en promedio
/en pɾomedjo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "on average" is translated into Spanish as en promedio. Wiktionary also lists como promedio and por término medio.
Meaning: as a measure of central tendency (prep_phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| en promedio | /en pɾomedjo/ (from spelling rules) |
| como promedio | /komo pɾomedjo/ (from spelling rules) |
| por término medio | /poɾ teɾmino medjo/ (from spelling rules) |
The phrase en promedio is used as a measure of central tendency. It is a versatile expression that can be placed at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence to modify a verb or an entire clause.
Which one should you use?
en promedio is the most common and versatile way to say "on average" in both spoken and written Spanish. While en promedio is widely used, por término medio serves as a more sophisticated or formal alternative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
en promedio is a formal way to express this concept. por término medio is a more formal or sophisticated way to express "on average" than en promedio.
How do you pronounce it?
/en pɾomedjo/
Did you know?
- The word medio in por término medio is a direct loan from Latin. It was used because the natural evolution of the word would have sounded too similar to the Spanish verb mear, which means 'to piss'.
- While en promedio is the standard, you might see the phrase de media used in some Spanish-speaking regions to mean 'on average'.
- The phrase por término medio uses the word término, which comes from the Latin word for 'boundary' or 'end'.
Examples in context
- Ella gana en promedio diez libras por semana.She earns on average ten pounds a week.This sentence shows how to use en promedio to describe weekly earnings.Tatoeba #1928041 by marcelostockle, translation #314924 by CK
- Los europeos beben en promedio 12,5 litros de alcohol puro por año.Europeans drink, on average, 12.5 liters of pure alcohol per year.This sentence demonstrates en promedio used to state annual consumption statistics.Tatoeba #3836197 by cueyayotl, translation #3364267 by _undertoad
- Duermo seis horas por día en promedio.I sleep six hours a day on average.This sentence shows the placement of en promedio at the end of a sentence regarding sleep patterns.Tatoeba #3528743 by Aether, translation #261626 by Swift
- En promedio, los estudiantes dedican tres horas diarias a sus estudios.On average, students spend three hours per day on their studies.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing their monthly electricity bills.
- Mateo¿Cuánto pagamos de luz en promedio?How much do we pay for electricity on average?
- ElenaPagamos unos cincuenta euros en promedio.We pay about fifty euros on average.
- MateoParece un precio justo para nosotros.That seems like a fair price for us.
- ElenaSí, aunque en verano sube un poco.Yes, although it goes up a bit in summer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “on average” translations and entries por término medio, 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 como, en, medio, por, promedio, término, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
