uns vinte / arredor de
Approximate Quantities
To give an approximate number, put uns/unhas before it or use arredor de or preto de: uns vinte euros (about twenty euros), arredor de cen persoas (around a hundred people).
How It Works
Uns, unhas + number
The plural indefinite article before a number means about. It agrees with the noun: uns vinte euros, unhas trinta persoas.
Arredor de
Around, approximately: arredor de cen persoas. With a time or another article, the de joins it: arredor das cinco (around five o'clock), arredor dos corenta anos. Ao redor de means the same.
Preto de
Close to, nearly: preto de mil habitantes. The same phrase also means near a place: preto de Santiago.
Other ways
- máis ou menos: more or less, Son máis ou menos as seis.
- aproximadamente, in formal speech and writing.
- ben before a number means at least: había ben mil persoas (there were easily a thousand people).
Related quantity words
- a metade: half, a metade da tarta
- o dobre: double, twice as much, Agora gaña o dobre.
- unha ducia: a dozen, unha ducia de ovos
- un par de: a couple of
For bigger numbers, see hundreds and thousands; for the time, see telling the time.
Examples (6)
- Custou uns vinte euros.
It cost about twenty euros.
- Viñeron unhas trinta persoas.
About thirty people came.
Unhas agrees with the feminine noun persoas.
- Había arredor de cen persoas na praza.
There were around a hundred people in the square.
- Chegaremos arredor das cinco.
We will arrive around five o'clock.
De + as = das.
- A vila ten preto de mil habitantes.
The town has nearly a thousand inhabitants.
- Merquei unha ducia de ovos.
I bought a dozen eggs.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish form alrededor de.
Había alrededor de cen persoas.Había arredor de cen persoas.The Galician form is arredor de (or ao redor de).
Using masculine uns with a feminine noun.
Viñeron uns trinta persoas.Viñeron unhas trinta persoas.Uns and unhas agree with the noun, and persoa is feminine.
Not contracting de with the article.
Chegaremos arredor de as cinco.Chegaremos arredor das cinco.De and as always join as das.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Approximate quantities combine indefinite forms or fixed phrases with numbers.
Related Patterns
- un / unha / uns / unhasIndefinite Articles
Uns and unhas are the same words used as articles.
Level 1 - centos / mil / millónHundreds and Thousands
Bigger numbers used with arredor de and preto de.
Level 3 - que hora é?Telling the Time
Telling the time, as in arredor das cinco.
Level 1 - ben + AdjectiveBen as an Intensifier
Ben before a number means at least, as in ben mil persoas.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice uns vinte / arredor de in Bubblegum
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