menos

=

less

adjective

Learn more about this comparative adjective in the Answers section.

menos
adjective invariable
1. (comparativo) less (cantidad); fewer (número)
  • menos aire -> less air
  • menos manzanas -> fewer apples
  • menos… que… -> less/fewer… than…
  • tiene menos experiencia que tú -> she has less experience than you
  • hace menos calor que ayer -> it's not as hot as it was yesterday
  • hay dos libros de menos -> there are two books missing
  • me han dado 10 euros de menos -> they've given me 10 euros too little
2. (superlativo) the least (cantidad); the fewest (número)
  • el que compró menos acciones -> the one who bought the fewest shares
  • lo que menos tiempo llevó -> the thing that took the least time
  • la que menos nota sacó en el examen -> the girl who did (the) worst o got the worst marks in the exam
3. (informal) (peor)
  • éste es menos coche que el mío -> that car isn't as good as mine
adverb
4. (comparativo) less
  • menos de/que -> less than
  • son menos de las diez -> it's not quite ten o'clock yet
5. (superlativo)
  • el/la/lo menos -> the least
  • el menos interesante/difícil -> the least interesting/difficult
  • él es el menos indicado para criticar -> he's the last person who should be criticizing
  • es lo menos que puedo hacer -> it's the least I can do
6. minus (expresa resta)
  • tres menos dos igual a uno -> three minus two is one
7. to (con las horas) (peninsular Spanish, RP)
  • son las dos menos diez -> it's ten to two
  • son menos diez -> it's ten to
8. (expresiones)
  • ¡menos mal! -> just as well!, thank God!
  • es lo de menos -> that's the least of it, that's of no importance
  • hacer de menos a alguien -> to snub somebody
  • lo menos -> at least (como mínimo)
  • nada menos (que) -> no less (than)
  • ni mucho menos -> nor anything like it
  • no es para menos -> not without (good) reason
  • venir a menos -> to go down in the world
masculine noun invariable
9. minus (sign) (Mat)
preposition
10. except (for) (excepto)
  • todo menos eso -> anything but that
a menos que
conjunctive phrase
1. unless
  • no iré a menos que me acompañes -> I won't go unless you come with me
al menos
adverbial phrase
1. at least
por lo menos
adverbial phrase
1. at least

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

menos [may’-nos]
adverb
1. Less, in a lower degree.
2. Except, with the exception of.
  • A lo menos or por lo menos -> at least, however
  • Mucho menos -> much less
  • Poco más o menos -> A little more or less
  • Venir a menos -> to decay, to grow worse; to become poor
  • Ni más -> ni menos, neither more nor less, just equal
  • Lo menos 10 -> 10 at least
  • Ir a menos -> to come down in the world
  • Cada vez menos -> less and less
  • Poco menos de una libra -> little less than a pound
  • Tener en menos -> to look down on
  • Tanto menos -> so much the less
  • Ha venido a menos -> he has come down in the world
  • Hacer de menos a uno -> to be unfaithful to somebody
preposition
3. Except.
  • Todos menos él -> everybody except him
  • Cualquier cosa menos eso -> anything but that
  • Todo includio menos el transporte -> everything included but the transport
  • Cuatro menos uno son tres -> four minus one is three
  • Son las cuatro menos diez -> it is ten to four

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

"menos" in the Answers forum
Q: menos que / menos de ??
A: Gracias I hadn't thought about eres menos de diez años otherwise I would have asked that question also. Could you use either tienes or eres in this case'
Q: son las cuatro menos tres de la tarde
A: I think you mean un quarto para las tres( 2:45 pm ) but if you actually mean cuatro para las tres de la tarde,then it would be 2:56 PM cuatro minutos…
Q: Nosotros te echo de menos
A: Are synonyms -Te echamos de menos -Te extrañamos -Te echamos en falta -Te añoramos
Q: "todo menos fallar" que significa?
A: gracias!
Q: echo de menos
A: I miss...
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