gramo
/ˈɡɾamo/masculine
To say "gram" in Spanish, the unit of mass, use gramo.
gramo is used on food labels, in recipes, in shops and in medicine, as in Necesito comprar 500 gramos de harina para la receta, I need to buy 500 grams of flour for the recipe.
Meaning: unit of mass (noun)
Which one should you use?
In writing, the abbreviation g is common, as in Necesito 250g de queso para la receta.
How does it change in a sentence?
gramo is masculine. The plural is gramos, as in Añade 50 gramos de mantequilla a la sartén, add 50 grams of butter to the pan.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /ˈɡɾamo/, with the stress on the first syllable.
When do people say it?
When shopping at a deli counter you can ask for an amount in grams, as in Quería comprar 100 gramos de jamón, por favor, I wanted to buy 100 grams of ham, please.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the word gramo is used colloquially as a slang term for a small quantity of illegal drugs, specifically cocaine or hashish.
- The word gramo shares an ancestor with the English word 'gram', but it also traces its roots back to the Ancient Greek word for 'letter' or 'that which is written'.
- While gramo is the standard unit, Spanish speakers frequently use the term un cuarto (a quarter) in markets to refer to 250 grams of a product.
Examples in context
- El gramo y el kilo son unidades de peso.The gram and the kilo are units of weight.Here El gramo is named alongside the kilo as a unit of weight.Tatoeba #11541508 by carlosalberto, translation #11541504 by carlosalberto
- Solo falta un gramo para completar la receta.Only one gram is missing to complete the recipe.
- Pesa exactamente un gramo.It weighs exactly one gram.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are checking the weight of a spice in the kitchen.
- Mateo¿Cuántos gramos de sal necesitamos?How many grams of salt do we need?
- ElenaSolo necesitamos un gramo más.We only need one more gram.
- MateoEstá bien, lo añadiré ahora.Okay, I will add it now.
- ElenaPerfecto, gracias Mateo.Perfect, thanks Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gram” translations and entries gramo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gramo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
