Inklingo

How to Say "i spend" in Spanish

English → Spanish

gasto

GAHS-tohˈɡasto

verbA1general
Use 'gasto' when referring to the act of expending money or time.
A person happily handing a gold coin to a shopkeeper over a simple wooden counter.

Examples

Yo gasto mucho dinero en libros cada mes.

I spend a lot of money on books every month.

Gasto mucha energía cuando voy al gimnasio.

I use up a lot of energy when I go to the gym.

Siempre gasto los zapatos muy rápido porque camino mucho.

I always wear out my shoes very quickly because I walk a lot.

Spend vs. Waste

In English, we have different words for spending and wasting. In Spanish, 'gastar' covers both. You know it means 'waste' if the person sounds annoyed or says it's for no reason!

Don't use 'pasar' for money

Mistake: “Paso dinero en ropa.”

Correction: Gasto dinero en ropa. Use 'pasar' for time, but always 'gasto' for money.

paso

PAH-sohˈpaso

verbA1general
Use 'paso' when referring to the act of passing through a place, often implying the passage of time or movement.
A cartoon character walking quickly past a large, stationary object like a red mailbox, illustrating the action of passing by.

Examples

Yo siempre paso por el parque para ir al trabajo.

I always pass through the park to go to work.

Paso mucho tiempo con mis amigos los fines de semana.

I spend a lot of time with my friends on the weekends.

Si no entiendes, paso a la siguiente pregunta.

If you don't understand, I'll move on (pass) to the next question.

This is the 'I' form

'Paso' is the present-tense form of the verb 'pasar' (to pass) that you use when you're talking about yourself. For example, 'Yo paso por tu casa' means 'I pass by your house'.

Noun vs. Verb

Mistake: “Confusing 'un paso' (a step) with 'yo paso' (I pass).”

Correction: Remember that if it comes after 'un' or 'el', it's the noun 'step'. If it's used as the main action word by itself, it means 'I pass'.

Gasto vs. Paso for Time

Don't confuse 'gasto' (spending money/time) with 'paso' (passing through). While both can relate to time, 'gasto' implies a deliberate expenditure, whereas 'paso' suggests movement or passage.

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