Weight, Mass

A comprehensive overview of Spanish vocabulary and grammar related to weight, mass, and measurement, including key terms, examples, and explanations.

This article explores the essential Spanish vocabulary and grammar for discussing weight and mass, covering key terms, units of measurement, and example sentences to help you express measurements accurately.

Weight and Mass Vocabulary

These are the basic Spanish nouns for weight and mass, as well as some related concepts.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
el peso	los pesos	weight	weights	El peso de la caja es 2 kilos.	The weight of the box is 2 kilos.
la masa	las masas	mass	masses	La masa del objeto es 5 gramos.	The mass of the object is 5 grams.
el kilogramo (kg)	los kilogramos	kilogram	kilograms	Tengo 3 kilogramos de manzanas.	I have 3 kilograms of apples.
el gramo (g)	los gramos	gram	grams	Necesito 100 gramos de azúcar.	I need 100 grams of sugar.
la libra (lb)	las libras	pound	pounds	La libra cuesta $2.	The pound costs $2.
el onza (oz)	las onzas	ounce	ounces	Compré 10 onzas de queso.	I bought 10 ounces of cheese.

Tengo 3 ___ de manzanas.

What is 'kilogram' in Spanish?

gramos

kilogramos

libras

onzas

kilogramos

'Kilogramos' is the plural of 'kilogram' in Spanish, used for weights like 3 kilograms of apples.

Expressing Weight in Spanish

Here are the most common verbs and expressions used to talk about weight in Spanish.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
pesar	pesar	to weigh	to weigh	La caja pesa 5 kilos.	The box weighs 5 kilos.
medir	medir	to measure	to measure	Mide la masa con una balanza.	Measure the mass with a scale.
tener ... de peso	tener ... de peso	to weigh ...	to weigh ...	Tengo 70 kilos de peso.	I weigh 70 kilos.
ser ligero	ser ligero	to be light	to be light	Este paquete es ligero.	This package is light.
ser pesado	ser pesado	to be heavy	to be heavy	El saco es pesado.	The sack is heavy.
cargar	cargar	to carry	to carry	Puedo cargar 20 kilos.	I can carry 20 kilos.

Puedo ___ 20 kilos.

What does 'cargar' mean in the context of weight?

pesar

cargar

medir

tener

cargar

'Cargar' means 'to carry,' as in 'Puedo cargar 20 kilos.'

Units of Measurement

These are fixed expressions for common units of weight and mass.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
un kilo	kilos	a kilo	kilos	Un kilo de arroz, por favor.	A kilo of rice, please.
cien gramos	gramos	grams	grams	Quiero cien gramos de jamón.	I want 100 grams of ham.
una libra	libras	a pound	pounds	Una libra de tomate cuesta $1.	A pound of tomato costs $1.
dos onzas	onzas	two ounces	ounces	Dos onzas de chocolate, por favor.	Two ounces of chocolate, please.

Talking About Weight in Context

Here are some example sentences covering typical situations where you might talk about weight in Spanish.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
¿Cuánto pesa?	-	How much does it weigh?	-	¿Cuánto pesa esta maleta?	How much does this suitcase weigh?
Pesa ...	-	It weighs ...	-	Pesa tres kilogramos.	It weighs three kilograms.
¿Cuál es la masa de ...?	-	What is the mass of ...?	-	¿Cuál es la masa del bloque?	What is the mass of the block?
Mide ...	-	It measures ...	-	Mide cincuenta gramos.	It measures fifty grams.
No es muy pesado.	-	It is not very heavy.	-	El paquete no es muy pesado.	The package is not very heavy.

Related Concepts

These terms often come up in discussions about weight and mass.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
la balanza	las balanzas	scale	scales	Usamos una balanza para pesar.	We use a scale to weigh.
el peso neto	los pesos netos	net weight	net weights	El peso neto es de 500 gramos.	The net weight is 500 grams.
el peso bruto	los pesos brutos	gross weight	gross weights	El peso bruto incluye el paquete.	The gross weight includes the package.
la tara	las taras	tare	tares	Hay que descontar la tara.	We have to deduct the tare.
el volumen	los volúmenes	volume	volumes	El volumen es diferente al peso.	Volume is different from weight.

Understanding weight and mass vocabulary in Spanish will help you handle everyday situations like shopping, cooking, and traveling with confidence. If you want to learn more about related topics, check out our guides on Measurement Units and Numbers.

Hay que descontar la ___.

What is 'tara' in the context of weight?

balanza

tara

peso

volumen

tara

'Tara' is the weight of the container that should be deducted: 'Hay que descontar la tara.'

English Singular: weight
English Plural: weights
English Example: The weight of the box is 2 kilos.

Spanish