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Container and measure words using 'de'

When talking about quantities, portions, or containers of food and materials, English and Spanish share a similar structure. In English, you say a cup of coffee or a piece of cake. In Spanish, you use the container or measure, the word de, and the substance. However, English speakers frequently make two common mistakes: they either translate noun combinations directly or unnecessarily add an article like el or la.

In Spanish, when describing the general contents of a container or a standard measurement, you connect the two nouns using only de. There is no need for a second article.

Word list
bolsafA1 bag una bolsa de arroz = a bag of rice botellafA1 bottle una botella de vino = a bottle of wine cajafA1 box una caja de bombones = a box of chocolates grupomA1 group un grupo de amigos = a group of friends kilomA1 kilogram un kilo de tomates = a kilo of tomatoes kilogramomA1 kilogram un kilogramo de harina = a kilogram of flour millónmA1 million un millón de euros = a million euros platomA1 plate un plato de arroz = a plate of rice tazafA1 cup una taza de té = a cup of tea vasomA1 glass un vaso de agua = a glass of water bolmA2 bowl un bol de ensalada = a bowl of salad centímetromA2 centimeter dos centímetros de nieve = two centimetres of snow cuencomA2 bowl un cuenco de arroz = a bowl of rice gramomA2 gram cien gramos de queso = a hundred grams of cheese litromA2 litre un litro de leche = a litre of milk metromA2 meter un metro de tela = a metre of fabric ollafA2 pot una olla de sopa = a pot of soup parmA2 pair un par de zapatos = a pair of shoes pedazomA2 piece un pedazo de queso = a piece of cheese sacomA2 bag un saco de patatas = a sack of potatoes tazafA2 mug una taza de té = a mug of tea tazónmA2 bowl un tazón de leche = a bowl of milk trozomA2 piece un trozo de tarta = a piece of cake baldemB1 bucket un balde de agua = a bucket of water bandejafB1 tray una bandeja de galletas = a tray of biscuits cacerolafB1 saucepan una cacerola de agua = a saucepan of water canastafB1 basket una canasta de fruta = a basket of fruit cantidadfB1 quantity una gran cantidad de agua = a large quantity of water cantidadfB1 sum una cantidad de dinero = an amount of money cazomB1 saucepan un cazo de leche = a saucepan of milk cazuelafB1 pot una cazuela de arroz = a pot of rice centenarmB1 hundred un centenar de personas = a hundred people cestafB1 basket una cesta de fruta = a basket of fruit cestomB1 basket un cesto de ropa = a basket of clothes colecciónfB1 collection una colección de sellos = a stamp collection cubetafB1 bucket una cubeta de agua = a bucket of water cubomB1 bucket un cubo de agua = a bucket of water docenafB1 dozen una docena de huevos = a dozen eggs envasemB1 container un envase de yogur = a pot of yoghurt frascomB1 jar un frasco de mermelada = a jar of jam gotafB1 drop una gota de leche = a drop of milk jarrafB1 jug una jarra de cerveza = a jug of beer jarromB1 jug un jarro de agua = a jug of water montónmB1 heap un montón de libros = a pile of books multitudfB1 crowd una multitud de personas = a crowd of people ollafB1 saucepan una olla de agua = a pan of water paquetemB1 package un paquete de galletas = a package of biscuits pedazomB1 part un pedazo de pan = a chunk of bread pilafB1 heap una pila de libros = a pile of books pulgadafB1 inch una pulgada de agua = an inch of water ramomB1 bouquet un ramo de flores = a bouquet of flowers rebanadafB1 slice una rebanada de pan = a slice of bread recipientemB1 container un recipiente de plástico = a plastic container sumafB1 sum una suma de dinero = a sum of money tarromB1 jar un tarro de miel = a jar of honey toneladafB1 tonne una tonelada de trigo = a tonne of wheat trozomB1 part un trozo de pan = a chunk of bread barajafB2 deck una baraja de cartas = a deck of cards cucharaditafB2 teaspoon una cucharadita de azúcar = a teaspoon of sugar galónmB2 gallon un galón de gasolina = a gallon of gasoline hogazafB2 loaf una hogaza de pan = a loaf of bread jauríafB2 pack una jauría de perros = a pack of dogs latafB2 can una lata de atún = a can of tuna manadafB2 pack una manada de lobos = a pack of wolves manojomB2 handful un manojo de hierbas = a handful of herbs mazomB2 deck un mazo de cartas = a deck of cards metro cúbicomB2 cubic metre un metro cúbico de gas = a cubic metre of gas mil millonesB2 billion mil millones de euros = a billion euros motafB2 speck una mota de polvo = a speck of dust muchedumbrefB2 crowd una muchedumbre de curiosos = a crowd of onlookers partículafB2 speck una partícula de polvo = a particle of dust pizcafB2 pinch una pizca de sal = a pinch of salt platillomB2 saucer un platillo de leche = a saucer of milk porciónfB2 portion una porción de arroz = a portion of rice puñadomB2 handful un puñado de arroz = a handful of rice racimomB2 bunch un racimo de uvas = a bunch of grapes ramilletemB2 bouquet un ramillete de flores = a bouquet of flowers tonelmB2 barrel un tonel de vino = a barrel of wine tonelada métricafB2 tonne una tonelada métrica de acero = a tonne of steel tubomB2 tube un tubo de pasta de dientes = a tube of toothpaste yardafB2 yard una yarda de tela = a yard of fabric barricafC1 barrel una barrica de vino = a barrel of wine barrilmC1 barrel un barril de petróleo = a barrel of oil cazomC1 ladle un cazo de sopa = a ladle of soup contenedormC1 container un contenedor de carga = a cargo container cucharadafC1 spoonful una cucharada de azúcar = a spoonful of sugar cucharónmC1 ladle un cucharón de sopa = a ladleful of soup enjambremC1 swarm un enjambre de abejas = a swarm of bees millardomC1 billion un millardo de estrellas = a billion stars rebañomC1 flock un rebaño de ovejas = a flock of sheep sorbomC1 gulp un sorbo de café = a sip of coffee tragomC1 gulp un trago de agua = a sip of water bandadafC2 flock una bandada de pájaros = a flock of birds
Containers and measures

To talk about a container and what is inside it, or a unit of measurement and what is being measured, just place de between the two nouns. Do not add el, la, los, or las before the substance if you are talking about it in a general sense.

Quiero una taza de café por la mañana.
(I want a cup of coffee in the morning.)
Compramos una botella de vino tinto.
(We bought a bottle of red wine.)
Necesito un kilo de tomates para la salsa.
(I need a kilogram of tomatoes for the sauce.)

This same rule applies to larger units, like un tonel or un barril, and basic household items like un vaso or una caja.

Portions, pieces, and groups

Words that describe a part of a whole or a grouping of items follow the exact same pattern. Whether you are asking for a slice of bread, a drop of milk, or a dozen eggs, you simply link the portion word to the noun with de.

Ella siempre come un trozo de pan con la cena.
(She always eats a piece of bread with dinner.)
Añade una pizca de sal a la sopa.
(Add a pinch of salt to the soup.)
Lleva una docena de huevos a casa.
(Take a dozen eggs home.)

This includes informal groupings like un montón and natural clusters like un ramo.

Tengo un montón de libros en mi habitación.
(I have a pile of books in my room.)
Watch out: when things change

While the basic rule is simple, there are two situations where the phrasing changes slightly.

First, if you are talking about a specific, known quantity of a substance rather than a general category, you must use the article after de. This creates words like del or phrases like de la.

Me bebí un vaso del agua que dejaste en la mesa.
(I drank a glass of the water you left on the table.)

Second, if you want to talk about the purpose of a container rather than its contents, it is often clearer to use para instead of de. This avoids confusion between a cup full of coffee and an empty coffee cup.

Compró una taza para té muy bonita.
(She bought a very pretty tea cup.)
Summary

When expressing a quantity, portion, or container full of a generic substance, join the two nouns with de. Leave out the second article so that you say un vaso de agua, never un vaso del agua, unless referring to specific water.