Inklingo

How to Say "earnings" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “earnings” is “ingreso” — use 'ingreso' for general personal or household income, referring to the total amount of money received from various sources over a period.

English → Spanish

ingreso

een-GREH-sohinˈɡɾeso

nounB1general
Use 'ingreso' for general personal or household income, referring to the total amount of money received from various sources over a period.
A stack of gold coins and several paper bills sitting on a wooden table.

Examples

Mis ingresos mensuales son suficientes para vivir bien.

My monthly income is enough to live well.

La empresa tuvo un ingreso récord este trimestre.

The company had record revenue this quarter.

Ella busca una nueva fuente de ingresos.

She is looking for a new source of income.

Using the Plural Form

When talking about your salary or general earnings, it is much more common to use the plural form 'ingresos' than the singular 'ingreso'.

Talking about Money Flow

Think of this word as 'incoming' money. It comes from the verb 'ingresar' (to enter).

Ingreso vs. Entrada

Mistake: “Mi entrada mensual es de mil dólares.”

Correction: Mis ingresos mensuales son de mil dólares. Use 'entrada' for a physical ticket or a door, but use 'ingreso' for money earned.

ganancia

gah-NAHN-syahɡaˈnan.θja

nounB1general
Use 'ganancia' when talking about profit made from a specific activity, investment, or business transaction, often implying a positive financial gain.
A shiny gold coin sitting on top of a small pile of silver coins, showing a surplus.

Examples

La empresa tuvo una ganancia neta muy alta este año.

The company had a very high net profit this year.

Calculamos las ganancias después de pagar todos los impuestos.

We calculate the earnings after paying all the taxes.

No todo es ganancia en este negocio; hay muchos gastos.

Not everything is profit in this business; there are many expenses.

Singular vs. Plural

Use the singular 'ganancia' for the general concept of profit, but use the plural 'ganancias' when referring to specific sums of money earned over a period.

Gender Consistency

This word is always feminine. Remember to use 'la' or 'una' and make sure any describing words end in '-a' (e.g., 'ganancia esperada').

Don't use 'ganar' as a noun

Mistake: “El ganar fue mucho.”

Correction: La ganancia fue mucha. (English speakers often try to use the verb 'to win/earn' as a noun, but Spanish uses 'ganancia' instead).

beneficio

beh-neh-FEE-syohbeneˈfiθjo

nounB1business
Choose 'beneficio' when referring to the profit or financial gain of a company, often used in formal or business contexts.
A neat pile of overflowing gold coins and paper currency sitting on a wooden table, clearly illustrating financial gain.

Examples

La compañía espera un beneficio récord este trimestre.

The company expects a record profit this quarter.

Vendimos el coche con un pequeño beneficio.

We sold the car with a small gain.

utilidad

oo-tee-lee-dahdutiˈliðað

nounB2business
Employ 'utilidad' specifically for a company's net profit, often used in accounting and financial reporting.
A small wooden treasure chest overflowing with shiny gold coins on a simple table.

Examples

La empresa obtuvo una utilidad neta de un millón de dólares.

The company obtained a net profit of one million dollars.

Es necesario maximizar la utilidad de la inversión.

It is necessary to maximize the profit of the investment.

Repartieron las utilidades entre los empleados.

They distributed the profits among the employees.

Plural for Profits

When talking about company earnings distributed to workers, the plural 'utilidades' is almost always used.

Confusing profit with benefit

Mistake: “El beneficio de la empresa (referring strictly to accounting).”

Correction: While 'beneficio' is used, 'utilidad' is the technical term in accounting for 'profit' in many Latin American countries.

renta

REN-tahˈren.ta

nounB1general
Use 'renta' to refer to the total income, especially of a family or household, or income derived from property or investments.
A person happily catching a stream of gold coins falling into their hand, symbolizing regular income.

Examples

Necesito un aumento de sueldo para mejorar mi renta familiar.

I need a salary increase to improve my family income.

La renta per cápita en esta región es de 25,000 euros.

The per capita income in this region is 25,000 euros.

Always Feminine

Even though it ends in 'a', remember to use the feminine articles: 'la renta' and 'una renta'.

Profit vs. Income

Learners often confuse 'beneficio', 'ganancia', and 'utilidad' with 'ingreso' and 'renta'. Remember that 'beneficio', 'ganancia', and 'utilidad' specifically refer to profit (money made *after* expenses), while 'ingreso' and 'renta' refer to gross income (total money received).

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