Spanish Conversation · Level 71
60 words
Spanish word
cálculo
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈkalkulo/
Meaning
- masculine nouncalculation
Example
¿Cuál es el cálculo total?
What is the total?
More examples
Hice un cálculo mental rápido.
I did a quick mental calculation.
Core concept
Step-by-step operation to obtain a numerical answer or approximation.
Common phrases
hacer un cálculo
do a calculation
cálculo mental
mental calculation
cálculo aproximado
approximate calculation
resultado del cálculo
result of the calculation
Similar words
cuenta: Works out the total amount owed for a purchase or bill.
suma: Adds two or more numbers together to produce a single total.
estimación: Gives an approximate numeric value based on available information.
Definition in Spanish
Operación o procedimiento para determinar un resultado numérico o una estimación; en contextos técnicos puede referirse a la disciplina del cálculo o a una piedra (cálculo médico).
Word origin
The Spanish word comes from Latin calculus 'small stone', which names pebbles once used for counting and then broadens to mean calculation procedures, the mathematical field, and medical stones.
Usage tips
- Unlike English 'calculus' (the mathematical branch), Spanish 'cálculo' most often means a single calculation or an estimate, and the academic field is usually specified as 'el cálculo' or by modifiers.