How to Say "cents" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “cents” is “centavos” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Esta goma de borrar cuesta veinticinco centavos.
This eraser costs twenty-five cents.
El café subió de precio, ahora cuesta unos centavos más.
The coffee went up in price, now it costs a few cents more.
No tengo billetes grandes, solo centavos en la cartera.
I don't have large bills, only change in my wallet.
Always Plural
Since 'centavos' is the plural form of 'centavo' (cent), it is almost always used in the plural, even for small amounts like ten cents ('diez centavos').
The 100 Rule
In most Spanish-speaking countries, 100 centavos make up one unit of the main currency (like 1 peso or 1 dollar), just as 100 cents make up 1 dollar.
Using the Singular for Amounts
Mistake: “Cuesta cien centavo.”
Correction: Cuesta cien centavos. (Always use the plural form when referring to an amount greater than one.)
Related Translations
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