LIKE most languages, Spanish makes wide use of abbreviations.  In Spanish many abbreviations are the reverse of the English version, eg U.E. instead of E.U., O.N.U. instead of U.N.O. and O.T.A.N. for  N.A.T.O. This is because adjectives follow the noun in Spanish rather than precede it as in English.

As for abbreviations of plurals in Spanish they simply double the letter, eg EE.UU. (Estados Unidos – USA), FF.CC. (Ferrocarriles – Railways), JJ.OO. (Juegos Olímpicos - Olympic Games).

Here are some more:

AA.AA. (Antiguos Alumnos = F.P. - Former Pupils)

AA.EE. (Asuntos Exteriores - Foreign Affairs)

A.VV. (Asociación de Vecinos – Neighbourhood Association)

CC.AA. (Comunidades Autónomas - Autonomous Communities)

CC.OO. (Comisiones Obreros - Trades Unions)

NN.UU. (Naciones Unidas - United Nations)

PP. (Padres - Fathers, ie priests)

RR.PP. (Relaciones Públicas = P.R. - Public Relations)

SS.MM. (Sus Majestades - Their Majesties)

The Spanish are keen on abbreviations of all kinds and often use them for important dates, eg:

11-S (11 de septiembre 2001) = 9/11

11-M (11 de mayo de 2004) – the date of the Madrid train bombings

15-M (15 de mayo de 2011) as in el Movimiento 15-M – the date of the formation of the peaceful political protest movement in Spain

22-M (22 de mayo 2011) – the date of the local elections this year.

Names are frequently abbreviated too, especially if they are religious ones, for example: Inmaculada (Inma), Concepción (Conchi) and Encarnación (Encarna).

Other common abbreviations for names are: Francisco (Paco, Curro); José (Pepe); Francisca (Paqui); Natalia (Nati) and all the variations on the theme of María, including Paz, Mar, Carme, Pili. Common surnames are also cut short, eg Fdz (Fernández), Glz (González) and Gcía (García).

© Don Pablo

Don Pablo is Paul Whitelock, a graduate in Spanish and German, a retired Ofsted school inspector and former UK languages teacher. He now lives with his German wife near Ronda and is a freelance journalist, translator and interpreter. Paul can be contacted by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by telephone on (+34) 952 87 40 38 or (+34) 636 52 75 16. www.a1-solutions-spain.com  

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Keep It Short! Spanish Abbreviations
Friday, 30 September 2011
LIKE most languages, Spanish makes wide use of abbreviations.  In Spanish many abbreviations are the reverse of the English version, eg...

© 2012 - Secret Andalucia - Guadiaro Valley, near Ronda

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