Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Width in Spanish: Ancho
Ancho · noun · AHN-choh
Width in Spanish is ancho when used as a masculine noun, meaning the horizontal measurement of something. A more formal synonym is anchura, which appears in technical documents and construction. Ancho does double duty in Spanish — it can be both the adjective (wide) and the noun (width), with context making the distinction clear.
Say AHN-choh with two syllables and stress on the first.
El ancho de esta habitación es de cuatro metros.
The width of this room is four meters.
Width in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for width, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| ancho | width | AHN-choh | Default, widely understood |
| anchura | width | more formal, technical measurement |
How Native Speakers Use Ancho
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Measuring furniture
Mide el ancho del sofá para ver si cabe por la puerta.
Measure the width of the sofa to see if it fits through the door.
El ancho is the standard noun form used in everyday measurements.
Construction specifications
La anchura mínima del pasillo debe ser de un metro veinte.
The minimum width of the hallway should be one meter twenty.
Anchura is preferred in building codes, blueprints, and formal specs.
Online shopping
Revisa las medidas de largo, ancho y alto antes de comprar.
Check the length, width, and height measurements before buying.
Product dimensions always list largo (length), ancho (width), and alto (height).
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Ancho
Using ancha (adjective) for the noun
Incorrect: La ancha de la mesa es de dos metros.
Correct: El ancho de la mesa es de dos metros.
When width is a noun, it is masculine: el ancho. The feminine form ancha is only used as an adjective: la mesa ancha (the wide table).
Confusing largo and ancho
Incorrect: El ancho de la carretera es de diez kilómetros.
Correct: El largo de la carretera es de diez kilómetros. / El ancho de la carretera es de diez metros.
Ancho is the side-to-side measurement (width), while largo is the end-to-end measurement (length). A road's length is kilometers; its width is meters.
Lock in Width Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Ancho used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using ancho in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El ancho de esta habitación es de cuatro metros. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Width in Spanish
- How do you say width in Spanish?
- Width is el ancho as an everyday noun, or la anchura in more formal and technical contexts. Both refer to the horizontal measurement of an object or space.
- What is the difference between ancho and anchura?
- Ancho is used in casual speech and everyday measurements: el ancho de la puerta. Anchura is the more formal, technical term found in blueprints, regulations, and academic texts: la anchura del puente.
- How do you express dimensions in Spanish?
- Dimensions follow the pattern: largo (length) × ancho (width) × alto (height). For example, la caja mide treinta de largo por veinte de ancho por quince de alto means 'the box measures thirty by twenty by fifteen.'