Currency words in English, including common terms and phrases related to money, coins, bills, and financial transactions.
Understanding currency vocabulary is essential for handling money, shopping, traveling, and discussing financial matters. This guide covers the most common English words related to currency, including different types of money, coins, bills, and banking terms.
- Includes essential currency terms and phrases
- Covers coins, bills, and money-related actions
- Helps with everyday financial conversations
Types of Money
These are the basic English words for different forms of money used in daily life, including coins, bills, and general terms for cash.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| coin | coins | I found a coin on the ground. | Encontré una moneda en el suelo. |
| bill | bills | I have a five-dollar bill. | Tengo un billete de cinco dólares. |
| note (UK) / bill (US) | notes / bills | She gave me a ten-pound note. | Me dio un billete de diez libras. |
| cash | (uncountable) | I prefer to pay with cash. | Prefiero pagar en efectivo. |
| change | (uncountable) | Do you have change for a dollar? | ¿Tienes cambio para un dólar? |
| money | (uncountable) | I need to save some money. | Necesito ahorrar algo de dinero. |
| cent | cents | This candy costs fifty cents. | Este dulce cuesta cincuenta centavos. |
| dollar | dollars | He owes me ten dollars. | Me debe diez dólares. |
| penny | pennies | I have a few pennies in my purse. | Tengo algunas monedas en mi bolso. |
| quarter | quarters | I need a quarter for the parking meter. | Necesito un cuarto de dólar para el parquímetro. |
¿Tienes ___ para un dólar?
Do you have ___ for a dollar?
change
'Change' means small coins given back after a purchase, while cash is any money and bills or coins are specific forms.
Currency Names
These are the names of official currencies used in different countries. English speakers often use these terms when talking about money from around the world.
| Currency Name | Country/Region | English Example | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| dollar | USA, Canada, Australia | The price is 10 dollars. | El precio es de 10 dólares. |
| euro | European Union | I exchanged my dollars for euros. | Cambié mis dólares por euros. |
| pound | United Kingdom | She paid with a ten-pound note. | Pagó con un billete de diez libras. |
| yen | Japan | A sushi meal costs about 1,000 yen. | Una comida de sushi cuesta alrededor de 1,000 yenes. |
| rupee | India, Pakistan | The ticket costs 500 rupees. | El boleto cuesta 500 rupias. |
| peso | Mexico, Argentina | I need 100 pesos for the market. | Necesito 100 pesos para el mercado. |
| franc | Switzerland | Swiss francs are strong right now. | Los francos suizos están fuertes ahora. |
| lira | Turkey (formerly Italy) | The price is 20 liras. | El precio es de 20 liras. |
| won | South Korea | A drink costs 2,000 won. | Una bebida cuesta 2,000 wones. |
| dirham | United Arab Emirates | He paid 50 dirhams for the meal. | Pagó 50 dirhams por la comida. |
Pagó con un billete de diez ___.
She paid with a ten-___ note.
pound
A 'pound' is the currency of the United Kingdom, and 'note' is the UK term for bill.
Money-Related Verbs
These common English verbs are used in actions involving money, such as paying, saving, spending, and exchanging currency.
| English Verb | English Example | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| pay | I need to pay the bill. | Necesito pagar la cuenta. |
| spend | She spends money on clothes. | Ella gasta dinero en ropa. |
| save | I’m saving money for a trip. | Estoy ahorrando dinero para un viaje. |
| borrow | Can I borrow five dollars? | ¿Puedo pedir prestado cinco dólares? |
| lend | He lent me ten dollars. | Él me prestó diez dólares. |
| exchange | I exchanged dollars for euros. | Cambié dólares por euros. |
| withdraw | I withdrew $100 from the ATM. | Saqué 100 dólares del cajero. |
| deposit | I deposited money into my account. | Deposité dinero en mi cuenta. |
| count | She counted the coins carefully. | Contó las monedas cuidadosamente. |
| owe | I owe you twenty dollars. | Te debo veinte dólares. |
Banking and Payment Terms
These are common English words and phrases used in banks, ATMs, and payment situations. They are useful for managing accounts and making secure transactions.
| English Term | English Example | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ATM | I withdrew cash from the ATM. | Saqué efectivo del cajero automático. |
| account | I opened a savings account. | Abrí una cuenta de ahorros. |
| balance | What’s my account balance? | ¿Cuál es el saldo de mi cuenta? |
| deposit | I made a deposit yesterday. | Hice un depósito ayer. |
| withdrawal | I need to make a withdrawal. | Necesito hacer un retiro. |
| transfer | I transferred money online. | Transferí dinero en línea. |
| fee | The bank charges a fee. | El banco cobra una comisión. |
| receipt | Keep the receipt, please. | Por favor, guarda el recibo. |
| statement | I checked my bank statement. | Revisé mi estado de cuenta. |
| PIN | Enter your PIN to continue. | Ingresa tu PIN para continuar. |
Currency Adjectives and Descriptions
These adjectives and descriptive phrases are used to talk about money, bills, and coins in more detail, including their value, condition, and appearance.
| English Word | English Example | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| valuable | This coin is very valuable. | Esta moneda es muy valiosa. |
| counterfeit | Don’t accept counterfeit bills. | No aceptes billetes falsos. |
| worn | The bill is old and worn. | El billete está viejo y desgastado. |
| foreign | I have some foreign currency. | Tengo algo de moneda extranjera. |
| small | I need small change, please. | Necesito cambio pequeño, por favor. |
| large | He paid with a large bill. | Pagó con un billete grande. |
| exact | I have the exact amount. | Tengo la cantidad exacta. |
| loose | She carries loose coins in her bag. | Ella lleva monedas sueltas en su bolso. |
| paper | The money is made of paper. | El dinero está hecho de papel. |
| shiny | The new coins are shiny. | Las monedas nuevas están brillantes. |
Tengo algo de moneda ___.
I have some ___ currency.
foreign
'Foreign' currency is from another country, while local currency is from your own country.
Conclusion
Building your currency vocabulary in English helps you handle money confidently in everyday situations, from shopping to banking to traveling. Keep practicing these words and phrases to become more comfortable with financial conversations.
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- Example Translation: Encontré una moneda en el suelo.
- English Singular: coin
- English Plural: coins
- English Example: I found a coin on the ground.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
