másmenos

Más o menos is a Spanish expression that means approximately or roughly, used to indicate an estimation of quantity, duration, or degree without insisting on precision. In informal writing, the variant másmenos sometimes appears as a single word, but the standard spelling is two words.

Orthography and form

In standard Spanish, the proper form is más o menos, with the conjunction o meaning “or.” The phrase is composed of más (more) + o + menos (less). Although some writers in informal contexts writeMásmenos or másmenos without spaces, this is nonstandard and may be read as a typographical simplification rather than a recognized form.

Usage

Más o menos functions as an adverbial hedge. It can precede numbers: “La casa cuesta más o menos 200.000 euros.” It also modulates adjectives, verbs, or clauses: “La película dura más o menos dos horas,” “La tarea está más o menos terminada.” Additionally, it can convey a general approximation: “Llegaremos más o menos a las seis.” In formal writing, alternatives such as aproximadamente or en torno a are often preferred for precision.

Nuances and equivalents

The expression carries a neutral or modest tone, signaling tolerance for imprecision rather than exactness. Its use is widespread in spoken Spanish and informal writing. In translation, the closest equivalents are approximately, about, or roughly in English, and mais ou moins in French, más ou menos in other contexts.

Related concepts include approximate, hedging language, and measurements with lax tolerances.