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dinero

dee-NEH-rohdiˈneɾo

“dinero” means “money” in Spanish (general term for currency).

money

Also: cash, wealth
NounmA1
Latin AmericaSpainMexico
A collection of euro coins and colorful banknotes spread out on a wooden table, representing the concept of money.

📝 In Action

¿Tienes dinero para el café?

A1

Do you have money for the coffee?

No tengo suficiente dinero para comprar ese coche.

A2

I don't have enough money to buy that car.

Ella invierte su dinero en la bolsa de valores.

B1

She invests her money in the stock market.

El objetivo de la fundación es recaudar dinero para los necesitados.

B2

The foundation's goal is to raise money for those in need.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • plata (money (lit. silver, common in Latin America))
  • pasta (dough, cash (slang in Spain))
  • efectivo (cash)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ganar dinero – to earn money
  • gastar dinero – to spend money
  • ahorrar dinero – to save money
  • prestar dinero – to lend money
  • pagar en dinero – to pay in cash

Idioms & Expressions

  • el tiempo es dinero – Time is valuable, so don't waste it.
  • costar un dineral – To be very expensive.
  • nadar en dinero – To be very rich.

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "dinero" in Spanish:

cash→money→wealth→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: dinero

Question 1 of 2

If someone in Argentina says, 'No tengo plata,' what do they mean?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
adinerado/a(wealthy, rich) — Adjective
dinerario/a(monetary, financial) — Adjective
dineral(a fortune, a large sum of money) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'denarius,' which was the name of a common silver coin used throughout the Roman Empire. Over time, the name of the coin came to mean 'money' in general.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: dinheiroItalian: denaroFrench: denier

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'dinero' singular even if I have a lot of it?

Think of it like 'water' or 'sand' in English. You wouldn't say 'I have many waters.' You'd say 'I have a lot of water.' 'Dinero' works the same way. It's an idea or a substance, so it stays singular. You count the units, like 'euros' or 'pesos,' not the 'money' itself.

What's the difference between 'dinero' and 'efectivo'?

'Dinero' is the general word for all money, including money in your bank account, on a credit card, etc. 'Efectivo' is more specific and means physical cash—the bills and coins you can hold in your hand. You use 'efectivo' when you want to make it clear you're not paying with a card.