Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| más o menos | /ˌmas o ˈmenos/ |
| sobre poco más o menos | /ˌsobɾe ˌpoko ˌmas o ˈmenos/ |
más o menos is used to mean "approximately" or "around", similar to the English usage. It can function as an adverb to modify an adjective, such as más o menos cansado (more or less tired) or it can be used as a standalone response to indicate a degree of understanding or completion. Other related expressions include en cierta medida for "to some extent" and no del todo for "not entirely".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of the English "more or less", where más means "more" and menos means "less".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmas o ˈmenos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
While más o menos is perfectly fine for conversational Spanish, if you are aiming for formal precision when you mean "approximately", it is better to use aproximadamente.
Did you know?
- While más o menos is common, using it to answer 'How are you?' can signal to a native speaker that you are having a bad day or feeling unwell.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a slight shrug or a tilted head often accompanies the phrase más o menos when used as a response.
- The Spanish word más comes from the Latin word magis, which is also the root of the English word 'master'.
Examples in context
- "¿Entendiste?" "Más o menos.""Did you understand?" "More or less."This example shows how to use más o menos as a standalone response to a question about understanding.Tatoeba #2063565 by marcelostockle, translation #2055334 by CK
- Él estaba más o menos borracho.He was more or less drunk.This sentence demonstrates using más o menos to modify an adjective.Tatoeba #857720 by ildefonk, translation #288991 by Dejo
- ¿Cuánto va a durar más o menos?How long does it last, more or less?This sentence shows how to use más o menos to ask for an approximate duration.Tatoeba #974827 by Shishir, translation #3460368 by hantol01
- El proyecto tomará aproximadamente tres días en completarse.The project will take approximately three days to complete.
- La temperatura promedio en esta región es de 25 grados Celsius, más o menos.The average temperature in this region is 25 degrees Celsius, more or less.
- ¿Te gustó la película? – Más o menos, estaba bien.Did you like the movie? – More or less, it was okay.
- ¿Cómo te sientes hoy? – Así así, no estoy mal pero tampoco muy bien.How are you feeling today? – So-so, not bad but not great either.
- La reunión durará aproximadamente dos horas, más o menos.The meeting will last approximately two hours, give or take.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are discussing the length of a movie.
- Alejandro¿Cuánto dura la película, Lucía?How long is the movie, Lucía?
- LucíaDura más o menos dos horas.It lasts more or less two hours.
- Alejandro¿Es muy larga?Is it very long?
- LucíaMás o menos.More or less.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “more or less” translations and entries más o menos, sobre poco más o menos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries menos, más, o, poco, sobre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
