signify an approximation.
A large, loosely gathered pile of identical red balls spilling slightly, emphasizing an approximate quantity.

Examples

La reunión empieza en unas dos horas.

The meeting starts in about two hours.

Había unas cincuenta personas en la fila.

There were about fifty people in the line.

El libro cuesta unas veinte libras.

The book costs around twenty pounds.

Making Numbers Less Exact

Place unas right before a number to show that it's just an estimate, not a precise count. It's a super useful way to sound more natural when you're not sure of the exact amount.

Forgetting to Match Gender

Mistake: “Hay un treinta chicas esperando.”

Correction: Hay unas treinta chicas esperando. Even when used with a number, `unas` still has to match the feminine word it's describing (`chicas`).

hacia

/ah-see-ah//ˈasja/

prepositionA2general
Use 'hacia' before a specific time to indicate an approximate time of arrival or occurrence, meaning 'around' or 'towards'.
A stylized representation of a warm afternoon scene where several small, colorful shapes are clustered loosely around a large, glowing orange circle representing the afternoon sun.

Examples

Llegaré hacia las tres de la tarde.

I will arrive around three in the afternoon.

Terminaremos el proyecto hacia finales de mes.

We will finish the project toward the end of the month.

La tormenta comenzó hacia la medianoche.

The storm began around midnight.

Talking About 'Around a Time'

When you don't know the exact time, 'hacia' is a great way to say 'around' or 'about'. For example, 'hacia las cinco' means 'around five o'clock'.

Using for Exact Times

Mistake: “La clase empieza hacia las nueve.”

Correction: If the class starts exactly at nine, you should use 'a': 'La clase empieza a las nueve'. Only use 'hacia' when the time is an approximation or estimate.

como

/KO-mo//ˈko.mo/

adverbB1informal
Use 'como' followed by a time to indicate an approximate time, often used in informal speech for 'around' or 'about'.
A person looking at a jar of marbles and guessing the amount, representing approximation or 'about'.

Examples

Llegaré como a las tres de la tarde.

I'll arrive at about three in the afternoon.

Había como cincuenta personas en la fiesta.

There were about fifty people at the party.

Cuesta como veinte euros.

It costs around twenty euros.

Making Numbers Fuzzy

Place 'como' right before a number or amount to show that it's just an estimate, not an exact figure.

por

/por//poɾ/

prepositionA2general
Use 'por' to indicate movement or presence within a general area or vicinity, similar to 'around' or 'through'.
A person walking on a path through a park, illustrating 'por' for movement through a space.

Examples

Paseamos por la playa.

We walk along the beach.

El gato entró por la ventana.

The cat came in through the window.

¿Hay una farmacia por aquí?

Is there a pharmacy around here?

Movement in an Area

Use 'por' to talk about moving through, along, or around a place. It focuses on the journey or the general area, not the endpoint.

Using 'En' for Movement

Mistake: “A common mix-up is saying: 'Camino en el parque.'”

Correction: The correct phrase is: 'Camino por el parque.' Saying 'en el parque' means you are located *inside* the park (maybe sitting on a bench), while 'por el parque' describes the action of moving *through* it.

nounB1general
Use 'en torno a' as a phrase to describe being in the physical surrounding or proximity of something, often with movement.

Examples

Los niños corrían en torno a la fuente.

The children were running around the fountain.

Approximation vs. Location

The most common mistake is confusing words used for approximation (like 'aproximadamente', 'unos', 'unas', 'como', 'hacia') with those used for physical location ('alrededor', 'por', 'entorno'). Always consider if you are talking about a place or a number/time.

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