A blog about the different sizes in Spanish.
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XS
As you probably know, clothes in the US are typically labeled with sizes like “Small,” “Medium,” “Large,” etc. But what if you’re shopping in a store in Spain? How do you know what size to look for?
Here is a helpful guide to Spanish clothing sizes for men, women, and children:
Men’s Sizes:
Extra Small (XS) = Less than 5’5″/165 cm
Small (S) = 5’5″/165 cm – 5’9″/175 cm
Medium (M) = 5’9″/175 cm – 6’1″/185 cm
Large (L) = 6’1″/185 cm – 6’3″/190 cm
Extra Large (XL) = More than 6’3″/190 cm
Women’s Sizes:
Extra Small (XS) = Less than 5’2″/157 cm
Small (S) = 5’2″/157 cm – 5’4″/162 cm
Medium (M) = 5’4″/162 cm – 5’6″/167 cm
Large (L) = 5’6″/167 cm – 5’8″ /172 cm
Extra Large (XL) = More than 5’8’/172cm
Children’s Sizes:
Size 2T = 2 years old
Size 3T = 3 years old
Size 4T = 4 years old
S
Spanish has two words for “size”–tamaño (which is used for physical sizes) and medida (which is used for measurements). It can be confusing, but just remember that if you’re talking about the physical dimensions of something, use tamaño. If you need to measure something, use medida.
M
M is a size in Spanish.
L
L (el) – el is masculine so we use “el” in front of masculine nouns. When using “el” to mean “the” before a masculine singular noun, we use an accent mark on it (él). The letter L by itself doesn’t have an accent mark.
L (la) – la is feminine so we use “la” in front of feminine nouns. When using “la” to mean “the” before a feminine singular noun, we use an accent mark on it (lá). The letter L by itself doesn’t have an accent mark.
XL
In Spanish, the most common way to ask what someone’s size is, is to ask for their talla. When referring to clothes, talla always means size. There are different words for “size” in Spanish when talking about other objects, but when talking about clothes, use talla.
To ask what size someone takes in clothes, you would say:
¿Qué talla llevas/usas? – (keh tah-yah lyeh-bahss/ooh-sahs) – What size do you wear?
Keep in mind that in Spanish, clothing sizes run a bit smaller than they do in the United States. A size 8 in the United States is a 38 in Spain. And sizes can vary from store to store, so it’s always best to try something on before you buy it.
Here are some common sizes in Spanish:
Extra small – XS – pequeño (peh-keh-nyoh) or chico (chee-koh)
Small – S – mediano (meh-dee-ah-noh)
Medium – M – grande (grahn-deh)
Large – L – extra grande (ehks-trah grahn-deh), XL or XXL
XXL
XXL, or “extra extra large,” is a size typically used for men’s shirts and pants. In Spanish, this size would be called “talla 3XL” for shirts and “48” for pants.
Plus Sizes
In the United States, plus sizes are generally considered to be sizes 14 and up, but in other parts of the world, including Spain, plus sizes start at size 42 (US size 12). If you’re shopping for clothing in Spain and you’re not sure what size to get, here’s a handy guide to help you out.
Keep in mind that Spanish sizes run about one size smaller than US sizes, so a size 42 in Spain is equivalent to a size 12 in the US. Spanish sizes also tend to be cut narrower than US sizes, so if you’re between two sizes or you have a wide frame, it’s best to size up.
Here are some common conversion equivalents for women’s clothing sizes:
US Size Spain Size
2 38
4 40
6 42
8 44
10 46
12 48
14 50
16 52
