tonelada métrica
/tonelada metɾika/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase 'metric ton' is tonelada métrica in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists tonelada and salma.
Meaning: unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tonelada métrica | /tonelada metɾika/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| tonelada | /toneˈlada/ | feminine |
| salma | /salma/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms.
Which one should you use?
While tonelada métrica is the precise term, in most everyday contexts, the word tonelada is used to mean 'metric ton' without needing to specify métrica.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of tonelada métrica is toneladas métricas.
How do you pronounce it?
/tonelada metɾika/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using tonelada to refer to the US short ton (approximately 907 kg), as tonelada specifically refers to the metric ton (1000 kg).
Did you know?
- The root of tonelada can be traced back to the Proto-Celtic word *tunna, which originally referred to an animal 'hide' or 'skin'.
- In Spanish, the suffix -ada is often used to create words meaning 'the contents of' a specific container, as seen in cucharada for 'spoonful'.
- While tonelada is the standard term, the word salma is an archaic Spanish term for a unit of weight used historically in the Mediterranean.
Examples in context
- La carga tenía un peso de 2 toneladas métricas.The cargo weighed 2 metric tons.
- El camión estaba cargado con 4 toneladas de arena.The truck was loaded with 4 metric tons of sand.
- Las emisiones de CO2 alcanzaron las 3 gigatoneladas.CO2 emissions reached 3 gigatons.
- El cargamento pesa una tonelada métrica.The shipment weighs one metric ton.
- Necesitamos transportar cada tonelada métrica con cuidado.We need to transport each metric ton carefully.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing a shipping order at a warehouse.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿cuánto pesa el cargamento?Alejandro, how much does the shipment weigh?
- AlejandroPesa exactamente una tonelada métrica.It weighs exactly one metric ton.
- LucíaEs demasiado peso para este vehículo.That is too much weight for this vehicle.
- AlejandroEntonces buscaremos un camión más grande.Then we will look for a larger truck.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “metric ton” translations and entries tonelada métrica, tonelada, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries métrica, tonelada, CC BY-SA 4.0.
