To talk about money in Spanish, use general words like dinero, pago, costo, gasto and ahorro. Dinero serves for almost any situation: to buy, to collect, to pay or to save. Pago names the action of handing over money, and costo or gasto are used when something requires money. In many countries you also hear informal words like plata or lana to say dinero. In contexts of Compras, these words appear all the time: how much something costs, how much is paid and how much remains.

centavopagar en efectivomonedamonederobilletefajocambiocajerovueltoefectivo

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Es la persona o máquina donde haces pagos o retirosEs una bolsita o cartera pequeña para guardar monedasEs el dinero que recibes después de pagar una cantidad mayorEs una pieza metálica de valor pequeño que sirve para pagos sencillosEs una unidad muy pequeña de dineroEs el dinero que se usa en billetes y monedasEs el dinero que te devuelven al pagar más de lo necesarioEs una pieza de papel con valor monetario que se usa para pagar comprasEs un conjunto de billetes sujetos o apretados juntosEs dar dinero físico en lugar de usar tarjeta o transferencia

Basic vocabulary of physical money

Word	Definition
billete	Is a piece of paper with monetary value that is used to pay for purchases.
moneda	Is a small-denomination metal piece that is used for simple payments.
efectivo	Is the money that is used in bills and coins.
cambio	Is the money you receive after paying an amount higher than the cost.
vuelto	Is the money returned to you when paying more than necessary.
monedero	Is a small bag or wallet to store coins.
cajero	Is the person or machine where you make payments or withdrawals.
fajo	Is a bundle of bills held together or squeezed tight.
centavo	Is a very small unit of money.
pagar en efectivo	Is to give physical money instead of using card or transfer.

Scramble

Physical money is divided into billetes and monedas. Billete is the paper piece and moneda is the metal piece. When you pay in cash, you hand over efectivo or dinero en efectivo. If the cashier gives you back part of the money, you receive cambio or vuelto. In a store you can say: Pagué con billetes, Tengo monedas or ¿Me da cambio?

costoofertapreciovalercostarrebajabaratocarovalormás barato

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Se usa para decir que una opción tiene menor precioEs el verbo que usamos para preguntar o decir el precio de algoEs la cantidad de dinero que cuesta algoEs una propuesta de compra con ventaja de precioEs el verbo que usamos para decir cuánto dinero pide algoEs la cantidad que se necesita para obtener algoSignifica que cuesta mucho dineroEs una reducción del precioSignifica que cuesta poco dineroEs el precio o la importancia económica de algo

Vocabulary for asking and comparing prices

Word	Definition
precio	Is the amount of money something costs.
costo	Is the amount needed to obtain something.
caro	Means that it costs a lot of money.
barato	Means that it costs little money.
rebaja	Is a reduction of the price.
oferta	Is a purchase proposal with a price advantage.
valor	Is the price or economic importance of something.
costar	Is the verb we use to say how much money something costs.
valer	Is the verb we use to ask or say the price of something.
más barato	Used to say that an option has a lower price.

Scramble

To ask the price, you use ¿Cuánto cuesta? or ¿Cuánto vale?. The answer gives the precio: Cuesta diez euros, Vale veinte pesos. If you compare products, you say that one is más caro or más barato. You can also talk about ofertas when a price goes down. In a store, this information helps you choose between several options before purchasing.

ticketimpuestofacturarecibocobrodescuentocambiototaldevolucióncaja

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Es una cantidad extra que se añade al precioEs el lugar donde se paga en una tiendaEs un papel que confirma que hiciste un pagoEs la cantidad final que debes pagarEs un documento con los datos de una compra o servicioEs el acto de pedir o recibir el pagoEs el dinero que te devuelven después de pagarEs un comprobante pequeño de compraEs una reducción del precio originalEs el proceso de regresar un producto o dinero

Vocabulary that appears when shopping

Word	Definition
total	Is the final amount you must pay.
descuento	Is a reduction of the original price.
impuesto	Is an extra amount added to the price.
factura	Is a document with the details of a purchase or service.
recibo	Is a paper that confirms you made a payment.
cambio	Is the money returned to you after paying.
caja	Is the place where you pay in a store.
ticket	Is a small proof of purchase.
cobro	Is the act of requesting or receiving payment.
devolución	Is the process of returning a product or money.

Scramble

When paying, words like total, descuento, impuesto, factura and recibo usually appear. Total is the final sum; descuento is a reduction of the price; impuesto is an amount added by law. Factura is used a lot in formal purchases or business, and recibo is the proof of payment. If money is missing to complete a purchase, you can also ask for cambio. These terms appear frequently in Compras and in services.

ingresobalancepagogastosalariopresupuestosueldofacturacióncobrodeuda

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Es el dinero que sale para pagar algoEs el pago regular por un trabajoEs el dinero que entra a tu presupuestoEs el dinero que debes devolverEs la acción de dar dinero por algoEs la relación entre lo que entra y lo que saleEs la acción de recibir dinero por un servicio o ventaEs el registro del dinero que se cobra o se pagaEs el dinero que recibe una persona por su trabajoEs la cantidad de dinero planeada para gastar

Vocabulary for money inflows and outflows

Word	Definition
gasto	Is the money that goes out to pay for something.
ingreso	Is the money that comes in to your budget.
pago	Is the action of giving money for something.
cobro	Is the action of receiving money for a service or sale.
salario	Is the money you receive for your work.
sueldo	Is the regular pay for a job.
facturación	Is the record of money charged or paid.
presupuesto	Is the planned amount of money to spend.
deuda	Is the money you must repay.
balance	Is the ratio between income and expenses.

Scramble

Gasto is the money that goes out. Ingreso is the money that comes in. A pago is the money you hand over, and a cobro is the money you receive. You can say tengo muchos gastos, mis ingresos son fijos or hice un pago hoy. In a company or in a household, these words help separate what is earned from what is used. They are also useful in Servicios y Funcionarios when talking about official fees or charges.

metaplanificarahorrarreservaracumularfondoguardarpresupuestocontrolarahorro

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Es ir juntando dinero poco a pocoEs un plan de dinero para controlar gastosEs poner el dinero en un lugar seguro para no gastarloEs una reserva de dinero para un propósitoEs el objetivo que quieres alcanzar con tu dineroEs organizar el dinero antes de gastarloSignifica guardar dinero para usarlo despuésEs el dinero que se guarda sin gastarEs vigilar los gastos para no pasarseEs separar dinero para un uso futuro

Vocabulary for saving and organizing money

Word	Definition
ahorrar	Means to keep money for later use.
ahorro	Is the money kept without spending.
presupuesto	Is a plan of money to control expenses.
meta	Is the objective you want to reach with your money.
fondo	Is a money reserve for a purpose.
guardar	Is to put money in a safe place so as not to spend it.
reservar	Is to set aside money for future use.
controlar	Is to monitor expenses to avoid overspending.
planificar	Is to organize money before spending it.
acumular	Is to keep gathering money little by little.

Scramble

Ahorrar is to save money for later use. A presupuesto organizes how much money you have and what you will spend it on. A meta is the goal you want to reach, such as buying a car or paying for a trip. A fondo is a amount set aside for something specific, for example a fondo de emergencia. You can say hago un presupuesto, tengo una meta de ahorro or voy a crear un fondo para viajes.

tarjetasaldocomisióndepósitocajero automáticotransferenciaextractocuentaclaveroretiro

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Es una máquina para retirar o consultar dineroEs un plástico para pagar o sacar dineroEs el dinero que ingresas en una cuentaEs un resumen de movimientos de la cuentaEs el dinero extra que cobra el banco por un servicioEs una persona que cuida dinero con mucha precisiónEs el lugar donde el banco guarda y mueve tu dineroEs el dinero que queda en la cuentaEs el dinero que sacas de una cuentaEs un envío de dinero de una cuenta a otra

Basic vocabulary of personal banking

Word	Definition
cuenta	Is the place where the bank stores and moves your money.
depósito	Is the money you deposit into an account.
retiro	Is the money you withdraw from an account.
tarjeta	Is a plastic used to pay or withdraw money.
saldo	Is the money left in the account.
comisión	Is the extra money charged by the bank for a service.
transferencia	Is a money transfer from one account to another.
cajero automático	Is a machine to withdraw or check money.
clavero	Is a person who manages money with great precision.
extracto	Is a summary of account movements.

Scramble

In the bank, the basic word is cuenta. There you can make a depósito to put money in or a retiro to take it out. The tarjeta lets you pay or withdraw money depending on the account type. Servicios bancarios include deposits, withdrawals, transfers and balance inquiries. In a real conversation you might hear: Abrí una cuenta, Hice un depósito or La tarjeta no funciona.

Payment methods by situation

Usage	Explanation
In-store payment	Use cash when you want to pay instantly with bills or coins, especially in small or informal places.
Card payment	Use card when you need a quick and convenient way to pay without carrying much money.
Person-to-person transfer	Use transfer when you send money from one account to another without cash.
Mobile payment	Use mobile payment when you want to pay with a phone app at stores or between people.
Small informal cash payment	Use cash in small amounts when the situation is simple and you want to resolve quickly.
Sharing costs	Use transfer when several people agree to split a bill or expense.

In everyday life, you pay with efectivo, tarjeta, transferencia or pago móvil. Efectivo is used when you hand over bills and coins. Tarjeta is used in stores and restaurants. Transferencia moves money from one account to another. Pago móvil is done with the phone, usually with an app. When you talk about purchases or procedures, these payment methods also appear in Compras and in services.

créditogarantíadevolverdeudasaldointeréspréstamovencimientocuotaaplazar

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Es dar otra vez el dinero prestadoEs cada pago pequeño de una deuda o compra aplazadaEs la cantidad que queda por pagarEs la posibilidad de comprar y pagar despuésEs la fecha límite para pagarEs el dinero que debes devolver a otra persona o entidadEs el dinero extra que se paga por usar un préstamoEs el dinero que recibes para devolverlo despuésEs dejar un pago para más adelanteEs la seguridad de que algo cubrirá una deuda o compra

Vocabulary for borrowing and returning money

Word	Definition
deuda	Is the money you must return to another person or entity.
préstamo	Is the money you receive to return later.
interés	Is the extra money paid for using a loan.
cuota	Is each small payment of a debt or deferred purchase.
saldo	Is the amount remaining to be paid.
crédito	Is the possibility to buy and pay later.
vencimiento	Is the deadline to pay.
aplazar	Is to postpone a payment for later.
devolver	Is to give back the money lent.
garantía	Is the security that something will cover a debt or purchase.

Scramble

A deuda is money you must return. A préstamo is the money you borrow. The interés is the extra cost for using that money. The cuota is each partial payment you make to repay it. The saldo is what still remains unpaid. You can say tengo una deuda, pagué una cuota or me queda saldo por pagar. These words are common when talking to the bank or to a store that offers credit.

bonohonorariossalariocomisiónremuneraciónnóminahorapagaempleosueldo

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Es una cantidad de dinero que se recibe por trabajarEs un pago extra que se añade al salarioEs el registro del pago de los trabajadoresSon los pagos por servicios profesionalesEs el pago fijo de un trabajoEs la unidad que se usa para calcular ciertos pagosEs una cantidad que depende de ventas o gestionesEs la compensación que recibes por tu trabajoEs el trabajo que haces para recibir dineroEs el dinero regular que recibes por trabajar

Vocabulary for talking about getting paid for work

Word	Definition
empleo	Is the work you do to earn money.
salario	Is the regular money you receive for working.
sueldo	Is the fixed pay for a job.
remuneración	Is the compensation you receive for your work.
hora	Is the unit used to calculate certain payments.
honorarios	Are the payments for professional services.
paga	Is an amount of money received for working.
nómina	Is the record of workers’ pay.
bono	Is an extra payment added to the salary.
comisión	Is an amount that depends on sales or tasks.

Scramble

In the job, the sueldo and the salario name the money you receive for your employment. Pago por hora means you earn according to the time worked. Remuneración is a more general word for any payment for a job. You can say cobro un salario fijo, me pagan por hora or mi remuneración incluye comisiones. These forms appear a lot in Trabajos y Profesiones, where contracting and tasks are also discussed.

metainvertircontrolar gastosahorrarprioridadfondoequilibrioregistrarorganizarplan financiero

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Es el objetivo económico que quieres lograrSignifica guardar dinero para el futuroEs poner orden al dinero y a los pagosEs anotar los movimientos de dineroEs lo más importante a la hora de gastarEs una reserva de dinero para necesidades futurasSignifica vigilar en qué se va el dineroEs la situación en la que entran y salen bien las cuentasSignifica poner dinero en algo para obtener beneficio despuésEs la organización del dinero para cumplir objetivos

Vocabulary for managing money better

Word	Definition
invertir	Means to put money into something to obtain a benefit later.
ahorrar	Means to save money for the future.
controlar gastos	Means to monitor what the money is spent on.
plan financiero	Is the organization of money to meet goals.
meta	Is the economic objective you want to achieve.
fondo	Is a reserve of money for future needs.
prioridad	Is the most important thing when spending.
organizar	Is to bring order to money and payments.
registrar	Is to note the movements of money.
equilibrio	Is the situation where income and expenses balance.

Scramble

Managing personal money involves ahorrar, invertir and controlar gastos. Ahorrar protects your money for the future. Invertir is to use money to try to grow it. Controlar gastos means reviewing where the money goes and avoiding unnecessary purchases. You can also revisar el presupuesto or separar dinero para una meta. In daily life, these actions help organize work, shopping and payments with more clarity.

platalucaslanaefectivotransferenciagirosolesbolívarespistobizum

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Es la moneda de uso habitual en PerúSe usa de forma coloquial para hablar de dinero en generalEn contextos bilingües se usa como envío digital de dinero sin efectivoSe usa de forma coloquial para decir dineroSe usa para un pago rápido desde el móvil entre personasEs la moneda de uso habitual en VenezuelaSe usa con frecuencia para referirse al dinero en billetes y monedasSe usa de forma informal para decir dinero en conversaciones cotidianasSe usa de forma informal para decir dinero en contextos coloquialesSe usa para un envío de dinero entre personas o entidades

Regional variants of money and payments

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
Mexico	lana	Is used informally to mean money in colloquial contexts.	No traigo lana para otro café gigante.I don’t have lana for another giant coffee.
Argentina	plata	Is used informally to mean money in everyday conversations.	Hoy no tengo plata para el cine de extraterrestres.Today I don’t have plata for alien cinema.
Colombia	giro	Is used for a money transfer between people or entities.	Me mandaron un giro para comprar panela.They sent me a giro to buy panela.
Spain	bizum	Is used for a quick mobile payment between people.	Te hago un bizum por la merienda.I’ll send you a bizum for the snack.
Chile	lucas	Is used colloquially to talk about money in general.	Me faltan unas lucas para la entrada del concierto.I’m short of a few lucas for the concert entry.
Peru	soles	Is the usual currency in Peru.	Pagó el jugo con soles y una sonrisa enorme.He paid the juice with soles and a huge smile.
Venezuela	bolívares	Is the usual currency in Venezuela.	Compré pan con bolívares y mucha paciencia.I bought bread with bolívares and a lot of patience.
United States	transferencia	In bilingual contexts used as digital money transfer without cash.	Hice una transferencia para dividir la cuenta con mi primo.I did a transfer to split the bill with my cousin.
Guatemala	pisto	Used informally to mean money.	No tengo pisto para otro helado gigante.I don’t have pisto for another giant ice cream.
Ecuador	efectivo	Frequently used to refer to money in bills and coins.	Pagué en efectivo porque el puesto era muy pequeño.I paid in cash because the stall was very small.

Scramble

In several countries, plata and lana are used informally to say dinero. Giro can mean a money transfer, depending on the country and context. Transferencia is very common to move money between accounts, but in some places it is also used to talk about a bank transfer or an electronic operation. The words change by region, but in contexts of payment, purchase and banking, the meaning is almost always understood from the situation.