To talk about money in Spanish, you might simply need the word dinero (money). If you’re traveling, you will also want to know essential Spanish phrases for los precios (prices), types of el pago (payment), and perhaps even slang ways to refer to currency, similar to “bucks” in American English.
Knowing how to talk about money in Spanish is a great way to ensure you get good deals and discounts, navigate transactions with ease, and use your Spanish to connect with local Spanish speakers.
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How do you say ‘money’ in Spanish?
El dinero (money) is a fact of almost any part of life, and never more relevant than when you’re traveling and making plans with friends. You will often encounter the useful verb necesitar (to need) when discussing money and other essentials. Here are a few basic phrases you might need to talk about money.
- ¿Necesitas dinero? = Do you need money?
- Sí. Necesito dinero. = Yes, I need money.
- Él necesita dinero. = He needs money.
- El dinero está sobre la mesa. = The money is on the table.
To help you expand your conversation around money and payment in Spanish, these common words will get you started talking about the basics of paying, cost, and methods of payment.
| Spanish | English |
| un billete | a bill |
| el cambio | the change (after paying) |
| un cheque | a check |
| los impuestos | taxes |
| un precio | a price |
| una moneda | a coin |
| la moneda (de un país) | the currency (of a country) |
| un recibo | a receipt |
| una tarifa | a fee |
| una tarjeta | a card |
Saying ‘how much money’ in Spanish
Dinero is a masculine singular word, so when you’re talking about “how much” money in Spanish, you’ll frequently hear the word ¿Cuánto?, one of the ways to say “how much” in Spanish.
- Yo sé cuánto dinero tengo. = I know how much money I have.
- ¿Cuánto tienes? = How much do you have?
Use the word suficiente (enough) in Spanish to discuss whether you have enough money for your plans.
- ¿Sabes si tienes suficiente dinero? = Do you know if you have enough money?
- Sí, tengo suficiente. = Yes, I have enough.
- Si tengo suficiente dinero, compraré esto. = If I have enough money, I will buy this.
Asking ‘how much does it cost?’ in Spanish
When it’s time to make a purchase, there’s a chance the price isn’t clearly marked. Ask about the prices for singular nouns with ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?) and use ¿Cuánto cuestan? (How much do they cost) for plural nouns.
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? = How much does it cost?
- Cuesta veintinueve dólares. = It costs $29.
- ¿Cuánto cuestan? = How much do they cost?
- Cuestan sesenta euros. = They cost €60.
Talking about métodos de pago (payment methods)
To discuss forms of payment, you’ll usually be choosing between dinero en efectivo (cash), tarjetas de débito/crédito (debit/credit card), or pagos móviles (digital payment methods) like paypal that is accepted in many countries. Know how to say “cash” in Spanish as well as how to ask what forms of payment are accepted.
- ¿Quiere pagar en efectivo? = Do you want to pay in cash?
- No, gracias. Quiero pagar con tarjeta. = No thanks. I want to pay with a card.
- ¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito? = Do you accept credit cards?
- No, solo aceptamos efectivo. = No, we only accept cash.
Spanish phrases for withdrawing cash
Though there are many forms of digital payment available in most destinations, you’ll still need to know where to get cash in the local currency. It’s important to check with your bank and to research local requirements ahead of time in case you need a specific type of card or form of identification.
- Disculpe, ¿Hay un cajero automático cerca de aquí? = Excuse me, is there an ATM near here?
- Yo saco dinero del cajero automático. = I get money from the ATM.
- Disculpe, ¿dónde está el banco? = Excuse me, where is the bank?
Exchanging money in Spanish
When going from one moneda (currency) to another, you can look for a cambio de moneda/casa de cambio (currency exchange) or other location that provides this service. You can also check with your bank or credit card company in advance to see what exchange rate you can get when using your existing card.
- ¿Dónde puedo cambiar dinero? = Where can I exchange money?
- Usted puede cambiar monedas en ese banco. = You can exchange currency in that bank.
- Puedes cambiarlo en la estación de trenes. = You can exchange it at the train station.
Describing things as ‘expensive’ or ‘cheap’
The Spanish adjectives caro (expensive) and its opposite barato (cheap/inexpensive) follow grammar rules in Spanish by agreeing in grammatical gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with the noun they are describing. That way you can discuss purchases that fit in your budget or are more of a splurge.
- No debes comprar eso. Es demasiado caro. = You can’t buy that. It’s too expensive.
- Estas joyas son caras. = This jewelry is expensive.
- Esta cámara es barata. = This camera is inexpensive.
Keep in mind that the rule applies to the noun being described. In the following example, the word barato is affected by the noun el precio (the price), not las naranjas (the oranges).
- Esta semana, el precio de las naranjas es más barato. = This week the price of oranges is cheaper.
Is it ok to bargain in Spanish-speaking places?
Depending on the culture, it may be perfectly acceptable or even expected to negotiate the price of items like souvenirs and services like taxis. There’s even a Spanish verb regatear (to negotiate a price/to bargain). In addition to learning Spanish phrases, it’s important to research the etiquette of your destination and to respect their norms, especially when you’re supporting local artisans.
- Cuesta trescientos dólares. = It costs $300.
- Es demasiado dinero. ¿La vende más barata? = It’s too much money. Do you sell it cheaper?
- Se la puedo vender por doscientos ochenta dólares. = Yes, I can sell it for $280.
Slang words for money in Spanish-speaking countries
How do you say “money” in Spanish slang? There are lots of fun Spanish nouns that locals use to talk about money other than el dinero, as well as whether you have any “dough” or if you’re “broke.”
| Spanish Word | English Literal Translation | English Meaning |
| aflojar la mosca | to let the fly loose | to spend money/to pay up |
| billete | bill | Money (Latin America) |
| el chavo | the kid/the guy | money (Puerto Rico) |
| costar un ojo de la cara | to cost an eye from the face | to cost an arm and a leg/to be expensive |
| estar forrado | to be upholstered/to be wrapped | to be loaded/rich |
| estar pelado/pelada | to be peeled | to be broke |
| estar podrido en plata | to be rotten with money | to be flush with money/loaded (Argentina) |
| estar sin blanca | to be without white | to be broke (Spain) |
| una gamba | a shrimp | 100 pesos (Chile) |
| la guita | short for “guitarra” (guitar) | money |
| la harina | flour | money (Costa Rica and elsewhere) |
| la lana | wool | money (Mexico and elsewhere) |
| el mango | mango | money (Argentina/Uruguay and elsewhere) |
| no tener pelas | to not have peels | to not have any money (Spain) |
| la pasta | pasta/dough | money (Spain) |
| un pavo | a turkey | one euro (Spain) |
| el pisto | a vegetable dish | money (Central America) |
| la plata | silver | Latin America for “money” |
| el suelto | loose/unattached | loose change |
Navigate money matters in Spanish with confidence.
Now that your vocabulary goes well beyond dinero in Spanish, you can navigate most transactions with ease. From preparing for your trip and learning about the moneda (currency), exchanging money so you’ll be prepared to pay en effectivo, and knowing the regional slang, Rosetta Stone has you covered.
Take a helpful Phrasebook with you on the go with the Rosetta Stone app for additional help and confidence while you’re asking about cost, possibly negotiating the precio, and making purchases.
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