What is ABS called in Spanish?

It has the same name: ABS. What changes is the separator: Spanish Excel in Spain and much of Latin America separates arguments with semicolons.

Why does ABS use semicolons in some Excel versions?

It depends on regional settings. Where the comma is the decimal mark (Spain, much of South America), Excel separates arguments with semicolons. English Excel and Mexican Spanish Excel use commas.

Excel ABS function

Returns the absolute value of a number: the same number without its sign. It has the same name in Spanish Excel.

Syntax

English Excel

=ABS(number)

Spanish Excel (Mexico)

=ABS(número)

Spanish Excel (Spain, Latin America)

=ABS(número)

Argument	What it is
number	The number you want the absolute value of.

Example

ABS(number) drops the sign: ABS(-5) is 5. Use it when what matters is how far something is off, not in which direction.

=ABS(B2-C2)

Common mistake

Use it for gaps where how much matters, not which way: ABS(actual-expected).

About Ads

This site uses Google AdSense to display ads. These ads help us keep WebHerramientas completely free. Ads are managed by Google and meet strict security and privacy standards.

Practice ABS

Type the formula in the sheet and check it instantly. Spanish or English function names both work. See all lessons

Your progress0/202

My Excel is inExcel functions in English and Spanish

Unsigned differences with ABS

ABS(number) drops the sign: ABS(-5) is 5. Use it when what matters is how far something is off, not in which direction.

Example=ABS(B2-C2)ABS

In D2, calculate how many pieces apart the system and the count are, always positive.

	A	B	C	D
1	Product	System	Physical count	Difference
2	Screws	1,200	1,185
3	Nuts	860	872
4	Nails	2,400	2,400
5	Washers	540	515
6	Anchors	980	1,003
7

Tip: while typing, click a cell or drag across several to insert their reference. F4 anchors the reference with $.

Frequently asked questions

What is ABS called in Spanish?: It has the same name: ABS. What changes is the separator: Spanish Excel in Spain and much of Latin America separates arguments with semicolons.
Why does ABS use semicolons in some Excel versions?: It depends on regional settings. Where the comma is the decimal mark (Spain, much of South America), Excel separates arguments with semicolons. English Excel and Mexican Spanish Excel use commas.
What is the most common ABS mistake?: Use it for gaps where how much matters, not which way: ABS(actual-expected).