This page covers the key Spanish words and phrases used to talk about subtraction, both in everyday math and in more formal settings.
Subtraction Words
These are the most important Spanish vocabulary words related to subtraction.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la resta | las restas | subtraction | subtractions | La resta es uno de los cuatro operaciones básicas. | Subtraction is one of the four basic operations. |
| el minuendo | los minuenos | minuend | minuends | El minuendo es el número del que se resta. | The minuend is the number from which you subtract. |
| el sustraendo | los sustraendos | subtrahend | subtrahends | El sustraendo es el número que se resta. | The subtrahend is the number that is subtracted. |
| la diferencia | las diferencias | difference | differences | La diferencia es el resultado de la resta. | The difference is the result of the subtraction. |
| el número | los números | number | numbers | Resta dos números: 7 menos 3. | Subtract two numbers: 7 minus 3. |
Key Verbs
These verbs are used to talk about subtraction and math operations in Spanish.
| Spanish Infinitive | English Infinitive | Spanish Yo Form | English I Form | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| restar | to subtract | resto | I subtract | Resto cinco menos dos. | I subtract five minus two. |
| quitar | to take away | quito | I take away | Quito tres manzanas. | I take away three apples. |
| calcular | to calculate | calculo | I calculate | Calculo la diferencia. | I calculate the difference. |
| resolver | to solve | resuelvo | I solve | Resuelvo el problema de resta. | I solve the subtraction problem. |
| disminuir | to decrease | disminuyo | I decrease | Disminuyo el número en cuatro. | I decrease the number by four. |
Common Phrases
These are common phrases and sentences used to talk about subtraction in Spanish.
| Spanish Phrase | English Phrase | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ... menos ... | ... minus ... | Siete menos dos es cinco. | Seven minus two is five. |
| tomar ... de ... | take ... from ... | Toma tres de diez. | Take three from ten. |
| restar ... a ... | subtract ... from ... | Resta cuatro a nueve. | Subtract four from nine. |
| ¿Cuánto queda? | How much is left? | Tienes ocho manzanas, quitas tres. ¿Cuánto queda? | You have eight apples, take away three. How much is left? |
| el resultado es ... | the result is ... | El resultado es cinco. | The result is five. |
Numbers
These are the Spanish numbers from 0 to 20, which are commonly used in subtraction problems.
| Spanish Number | English Number | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cero | zero | Cero menos cero es cero. | Zero minus zero is zero. |
| uno | one | Uno menos uno es cero. | One minus one is zero. |
| dos | two | Dos menos uno es uno. | Two minus one is one. |
| tres | three | Tres menos dos es uno. | Three minus two is one. |
| cuatro | four | Cuatro menos tres es uno. | Four minus three is one. |
| cinco | five | Cinco menos cuatro es uno. | Five minus four is one. |
| seis | six | Seis menos cinco es uno. | Six minus five is one. |
| siete | seven | Siete menos seis es uno. | Seven minus six is one. |
| ocho | eight | Ocho menos siete es uno. | Eight minus seven is one. |
| nueve | nine | Nueve menos ocho es uno. | Nine minus eight is one. |
| diez | ten | Diez menos nueve es uno. | Ten minus nine is one. |
| once | eleven | Once menos diez es uno. | Eleven minus ten is one. |
| doce | twelve | Doce menos once es uno. | Twelve minus eleven is one. |
| trece | thirteen | Trece menos doce es uno. | Thirteen minus twelve is one. |
| catorce | fourteen | Catorce menos trece es uno. | Fourteen minus thirteen is one. |
| quince | fifteen | Quince menos catorce es uno. | Fifteen minus fourteen is one. |
| dieciséis | sixteen | Dieciséis menos quince es uno. | Sixteen minus fifteen is one. |
| diecisiete | seventeen | Diecisiete menos dieciséis es uno. | Seventeen minus sixteen is one. |
| dieciocho | eighteen | Dieciocho menos diecisiete es uno. | Eighteen minus seventeen is one. |
| diecinueve | nineteen | Diecinueve menos dieciocho es uno. | Nineteen minus eighteen is one. |
| veinte | twenty | Veinte menos diecinueve es uno. | Twenty minus nineteen is one. |
Examples
These are example sentences showing subtraction in action in both Spanish and English.
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Siete menos tres es cuatro. | Seven minus three is four. |
| Resta dos a diez. | Subtract two from ten. |
| La diferencia entre cinco y dos es tres. | The difference between five and two is three. |
| Quedan seis manzanas después de quitar tres. | There are six apples left after taking away three. |
| ¿Cuánto es ocho menos cinco? | How much is eight minus five? |
Summary
- la resta — subtraction
- restar — to subtract
- minuendo — minuend (the number you start with)
- sustraendo — subtrahend (the number you subtract)
- diferencia — difference (the result)
- Use menos for "minus" in simple expressions ("tres menos dos").
- Use restar ... a ... for "subtract ... from ..." (“restar dos a cinco”).
- Other useful verbs: quitar (take away), calcular (calculate), disminuir (decrease).
If you understand these words, you can read and write basic subtraction problems in Spanish.
Flashcards (1 of 41)
- English Singular: subtraction
- English Plural: subtractions
- English Example: Subtraction is one of the four basic operations.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
