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How to Say "bucks" in Spanish

English → Spanish

lana

LAH-nah/ˈla.na/

nounB1slang
Use 'lana' when referring to cash or money in a very general, informal slang context, often implying dollars or just general funds.
A small stack of green paper currency bills tied together with a red rubber band.

Examples

¿Tienes suficiente lana para el taxi?

Do you have enough bucks/cash for the taxi?

Perdí mucha lana en esa inversión tonta.

I lost a lot of money on that silly investment.

No tengo ni una lana.

I don't have a single penny (I'm broke).

Counting Money

Even though 'dinero' (money) is masculine and singular, 'lana' is feminine and typically used in the singular when referring to a sum of cash.

Using 'Lana' Formally

Mistake: “Le transferí la lana a mi jefe.”

Correction: Le transferí el dinero a mi jefe. (Use 'dinero' or 'fondos' in professional or formal settings.)

duros

/DOO-rohs//ˈdu.ɾos/

nounB2informal
Use 'duros' as an informal reference to money, historically linked to the Spanish peseta, but now often used colloquially for 'bucks' or euros in Spain.
A small stack of five large, shiny gold coins resting on a brown wooden surface.

Examples

Me costó cien duros comprar ese libro de segunda mano.

It cost me a hundred bucks (or hundred pesetas) to buy that second-hand book.

Si me prestas veinte duros, te los devuelvo mañana.

If you lend me twenty bucks, I'll give them back tomorrow.

Always Plural

When used to mean money or 'bucks,' this word is almost always used in the plural form, 'duros,' even if referring to a single coin historically.

pavos

PAH-vohs/ˈpaβos/

nounB2slang
Use 'pavos' as slang specifically for 'bucks' (dollars) or sometimes euros, common in Spain for referring to currency amounts.
A small stack of simplified paper currency bills next to several gold coins.

Examples

¿Cuánto cuesta eso? Creo que son unos 50 pavos.

How much does that cost? I think it's about 50 bucks/euros.

Me debes cien pavos de la cena de anoche.

You owe me a hundred bucks from last night's dinner.

Counting Currency

When used for money, 'pavos' is always plural, even when referring to a single unit (e.g., 'un pavo' for one euro is technically possible but less common than using the plural for amounts).

Don't Use in Formal Settings

Mistake: “Using 'pavos' when talking to a banker or in a business meeting.”

Correction: Use 'euros' or 'dinero' instead. 'Pavo' is too casual or slangy for formal talk.

verdes

VEHR-dess/ˈbeɾðes/

nounC1informal
Use 'verdes' as an informal term primarily for dollars ('greenbacks'), implying US currency.
A thick, neat stack of generic, solid green rectangular banknotes tied together with a simple red ribbon.

Examples

Necesito cien verdes para comprar el boleto.

I need a hundred bucks (dollars) to buy the ticket.

Slang Usage

This meaning is specific to cultures where the currency (like the US dollar) is predominantly green. It is always used in the plural.

Lana vs. Pavos vs. Duros

Learners often confuse 'lana', 'duros', and 'pavos' because they all mean money informally. Remember 'lana' is general cash slang, 'pavos' is often used for euros/bucks in Spain, and 'duros' historically refers to pesetas but is still used colloquially for money in Spain.

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