M is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet and the tenth consonant. It is a very frequent letter in the Spanish language, appearing before and after a vowel as well as certain consonants.
Hoy es el cumpleaños de mi mamá.
Today is my mom's birthday.Me quemé la mano mientras cocinaba.
I burned my hand while I was cooking.
The letter M may appear in initial, middle, or final position in the word:
- Words starting with M: manzana (apple), mes (month), muro (wall).
- Words with M in them: amigo (friend), hombre (man), campo (countryside).
- Words ending in M. They are not frequent, being usually of foreign origin: currículum (curriculum), módem, álbum.
Pronunciation tip: The pronunciation of the letter M in Spanish is exactly the same as in English:
Spelling tips:
- M (and not n) is written before b and p: hambre (hunger), ámbar (amber), tiempo (time), campana (bell).
- N (and not m) is written before f and v: confort (comfort), infierno (hell), invierno (winter), convento (convent).
- See also: Words with N
Spanish nouns that start with M
| muñeca doll | moneda coin | memoria memory |
| madre mother | maíz maize | monte hill |
| mar sea | manta blanket | moño bow |
| mapa map | mercado market | masa dough |
| mundo world | muchacho boy | mancha stain |
| madera wood | margarita daisy | mostaza mustard |
| mañana morning | miedo fear | mármol marble |
| maceta flowerpot | minuto minute | mito myth |
| museo museum | mensaje message | muerte death |
| mente mind | martes Tuesday | multitud crowd |
Animals starting with M: mono (monkey), mula (mule), mapache (racoon), marmota (marmot), mariposa (butterfly), mosca (fly), medusa (jellyfish), murciélago (bat).
Foods starting with M: manzana (apple), mandarina (tangerine), melocotón (peach), mora (blackberry), maracuyá (passion fruit), morrón (pepper), mantequilla (butter), miel (honey).
Jobs starting with M: médico (doctor), maestro (teacher), mayordomo (butler), mesero (waiter), masajista (massage therapist).
Names starting with M: María, Marta, Mónica, Margarita, Manuel, Matías, Miguel, Martín.
Hay un mercado callejero cerca que vende buena fruta y verdura.
There is a street market nearby that sells good fruit and vegetables.¿Tienes un minuto para hablar?
Do you have a minute to talk?La abuela cultiva margaritas y rosas en su jardín.
Grandma grows daisies and roses in her garden.Nos vemos el martes que viene.
See you next Tuesday.
- See also: Spanish nouns
Spanish adjectives that start with M
| maravilloso wonderful | mojado wet | memorable memorable |
| mágico magical | mediocre mediocre | mensual monthly |
| malo bad | mullido soft, fluffy | mexicano Mexican |
| maduro ripe | motivador motivational | musical musical |
| morado purple | minúsculo tiny | muerto dead |
| mejor better | misterioso mysterious | mundial global |
| mediano medium-sized | marrón brown | manso tame, docile |
| millonario millionaire | magnífico magnificent | macabro macabre |
| moderno modern | majestuoso majestic | molesto irritating |
| milagroso miraculous | montañoso mountainous | melodioso melodious |
La contaminación es un problema mundial.
Pollution is a global problem.¡Qué oradora tan motivadora!
She's such a motivational speaker!Creo que ese melón aún no está maduro y listo para comer.
I think that melon is not ripe and ready to eat yet.Este motor hace un ruido muy molesto.
This engine makes a very annoying noise.
Adjectives starting with M to describe a person
| modesto modest | melancólico melancholy, pensive | malo bad, mean |
| motivado motivated | molesto upset | malvado wicked, evil |
| maduro mature | miedoso easily scared | machista chauvinistic |
| meticuloso meticulous | mentiroso lying | maleducado rude |
| moreno dark-skinned | malhumorado bad-tempered | miserable stingy |
Pedro es un niño muy maduro para su edad.
Pedro is a very mature boy for his age.¡No seas miserable; préstame algo de dinero!
Don't be stingy; lend me some money!
- See also: Spanish adjectives
Spanish verbs that start with M
| mirar to look at, watch | malgastar to waste | murmurar to mutter |
| mentir to lie | manejar to manage, drive | maldecir to curse |
| meter to put | molestar to bother | maullar meow |
| mover to move | mezclar to mix | motivar to motivate |
| mejorar to improve | mantener to keep | manchar to stain |
| mostrar to show | mudarse to move (change houses) | malcriar to spoil |
| morder to bite | maquillar to make up | mencionar to mention |
| merecer to deserve | moler to grind | memorizar memorize |
| montar to ride, mount | mojarse to get wet | morir to die |
| masticar to chew | madrugar to get up early | matar to kill |
No nos permiten mascar chicle en clase.
We are not allowed to chew gum in class.Afortunadamente, la salud de mi tía ha mejorado.
Fortunately, my aunt’s health has improved.¿Me puede mostrar su pasaporte, señora?
Can you show me your passport, madam?Primero, mezcla los huevos con la leche y luego agrega el chocolate.
First, mix the eggs with the milk and then add the chocolate.
- See also: Spanish verbs
Spanish adverbs that start with M
| mal badly | maravillosamente wonderfully | meramente merely |
| mejor better | magníficamente superbly, magnificently | metódicamente methodically |
| menos less | majestuosamente majestically | meticulosamente meticulously |
| mientras while | modestamente modestly | moderadamente moderately |
| mucho very much | mutuamente mutually, each other | mínimamente minimally |
| mensualmente monthly | mecánicamente mechanically | manualmente manually |
| metafóricamente metaphorically | maliciosamente maliciously | mentalmente mentally |
| misteriosamente mysteriously | mediocremente in a mediocre way | miserablemente miserably |
| momentáneamente momentarily | mayormente mainly, mostly | malvadamente wickedly |
| mágicamente magically | medianamente fairly | milagrosamente miraculously |
Las dos artistas se admiran mutuamente.
The two artists admire each other.Modestamente, yo canto mejor que ella.
Modestly, I sing better than she does.Mi hermano habla inglés medianamente bien.
My brother speaks English fairly well.El francés quebequés se habla mayormente en Quebec.
Québécois French is spoken mainly in Quebec.
- See also: Spanish adverbs
More everyday Spanish words that start with M
Some more everyday Spanish words that start with M include:
mi
my
mío
mine
muy
very
más
more
mitad
half
mismo
same
mil
thousand
millón
million
mañana
tomorrow
mayor
older, elder
menor
younger
Tengo una hermana que es menor que yo.
I have a sister who is younger than me.
Hemos alcanzado un millón de seguidores en Instagram.
We have reached one million followers on Instagram.
¡Chau! Nos vemos mañana.
Bye! See you tomorrow.
Has hecho solamente la mitad del ejercicio.
You have only done half of the exercise.
You may also like:
Practice: Spanish words with M
References
- Wordreference.com, “mundial,” accessed November 7, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press.
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, under “menos,” accessed November 7, 2024, https://dle.rae.es/
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed November 7, 2024, under “meow,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- Enciclopedia del Lenguaje, “Palabras con M,” by Carla Giani. Last updated October 25, 2024, https://lenguaje.com/
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