Inklingo
← Dictionary

banco

BAN-koh/ˈbaŋ.ko/

bank

NounmA1
A sturdy, classic building with large columns, commonly recognized as a traditional bank building, symbolizing a financial institution.

📝 In Action

Voy al banco para depositar un cheque.

A1

I'm going to the bank to deposit a check.

¿A qué hora abre el banco los sábados?

A2

What time does the bank open on Saturdays?

Necesito pedir un préstamo al banco para comprar un coche.

B1

I need to ask the bank for a loan to buy a car.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • entidad financiera (financial entity)

Common Collocations

  • cuenta de banco – bank account
  • banco central – central bank
  • extracto del banco – bank statement

Idioms & Expressions

  • romper el banco – To spend a lot of money, to 'break the bank'.

bench

Also: stool
NounmA1
A simple wooden park bench sitting on green grass under a clear sky.

📝 In Action

Nos sentamos en un banco del parque a charlar.

A1

We sat on a park bench to chat.

Este banco de madera es muy cómodo.

A2

This wooden bench is very comfortable.

Pintaron de verde todos los bancos de la plaza.

B1

They painted all the benches in the square green.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • asiento (seat)
  • escaño (bench (often more formal or for parliament))

Common Collocations

  • banco de parque – park bench
  • banco de la cocina – kitchen stool/bench

bank

NounmB1
A neat, organized room with tall shelves completely filled with identical storage boxes, symbolizing a reserve or supply bank.

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es donante del banco de sangre.

B1

My brother is a blood bank donor.

La policía tiene un banco de datos con las huellas dactilares.

B2

The police have a databank with fingerprints.

Un banco de órganos es fundamental para los trasplantes.

C1

An organ bank is essential for transplants.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • reserva (reserve, supply)
  • depósito (depository, store)

Common Collocations

  • banco de sangre – blood bank
  • banco de datos – databank
  • banco de imágenes – image bank
  • banco de semillas – seed bank

school / shoal

Also: bank
NounmB2
A large, dense group of small silver fish swimming closely together underwater in a swirling formation.

📝 In Action

Vimos un enorme banco de sardinas desde el barco.

B2

We saw a huge school of sardines from the boat.

Los pescadores conocen los mejores bancos de atunes.

C1

The fishermen know the best tuna shoals.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cardumen (school (of fish))

Common Collocations

  • banco de peces – school of fish
  • banco de arena – sandbank

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "banco" in Spanish:

bank→bench→stool→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: banco

Question 1 of 1

If you are tired from walking in the park and want to sit down, what are you looking for?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
bancario(banking (adjective), bank employee) — Adjective / Noun
banquero(banker) — Noun
bancarrota(bankruptcy) — Noun
banqueta(stool, sidewalk (in some regions)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Interestingly, 'banco' has two different origins for its main meanings! The meaning 'financial institution' comes from the Italian word 'banca', which meant the bench or table money-changers used. The meaning 'park bench' comes from an old Germanic word, 'bank', with a similar meaning. They ended up sounding exactly the same in Spanish!

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: banco / bancaFrench: banc / banqueEnglish: bank / bench

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'banco' mean both a financial bank and a park bench?

It's a cool coincidence of language history! The two words actually come from different places. 'Bank' (for money) came from the Italian word for the 'bench' that money-lenders used. 'Bench' (for sitting) came from an old Germanic word for a bench. Over time, both words evolved to become 'banco' in Spanish, so now we use the same word for two different things.

How can I tell which 'banco' someone is talking about?

Context is your best friend! If people are talking about money, accounts, or ATMs, they mean the financial bank. If they're talking about a park, sitting down, or a piece of furniture, they mean a bench. You'll get the hang of it quickly!