gastar
/gahs-TAHR/
to spend
When we gastar money, we spend it on goods or services.
📝 In Action
¿Cuánto gastaste en el supermercado?
A1How much did you spend at the supermarket?
No me gusta gastar mucho dinero en ropa.
A2I don't like spending a lot of money on clothes.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object Needed
When using 'gastar' for money, you almost always need to specify what you are spending (dinero, euros, etc.), even if it seems obvious.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Gastar' and 'Pasar'
Mistake: "Quiero gastar tiempo contigo. (I want to spend time with you.)"
Correction: Quiero pasar tiempo contigo. ('Gastar' is for money or resources you use up; 'pasar' is for time spent.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Costs
You can use this verb to talk about the cost of things: 'El coche gasta mucha gasolina' (The car uses/spends a lot of gasoline).
You gastar resources when you use them up completely.
gastar(verb)
to use up
?resources, energy
,to waste
?time, effort
to consume
?fuel, electricity
📝 In Action
No gastes la batería del móvil mirando videos.
B1Don't use up the phone battery watching videos.
Gastamos mucha energía en calentar la casa.
B1We use a lot of energy heating the house.
Es una pena gastar tanto tiempo esperando.
B2It's a shame to waste so much time waiting.
💡 Grammar Points
Wasting Effort
When talking about effort or energy, 'gastar' often implies that the resource was used inefficiently or without good results.
Items like clothes or tires gastar when they wear out from repeated use.
gastar(verb)
to wear out
?clothes, tires, batteries
,to become worn
?physical deterioration
to run down
?batteries
📝 In Action
Mis zapatos favoritos ya se gastaron.
B2My favorite shoes are already worn out.
La batería de mi portátil se gasta muy rápido.
B2My laptop battery runs down very quickly.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Se' Difference
When 'gastar' is used with 'se' (gastarse), it means the item is wearing itself out or becoming used up, like a passive process. This is the correct way to talk about items deteriorating.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'Se'
Mistake: "El pantalón gastó rápido."
Correction: El pantalón se gastó rápido. (The pants wore out quickly.)
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: gastar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'gastar' in the sense of 'wasting time'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between 'gastar' and 'consumir'?
'Gastar' is generally much broader. While both mean 'consume' (like fuel or electricity), 'gastar' is the required verb for spending money, and it is also used for things wearing out. 'Consumir' is specifically about eating, drinking, or using resources in a consumption sense.
How do I say 'I spent two hours doing homework'?
You should use the verb 'pasar' (to pass/spend time), not 'gastar.' Say: 'Pasé dos horas haciendo la tarea.'