más o menos
/ˌmas o ˈmenos/
The English phrase 'kind of' can be translated into Spanish as más o menos.
In Spanish, several expressions can convey the sense of 'kind of' depending on the context. más o menos is used to convey a sense of approximation or vagueness. medio is a common way to express 'kind of', while un poco is used to express a slight degree of something. Finally, algo can be used to express 'kind of' when referring to quantities, qualities or emotions.
Meaning: somewhat (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase más o menos literally translates to 'more or less'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmas o ˈmenos/
When do people say it?
If someone asks you ¿Estás cansado? (Are you tired?), responding with más o menos is a common way to say 'kind of'.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, más o menos can be used as a non-committal answer to avoid saying 'no' directly to a request.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, people often skip the más o menos and simply use a single word like así or más with a specific gesture to imply 'kind of'.
- The word más shares the same Latin root as the English word 'master'.
Examples in context
- Estoy más o menos feliz.I'm kind of happy.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use más o menos to express a degree of emotion.Tatoeba #1129829 by marcelostockle, translation #33024 by CK
- El poema era medio aburrido.The poem was kind of boring.
- Estoy medio cansado después del trabajo.I'm kind of tired after work.
- La película estuvo medio como aburrida.The movie was, like, kind of boring.
- El perro es un poco asustadizo.The dog is kind of jumpy.
- Todos están algo aburridos en la reunión.Everyone is kind of bored at the meeting.
- Me siento algo confundido con el ejercicio.I feel kind of confused about the exercise.
- El examen estuvo más o menos difícil.The exam was kind of difficult.
- La película es más o menos buena.The movie is kind of good.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are discussing a meal they just ate.
- Daniel¿Te gustó la cena, Lucía?Did you like the dinner, Lucía?
- LucíaMás o menos, estaba un poco salada.Kind of, it was a bit salty.
- DanielYo pienso que estaba rica.I think it was tasty.
- LucíaBueno, no estuvo tan mal.Well, it wasn't that bad.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry más o menos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries menos, más, o, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
