How to Say Amounts in Spanish: a kilo of, a liter of, half a dozen
Learn to ask for quantities in Latin American Spanish using de: un kilo de, un litro de, media docena de, with numbers, fractions and containers.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you shop or cook in Spanish, you often need to say how much of something you want, not just name the item. The key structure is a quantity word plus de plus the item: un kilo de tomates, un litro de leche, media docena de huevos. This lesson teaches that pattern with useful amounts, so you can order at a market, follow a recipe, or ask for a smaller portion.
By the end, you can…
- ask for a kilo, a liter, or half a dozen of something using de.
- use numbers and fractions like medio, cuarto, and dos with common foods.
- understand and answer a question about how much someone wants.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
un kilo de tomates
a kilo of tomatoes
oon KEE-loh deh toh-MAH-tehs
The standard way to buy produce by weight; de links the amount to the item.
un litro de leche
a liter of milk
oon LEE-troh deh LEH-cheh
Use for liquids sold by volume; litro is common across Latin America.
media docena de huevos
half a dozen eggs
MEH-dyah doh-SEH-nah deh WEH-vohs
Media agrees with the feminine noun docena; huevos is masculine plural. In careful speech media is two syllables: MEH-dyah.
doscientos gramos de queso
two hundred grams of cheese
doh-SYEHN-tohs GRAH-mohs deh KEH-soh
Gramos is useful for small amounts of cheese, meat, or coffee.
una botella de agua
a bottle of water
OO-nah boh-TEH-yah deh AH-gwah
Botella is a container word; agua is feminine but takes el in the singular: el agua.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is cantidad + de + cosa. The amount can be a number plus a unit (un kilo de arroz), a fraction (medio kilo de café, un cuarto de kilo de jamón), or a container (una caja de galletas, una lata de atún). Keep de directly before the item. If the item is plural, keep it plural: tres botellas de agua. The amount word itself may change for gender: medio kilo, media docena, medio litro.
When to use it
Use this pattern when you need a measured amount, not just the name of an item. At a market: Quisiera un kilo de manzanas. In a recipe: Necesito dos tazas de harina. For a smaller portion: Medio kilo, por favor. If you only name the item, you may get a different quantity. Compare Quiero pan (I want bread) with Quiero un kilo de pan (I want a kilo of bread).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buenos días, ¿qué le doy?
Good morning, what can I get you?BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs, keh leh DOYQuisiera un kilo de tomates y media docena de huevos.
I would like a kilo of tomatoes and half a dozen eggs.kee-SYEH-rah oon KEE-loh deh toh-MAH-tehs ee MEH-dyah doh-SEH-nah deh WEH-vohsMuy bien. ¿Algo más?
Very good. Anything else?mwee BYEHN. AHL-goh MAHSSí, un litro de leche y doscientos gramos de queso.
Yes, a liter of milk and two hundred grams of cheese.see, oon LEE-troh deh LEH-cheh ee doh-SYEHN-tohs GRAH-mohs deh KEH-sohA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American markets, you can ask for medio kilo or un cuarto de kilo, and vendors often sell by gram or by piece. In Spain, you may hear medio kilo de as well, and patata instead of papa. Politeness matters: quisiera or me da sounds softer than quiero, especially with strangers.
One thing to watch for
Saying un kilo tomates without de.
Try this instead: Use de between the amount and the item: un kilo de tomates. The same applies to un litro de leche and media docena de huevos.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask for a liter of milk?
Show a sample answer
un litro de leche
The pattern is amount + de + item. Litro is masculine, so un litro is correct; de links it to leche.
2What does media docena de huevos mean?
Show a sample answer
half a dozen eggs
Media means half and agrees with the feminine noun docena; huevos means eggs. You could also say seis huevos, which is equally clear.
3Complete: doscientos gramos ___ queso.
Show a sample answer
de
The linking word de is required between the amount and the item: doscientos gramos de queso.
To request an amount in Spanish, say the quantity, then de, then the item: un kilo de, un litro de, media docena de. Keep de even when the item is plural.
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