This page covers the most important Spanish vocabulary for fractions and percentages, including general terms, the names of common fractions, and how to express percentages.
Common Terms
These are the general words and phrases you’ll need to talk about fractions and percentages in Spanish.
| Español | English | Español | English | Español | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fracción | fraction | porcentaje | percentage | parte | part |
| entero | whole | numerador | numerator | denominador | denominator |
| dividir | to divide | sobre | over (used in fractions) | decimal | decimal |
| calcular | to calculate | más | more | menos | less |
| igual a | equal to | aproximado | approximate | alrededor de | around/about |
Translate into Spanish: 'The numerator is more than the denominator.'
El numerador es más que el denominador.
The correct sentence uses 'El numerador es más que el denominador,' which directly translates to 'The numerator is more than the denominator.' The other options either reverse the comparison or state a different relationship.
Fraction Names
Here are the Spanish names for common fractions. Notice the pattern: the numerator is said as a cardinal number, and the denominator as an ordinal number (often pluralized).
| Español | English | Español | English | Español | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| un medio | one half | un cuarto | one quarter | un tercio | one third |
| dos tercios | two thirds | tres cuartos | three quarters | un quinto | one fifth |
| un sexto | one sixth | un séptimo | one seventh | un octavo | one eighth |
| un noveno | one ninth | un décimo | one tenth | cinco décimos | five tenths |
| tres medios | three halves | siete décimos | seven tenths | nueve décimos | nine tenths |
Percentages
These are the key words and expressions for talking about percentages in Spanish.
| Español | English | Español | English | Español | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| por ciento | percent | porcentaje | percentage | aumentar | to increase |
| disminuir | to decrease | el X por ciento de… | X percent of… | el X % | X% |
| más del … por ciento | more than … percent | menos del … por ciento | less than … percent | aproximadamente el … por ciento | approximately … percent |
| mitad por ciento (0.5%) | half a percent | cuarto por ciento (0.25%) | quarter of a percent | centésima | one hundredth |
| milésima | one thousandth | tasa de interés | interest rate | porcentaje fijo | fixed percentage |
That’s all the most useful vocabulary for fractions and percentages in Spanish. To build your skills, try using these words in your own sentences or look for them in real-world examples.
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- Español: parte
- English: part
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
