menos
less
Used to subtract, reduce, or exclude something
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
minus
subtracted by, less
Menos means less and is a direct cognate of the English word minus0: when you subtract something, there is less than before.
menos
less, fewer
When there is less of something compared to something else.
Tengo menos tiempo que antesI have less time than before
Hay menos estudiantes en clase hoyThere are fewer students in class today
the least, the fewest
With a definite article, menos becomes a superlative: the minimum of all options.
Es el menos interesante de los tresIt's the least interesting of the three
El que menos come es mi hermanoMy brother is the one who eats the fewest
minus (math)
Used like the minus sign to subtract one number from another.
Cinco menos dos son tresFive minus two is three
Diez menos cuatro son seisTen minus four is six
except (exclusion)
Subtracts a person or thing from a group.
Todos llegaron menos ellaEveryone arrived except her
Me gustan todas las frutas menos el melónI like all fruits except melon
to (time)
When telling time, menos subtracts minutes from the next hour.
Son las tres menos cuartoIt's a quarter to three (it's three minus a quarter)
Llegó a las ocho menos diezHe arrived at ten to eight (he arrived at 8 minus 10)
a menos que
unless
Introduces the one scenario subtracted from an otherwise universal claim.
No saldré a menos que pare de lloverI won't go out unless it stops raining (I won't go out, minus the case that it stops raining)
A menos que estudies, no vas a aprobarUnless you study, you're not going to pass (Minus the case that you study, you aren't going to pass)
al menos
at least
Used to justify a claim by appealing to the minimum you're sure of. A contraction of a ("at") and el menos ("the least"), it literally means "at the least."
Al menos llámame cuando lleguesAt least call me when you arrive
No ganamos, pero al menos jugamos bienWe didn't win, but at least we played well
por lo menos
at least
Used to justify a claim by appealing to the minimum you're sure of. Lo refers to some unnamed thing, while menos turns it into the minimum. So por lo menos literally means "for the minimum"—you're making the claim with respect to that minimum.
Deberías dormir por lo menos ocho horasYou should sleep at least eight hours (you should sleep for the minimum 8 hours)
Tardará por lo menos una horaIt'll take at least an hour (it'll take for the least an hour)