Spanish subtraction vocabulary and phrases that cover basic terms, expressions, and number words to help you talk about subtracting in Spanish.
Subtraction in Spanish is called “resta”, and it uses vocabulary from basic math as well as special words and expressions to describe taking away one number from another. This overview covers essential subtraction terms, number words, and useful sentences to get you started.
- Resta means subtraction.
- The verb “restar” means “to subtract.”
- Use “menos” to say “minus” or “less.”
- Phrases like “sacar” or “quitar” can also mean “take away.”
- Number words are important for stating the amounts.
These are the building blocks for talking about subtraction in Spanish:
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| resta | restas | subtraction | subtractions | La resta es fácil. | Subtraction is easy. |
| número | números | number | numbers | ¿Qué número falta? | Which number is missing? |
| resultado | resultados | result | results | El resultado es cinco. | The result is five. |
| menos | — | minus/less | — | Cinco menos dos es tres. | Five minus two is three. |
| diferencia | diferencias | difference | differences | La diferencia es tres. | The difference is three. |
| signo | signos | sign | signs | El signo de resta es “-”. | The subtraction sign is “-”. |
| término | términos | term | terms | El término es siete. | The term is seven. |
| sobrante | sobrantes | remainder | remainders | El sobrante es uno. | The remainder is one. |
| resta | restas | subtraction | subtractions | Hicimos una resta. | We did a subtraction. |
These verbs help describe the action of subtracting or taking away in Spanish:
| Spanish Infinitive | English Infinitive | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| restar | to subtract | Vamos a restar cinco. | Let’s subtract five. |
| quitar | to take away | Quita dos manzanas. | Take away two apples. |
| sacar | to remove/take out | Saca tres lápices. | Take out three pencils. |
| disminuir | to decrease | Disminuye el número. | Decrease the number. |
| eliminar | to eliminate | Elimina el error. | Eliminate the error. |
| reducir | to reduce | Reduce el total. | Reduce the total. |
| sustraer | to subtract (formal) | Sustrae tres euros. | Subtract three euros. |
| calcular | to calculate | Calcula la resta. | Calculate the subtraction. |
| resolver | to solve | Resuelve el problema. | Solve the problem. |
Use these number words to state the amounts in subtraction problems:
| Spanish Singular | English Singular | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| uno | one | Cinco menos uno es cuatro. | Five minus one is four. |
| dos | two | Ocho menos dos es seis. | Eight minus two is six. |
| tres | three | Diez menos tres es siete. | Ten minus three is seven. |
| cuatro | four | Siete menos cuatro es tres. | Seven minus four is three. |
| cinco | five | Nueve menos cinco es cuatro. | Nine minus five is four. |
| seis | six | Seis menos dos es cuatro. | Six minus two is four. |
| siete | seven | Siete menos uno es seis. | Seven minus one is six. |
| ocho | eight | Ocho menos tres es cinco. | Eight minus three is five. |
| nueve | nine | Nueve menos cuatro es cinco. | Nine minus four is five. |
| diez | ten | Diez menos cinco es cinco. | Ten minus five is five. |
These common expressions help you describe subtraction problems and results:
| Spanish Singular | English Singular | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cinco menos dos es tres | five minus two is three | Cinco menos dos es tres. | Five minus two is three. |
| ¿cuánto queda? | how much is left? | Cuando restas cinco, ¿cuánto queda? | When you subtract five, how much is left? |
| resta el número | subtract the number | Resta el número cuatro. | Subtract the number four. |
| quita tres | take away three | Quita tres del total. | Take away three from the total. |
| saca dos | take out two | Saca dos cuentas. | Take out two beads. |
| calcula la resta | calculate the subtraction | Calcula la resta en tu cuaderno. | Calculate the subtraction in your notebook. |
| la diferencia es | the difference is | La diferencia es seis. | The difference is six. |
| termina la resta | finish the subtraction | Termina la resta antes de irte. | Finish the subtraction before you leave. |
| resuelve el problema | solve the problem | Resuelve el problema de resta. | Solve the subtraction problem. |
| no queda nada | nothing is left | Si quitas diez, no queda nada. | If you take away ten, nothing is left. |
These are the key Spanish vocabulary and phrases to describe subtraction clearly and confidently. With practice, you can explain, write, and solve subtraction problems all in Spanish.
Flashcards (1 of 38)
- English Singular: subtraction
- English Plural: subtractions
- English Example: Subtraction is easy.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
