cien por ciento
/ˌθjem poɾ ˈθjento/
The English phrase "one hundred percent" is translated into Spanish as cien por ciento. If unsure, use cien por ciento. It is also spelled ciento por ciento. Wiktionary also lists cien por cien and al cien.
Meaning: completely, totally (adv)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cien por ciento | /ˌθjem poɾ ˈθjento/ /ˌsjem poɾ ˈsjento/ |
|
| ciento por ciento | /θjento poɾ θjento/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjento poɾ sjento/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
alternative form |
| cien por cien | /θjen poɾ θjen/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sjen poɾ sjen/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
|
| al cien | /al ˈθjen/ /al ˈsjen/ |
Mexico, colloquial |
The phrase is used as an adverb meaning completely or totally.
Which one should you use?
cien por ciento and cien por cien are interchangeable, though cien por cien is more common in Spain. Additionally, ciento por ciento is an alternative spelling of cien por cien.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
al cien is a colloquial shorthand used to mean "one hundred percent" or "at full capacity".
Is it said differently in some regions?
al cien is a common colloquialism specifically used in Mexico.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌθjem poɾ ˈθjento/
Did you know?
- Despite meaning 'one hundred percent', the phrase al cien is frequently used in slang to describe a high-quality product or a 'perfect' outfit.
- The word cien is a shortened form of ciento. This process is called apocopation and is why the word changes based on whether it stands alone or precedes another word.
Examples in context
- Estoy de acuerdo al cien por ciento.I agree one hundred percent.This example shows how to use cien por ciento to express total agreement.Tatoeba #7777890 by alejandra__, translation #4495531 by CK
- Cien por ciento.One hundred percent.This example shows the phrase cien por ciento used on its own.Tatoeba #4546109 by DarkHollow, translation #13047005 by araneo
- No estoy cien por cien convencido de que eso sea cierto.I'm not one hundred percent convinced that's true.This example uses cien por cien to express a lack of total conviction.Tatoeba #1837720 by teskmon, translation #1332112 by Eldad
- Estoy cien por ciento seguro de esto.I am one hundred percent sure about this.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are discussing a project plan.
- JavierMaría, ¿estás segura de que el plan funciona?María, are you sure that the plan works?
- MaríaSí, estoy cien por ciento segura.Yes, I am one hundred percent sure.
- JavierMe alegra escucharlo, entonces empezamos mañana.I'm glad to hear it, then we start tomorrow.
- MaríaPerfecto, yo me encargo de todo.Perfect, I'll take care of everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one hundred percent” translations and entries cien por ciento, ciento por ciento, cien por cien, al cien, 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 cien, cien por ciento, ciento, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
