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Gerald's Spanish Language Blog

By Gerald Erichsen, About.com Guide to Spanish Language since 1998

Metric System Part of the Language

Thursday May 7, 2009
Go to just about anywhere that Spanish is spoken, and if you start talking using measurements such as pulgadas (inches) and pies (feet), you very likely won't be understood. Before you head out of the United States, take some time to learn the metric system. Not only is it easy to learn, but it also is understood in nearly every country in the world.

Comments

May 8, 2009 at 7:27 pm
(1) Dustin says:

Well, you WILL be understood in Puerto Rico if you use pulgadas y pies.

In fact, if you go with metric, you very likely won’t be understood. Even if the highway distances are measured in kilometers (despite the fact that the speed limits are in mph!)

May 9, 2009 at 8:43 pm
(2) spanish says:

Thanks for pointing that out. There are exceptions to everything, aren’t there? And Puerto Rico is a special case.

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