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ahorro

ah-OH-rroh/aˈo.ro/

“ahorro” means “savings” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

savings

Also: nest egg
NounmA2
Spain
A pink ceramic piggy bank with a single gold coin hovering over the slot.

📝 In Action

He puesto todo mi ahorro en una cuenta del banco.

A2

I have put all my savings into a bank account.

Para comprar una casa, necesitas tener un buen ahorro previo.

B1

To buy a house, you need to have a good amount of savings beforehand.

Ese descuento supuso un ahorro de cincuenta euros.

A2

That discount meant a saving of fifty euros.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • economía (thrift/savings)
  • reserva (reserve)

Antonyms

  • gasto (expense)
  • despilfarro (waste/extravagance)

Common Collocations

  • cuenta de ahorro – savings account
  • plan de ahorro – savings plan
  • ahorro a largo plazo – long-term savings

Idioms & Expressions

  • el ahorro es la base de la fortuna – saving money is how you build wealth

conservation, saving

Also: reduction
NounmB1
A hand turning off a light switch on a colorful wall.

📝 In Action

El ahorro de energía es muy importante para el planeta.

B1

Energy conservation is very important for the planet.

Instalar este programa supuso un gran ahorro de tiempo.

B1

Installing this program resulted in a great saving of time.

Buscamos el ahorro de costes en la oficina.

B2

We are looking for cost reduction in the office.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • conservación (conservation)
  • reducción (reduction)

Antonyms

  • consumo (consumption)
  • derroche (waste)

Common Collocations

  • ahorro energético – energy saving
  • ahorro de agua – water conservation
  • ahorro de tiempo – time saving

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ahorro" in Spanish:

conservation→nest egg→reduction→saving→savings→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ahorro

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the best translation for 'savings account'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
ahorrar(to save) — Verb
ahorrador(thrifty / saver) — Adjective / Noun
ahorrativo(frugal) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the verb 'ahorrar'. That verb comes from the Arabic word 'hurr', which means 'free'. Originally, it meant to free a slave; over time, it shifted to 'freeing up' money or resources for later use.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: poupança

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ahorro' always about money?

Mostly, yes! However, it is also frequently used for other resources like energy, water, and time.

What's the difference between 'ahorro' and 'ahorros'?

'Ahorro' is the general concept of saving or a specific instance of it. 'Ahorros' (plural) specifically refers to the actual money you have stored away.

Can I use 'ahorro' as a verb?

No, 'ahorro' is a noun. The verb is 'ahorrar'. However, 'ahorro' is also the form for 'I save' (Yo ahorro), but as a dictionary entry, it usually refers to the thing itself: savings.