Measurements

Measurements can be a problem for translators when they are starting their career, as the English and Spanish systems are different. See below some English-Spanish equivalents regarding length, weight, volume/capacity and area.

Length
- centimeter (centímetro) = 0.3937 inches (pulgadas)
- 1 inch (pulgada) = 2.54 centimeters (centímetros)
- 1 foot (pie) = 30.48 centimeters (centímetros)
- foot (pie) = 0.3048 meters (metros)
- yard (yarda) = 0.9144 meters (metros)
- meter (metro) = 1.093613 yards (yardas)
- kilometer (kilómetro) = 0.621 miles (millas)
- mile (milla) = 1.609344 kilometers (kilómetros)

Weight
- 1 gram (gramo) = 0.353 ounces (onzas)
- 1 ounce (onza) = 28.35 grams (gramos)
- 1 pound (libra) = 453.6 grams (gramos)
- 1 pound (libra) = 0.4563 kilograms (kilogramos)
- 1 kilogram (kilogramo) = 2.2046 pounds (libras)
- 1 American ton (tonelada americana) = 0.907 metric tons (toneladas métricas)
- 1 metric ton (tonelada métrica) = 1.1 metric tons (toneladas métricas)

Volume/Capacity
- 1 milliliter (mililitro) = 0.034 fluid ounces (onzas fluidas)
- 1 milliliter (mililitro) = 0.2 teaspoons (cucharaditas)
- 1 fluid ounce (onza fluida) = 29.6 milliliters (mililitros)
- 1 teaspoon (cucharadita) = 5 milliliters (mililitros)
- 1 cup (taza) = 0.24 liters (litros)
- 1 quart (cuarto) = 0.95 liters (litros)
- liter (litro) = 4.227 cups (tazas)
- 1 liter (litro) = 1.057 quarts (cuartos)
- 1 liter (litro) = 0.264 U.S. gallons (galones americanos)
- 1 U.S. gallon (galón americano) = 3.785 liters (litros)

Area
- 1 square centimeter (centímetro cuadrado) = 0.155 square inches (pulgadas cuadradas)
- 1 square inch (pulgada cuadrada) = 6.4516 square centimeters (centímetros cuadrados)
- 1 square foot (pie cuadrado) = 929 square centimeters (centímetros cuadrados)
- 1 acre (acre) = 0.405 hectares (hectáreas)
- 1 hectare (hectárea) = 2.471 acres (acres)
- 1 square kilometer (kilómetro cuadrado) = 0.386 square miles (millas cuadradas)
- 1 square mile (milla cuadrada) = 2.59 square kilometers (kilómetros cuadrados)

When translating a text, you might come across these measurements and wonder if you need to make an exact conversion of the numbers. The answer is not necessarily, depending on the kind of text. Usually, you will do an an approximate conversion, except in scientific texts.
For example:
That piece of meat weights a pound.
Ese trozo de carne pesa medio quilo.
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I live a mile away from the train station
Vivo a un kilómetro y medio de la estación de tren.

You can use the Google calculator to make conversions.