Length and distance are fundamental concepts in Spanish that allow you to measure, describe, and compare physical dimensions and spatial relationships. This vocabulary covers common units of measurement, as well as useful expressions for talking about length and distance in everyday situations.
Units of Length
Units of length are the standard measurements used to quantify how long something is. In Spanish, these units are similar to their English counterparts, but with distinct singular and plural forms.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| el centímetro | los centímetros | centimeter | centimeters | La regla mide 30 centímetros. | The ruler measures 30 centimeters. |
| el metro | los metros | meter | meters | La habitación tiene 5 metros de ancho. | The room is 5 meters wide. |
| el kilómetro | los kilómetros | kilometer | kilometers | Vivo a 10 kilómetros de aquí. | I live 10 kilometers from here. |
| la pulgada | las pulgadas | inch | inches | La pantalla mide 15 pulgadas. | The screen is 15 inches. |
| el pie | los pies | foot | feet | La mesa mide 3 pies de largo. | The table is 3 feet long. |
| la milla | las millas | mile | miles | Corrí 2 millas esta mañana. | I ran 2 miles this morning. |
Length Descriptions
These adjectives and expressions help you describe the length or size of objects and distances more precisely.
| Spanish | English | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| corto/a | short | El vestido es corto. | The dress is short. |
| largo/a | long | El camino es largo. | The road is long. |
| mediano/a | medium-sized | Tengo un perro mediano. | I have a medium-sized dog. |
| ancho/a | wide | La carretera es ancha. | The highway is wide. |
| estrecho/a | narrow | El pasillo es estrecho. | The hallway is narrow. |
| más largo que | longer than | Este libro es más largo que el otro. | This book is longer than the other. |
| tan largo como | as long as | Mi cabello es tan largo como el tuyo. | My hair is as long as yours. |
Common Expressions
These are useful phrases and sentence structures for talking about length and distance in a natural way.
| Spanish | English | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| medir ... de largo | to measure ... long | La mesa mide dos metros de largo. | The table measures two meters long. |
| ¿Cuánto mide...? | How long is...? | ¿Cuánto mide la ventana? | How long is the window? |
| a ... de distancia | ... away | La escuela está a 500 metros de distancia. | The school is 500 meters away. |
| a ... kilómetros de aquí | ... kilometers from here | Vivo a tres kilómetros de aquí. | I live three kilometers from here. |
| más ... que ... | more ... than ... | Esta cuerda es más larga que aquella. | This rope is longer than that one. |
| menos ... que ... | less ... than ... | Mi jardín es menos ancho que el tuyo. | My garden is less wide than yours. |
Measurement Verbs
These verbs are commonly used when talking about measuring length and distance.
| Spanish | English | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| medir | to measure | Esto mide un metro. | This measures one meter. |
| calcular | to calculate | Calcula la distancia entre las dos ciudades. | Calculate the distance between the two cities. |
| estimar | to estimate | Estimo que hay 2 kilómetros. | I estimate that there are 2 kilometers. |
| dividir | to divide | Divide la cuerda en tres partes iguales. | Divide the rope into three equal parts. |
| convertir | to convert | Convierte metros a centímetros. | Convert meters to centimeters. |
Translate the following English sentence into Spanish, filling in the blank with the correct conjugated form: "She measures the screen." (medir)
Ella mide la pantalla.
"Mide" is the correct third person singular form of "medir." The other options show incorrect conjugations or subject-verb agreement.
Sample Sentences
These examples show how to use length and distance vocabulary in complete sentences.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| La ruta tiene cinco kilómetros de longitud. | The route is five kilometers long. |
| Necesito una mesa que mida dos metros de largo. | I need a table that measures two meters long. |
| El puente es más largo que el túnel. | The bridge is longer than the tunnel. |
| ¿Cuánto mide tu jardín? | How long is your garden? |
| Vivo a diez kilómetros de la ciudad. | I live ten kilometers from the city. |
| La pantalla tiene quince pulgadas de diagonal. | The screen is fifteen inches diagonal. |
| El camino es estrecho y largo. | The path is narrow and long. |
| Mi habitación mide cuatro metros de ancho. | My room is four meters wide. |
| Corrí una milla en siete minutos. | I ran a mile in seven minutes. |
| La cuerda está dividida en cuatro partes iguales. | The rope is divided into four equal parts. |
| El aeropuerto está a veinte kilómetros de aquí. | The airport is twenty kilometers from here. |
Length and distance vocabulary in Spanish enables you to describe sizes, measure spaces, and navigate your environment with confidence. Practice using units, descriptive words, and common expressions to talk about length and distance accurately.
Translate the following Spanish sentence into English: "El camino es estrecho y largo."
The path is narrow and long.
"Estrecho" means narrow and "largo" means long, accurately describing the path's dimensions.
Translate the following Spanish sentence into English: "Vivo a diez kilómetros de la ciudad."
I live ten kilometers from the city.
"A diez kilómetros de" means "ten kilometers from," specifying the distance from the city.
Flashcards (1 of 35)
- English Singular: centimeter
- English Plural: centimeters
- Example (English): The ruler measures 30 centimeters.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
