Unlike in English, where most abbreviations are capitalized, many Spanish abbreviations are not. Generally, abbreviations that are capitalized are personal titles (such as Sr. and Dr.) and those derived from proper nouns. But there are exceptions.
This list is far from complete; Spanish has hundreds of abbreviations. Among those not listed here are those that are common in only one country, including acronyms for government agencies such as JUJEM for Junta de Jefes del Estado Mayor, the Spanish Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Note also that, as in English, some abbreviations are used with or without periods varying with the style of writer or publication. The points of the compass usually aren't abbreviated in running text.
This list shows the Spanish abbreviation in boldface, the Spanish meaning and the corresponding English abbreviation or translation.
- a.C., a. de C., a.J.C., a. de J.C. — antes de Cristo, antes de Jesucristo — B.C. (before Christ), BCE (before Common Era)
- a.m. — antes del mediodía — a.m. (before noon)
- apdo. — apartado postal — P.O. Box
- aprox. — aproximadamente — approximately
- Av., Avda. — avenida — Ave. (avenue, in addresses)
- Bs. As. — Buenos Aires — Buenos Aires
- c.c. — centímetros cúbicos — c.c. (cubic centimeters)
- Cía — compañía — Co. (company)
- cm — centímetros — cm. (centimeters)
- c/u — cada uno — apiece
- D. — don — Sir
- Da. — doña — Madam
- d.C., d. de C., d.J.C., d. de J.C. — después de Cristo, después de Jesucristo — A.D. (anno domini), CE (Common Era)
- dna. — docena — dozen
- Dr., Dra. — doctor, doctora — Dr.
- E — este (punto cardinal) — E (east)
- EE. UU. — Estados Unidos — U.S.
- esq. — esquina — street corner
- etc. — etcétera — etc.
- FF. AA. — fuerzas armadas — armed forces
- f.c., F.C. — ferrocarril — R.R. (railroad)
- Gob. — gobierno — Gov.
- Gral. — general — Gen. (military title)
- h. — hora — hour
- Ing. — ingeniero — engineer
- kg — kilogramos — kg (kilograms)
- km/h — kilómetros por hora — kilometers per hour
- l — litros — liters
- Lic. — licenciado — attorney
- m — metros — meters
- mm — milímetros — millimeters
- m.n. — moneda nacional — sometimes used to distinguish the national currency from others
- N — norte — N (north)
- no., núm. — número — No. (number)
- O — oeste — W (west)
- OEA — Organización de Estados Americanos — OAS (Organization of American States)
- ONU — Organización de Naciones Unidas — UN (United Nations)
- OTAN — La Organización del Tratado Atlántico Norte — NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
- pág. — página — page
- P.D. — postdata — P.S.
- p.ej. — por ejemplo — e.g. (for example)
- p.m. — post meridien — p.m. (after noon)
- Prof, Profa. — profesor, profesora — Professor
- q.e.p.d. — que en paz descanse — R.I.P. (rest in peace)
- S — sur — S (south)
- S.A. — Sociedad Anónima — Inc.
- S.L. — Sociedad Limitada — Ltd.
- Sr. — señor — Mr.
- Sra. — señora — Mrs., Ms.
- Srta. — señorita — Miss, Ms.
- s.s.s. — su seguro servidor — your faithful servant (used as a closing in correspondence)
- tel. — teléfono — telephone
- Ud., Vd., Uds., Vds. — usted, ustedes — you
- v. — véase — go see
- vol. — volumen — vol. (volume)
- W.C. — water closet — bathroom, toilet
