One real challenge for language learners is the use of abbreviations. As many words are often abbreviated in documents, it's hard to get the gist of sentences if you don't know what does the abbreviation stand for. Below is a list of common Spanish abbreviations that help you deal with this problem.
Common Spanish abbreviations
Below you will find a list of common Spanish abbreviations, their meanings, and their corresponding English abbreviation.
| Spanish abbreviations | English abbreviation | Meaning | |
| a.C., a. de C., a.J.C., a. de J.C. | antes de Cristo, antes de Jesucristo | B.C. , BCE | Before Christ/Before Common Era |
| a. m. | antes del mediodía | a.m | before noon |
| apdo. | apartado postal | P.O | Box |
| aprox. | aproximadamente | approximately | |
| Av., Avda. | avenida | Ave. | Ave.avenue, in addresses |
| Bs. As. | Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | |
| c.c. | centímetros cúbicos | c.c. | cubic centimeters |
| Cía | compañía | Co. | company |
| cm | centímetros | cm | centimeters |
| c/u | cada uno | apiece | |
| D. | don | Sir | |
| Da. | doña | Madam | |
| d.C., d. de C., d.J.C., d. de J.C. | después de Cristo, después de Jesucristo | CE/A.D | Common Era/anno domini |
| dna. | docena | dozen | |
| EE. UU. | Estados Unidos | U.S | |
| esq | esquina | street corner | |
| etc. | etcétera | etc. | |
| f.c., F.C. | ferrocarril | R.R. | railroad |
| FF. AA. | fuerzas armadas | armed forces | |
| Dr., Dra. | doctor, doctora | Dr. | |
| E | este (punto cardinal) | E | east |
| Gob. | gobierno | Gov. | |
| km/h | kilómetros por hora | kilometers per hour | |
| l | litros | liters | |
| Lic. | licenciado | attorney | |
| m | metros | meters | |
| mm | milímetros | millimeters | |
| h | hora | hour | |
| Ing. | ingeniero | engineer | |
| kg | kilogramos | kg | kilograms |
| pág. | página | page | |
| N | norte | N | north |
| no., núm. | número | No. | number |
| O P.D. — postdata — P.S. | oeste | W | west |
| OEA | Organización de Estados Americanos | OAS | Organization of American States |
| ONU | Organización de Naciones Unidas | UN | United Nations |
| OTAN | La Organización del Tratado Atlántico Norte | NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| p.ej. | por ejemplo | e.g | for example |
| p. m. | post meridien | p.m | after noon |
| Prof, Profa. | profesor, profesora | Professor | |
| q.e.p.d. | que en paz descanse | R.I.P | rest in peace |
| S | sur | S | south |
| S.A. | Sociedad Anónima | Inc. | |
| S.L. | Sociedad Limitada | Ltd. | |
| Sr. | señor | Mr. | |
| Sra. | señora | Mrs., Ms. | |
| Srta. | señorita | Miss, Ms. | |
| Ud., Vd., Uds., Vds. | usted, ustedes | you | |
| vol. | volumen | vol. | volume |
| W.C | water closet | bathroom, toilet |
Note:
- Not all Spanish abbreviations are capitalized
See: Capitalization rules in Spanish.
Generally, abbreviations that are capitalized are personal titles, such as Sr. and Dr., and those derived from proper nouns.
- Just like in English, we use a spelling such as "5th" for "fifth," Spanish speakers often abbreviate Spanish ordinal numbers using the numerals themselves. Abbreviations vary with gender.
For example:
Octavo (eighth) - abbreviation: 8o (if it's masculine) / 8a (if it's feminine).
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