cuántos minutos
/kwantos minutos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "how many minutes" is translated into Spanish as cuántos minutos.
This phrase is a question used to ask for the specific number of minutes in a period of time. Depending on how you frame your sentence, it can be used in formal requests, such as asking how many minutes are left or in informal questions, such as asking how many minutes have passed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cuántos (how many) and minutos (minutes).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the specific construction ¿A cuántos minutos estamos de…? is used to ask how many minutes away someone is from a location or event.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cuántos must be masculine and plural to agree with the masculine plural noun minutos.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking cuántos minutos when someone is late may be met with a vague answer because a precise time is often considered less important than the general intention to arrive.
- The word minutos shares a root with the English word 'minute', both deriving from the Latin minutus, meaning 'made small'.
- In some regions, asking cuántos minutos about a distance is a common way to measure space, treating time as the primary unit of geography rather than kilometers or miles.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuántos minutos hay en una hora? – En una hora hay sesenta minutos.How many minutes are there in an hour? There are sixty minutes in an hour.This example shows how to ask for the number of minutes in an hour using cuántos minutos.Tatoeba #2061561 by Kiraness, translation #11434120 by Serveto
- Tom se preguntaba cuántos minutos más le tomaría ir corriendo a la parada de autobús.Tom wondered how many minutes it would take him to run to the bus stop.This sentence uses cuántos minutos to express wondering about a duration of time.Tatoeba #2128879 by marcelostockle, translation #1092235 by CK
- Si conviertes 48 horas en minutos. ¿Cuántos minutos serán?If you convert 48 hours into minutes, how many minutes does that make?This example uses cuántos minutos to ask for a conversion of time into minutes.Tatoeba #1039411 by arashi_29, translation #476623 by Scott
- Disculpe, ¿cuántos minutos faltan para la próxima reunión?Excuse me, how many minutes until the next meeting?
- Disculpe, ¿podría decirme cuántos minutos quedan del partido de fútbol?Excuse me, could you tell me how many minutes are left in the soccer match?
- Oye, ¿cuántos minutos faltan para que comience la película?Hey, how many minutes are left until the movie starts?
- Oye, ¿sabes cuántos minutos han pasado desde que comenzó el concierto?Hey, do you know how many minutes have passed since the concert started?
- ¿A cuántos minutos estamos del cine?How many minutes away are we from the cinema?
- ¿Cuántos minutos tarda el autobús en llegar al centro?How many minutes does the bus take to reach downtown?
- ¿A cuántos minutos estamos de la parada de metro?How many minutes away are we from the metro station?
- ¿Sabes cuántos minutos quedan para que empiece el partido?Do you know how many minutes are left until the game starts?
- ¿Podrías decirme cuántos minutos dura la película?Could you tell me how many minutes the movie lasts?
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are checking the train schedule at the station.
- Elena¿Cuántos minutos faltan para el próximo tren?How many minutes until the next train?
- MateoCreo que faltan solo diez minutos, Elena.I think there are only ten minutes left, Elena.
- ElenaPerfecto, todavía tenemos tiempo.Perfect, we still have time.
- MateoSí, podemos esperar tranquilamente.Yes, we can wait calmly.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
