Inklingo

How to Say "margin" in Spanish

English → Spanish

margen

MAHR-hen/ˈmaɾxen/

nounB1general
Use 'margen' when referring to the physical edge of a page, a document, or any similar surface.
A sheet of white paper with a central block of neat text lines, highlighting the wide, empty space (the margin) surrounding the text block.

Examples

Por favor, no escribas en el margen del examen.

Please, do not write in the margin of the exam.

Caminamos por el margen del río hasta encontrar un puente.

We walked along the bank of the river until we found a bridge.

El coche se detuvo en el margen de la carretera.

The car stopped on the side (verge) of the road.

La compañía debe aumentar su margen de beneficio para ser sostenible.

The company must increase its profit margin to be sustainable.

Gender Note

Even though 'margen' ends in '-en', it is a masculine noun ('el margen'). However, in older usage or specifically referring to a riverbank, you might occasionally hear 'la margen'.

Using the wrong gender

Mistake: “La margen es muy estrecha.”

Correction: El margen es muy estrecho. (Always use the masculine article 'el' for the paper margin or general edge.)

beneficio

beh-neh-FEE-syoh/beneˈfiθjo/

nounB1business/finance
Use 'beneficio' when talking about the financial profit or gain a company makes, often referred to as 'profit margin'.
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.

margen

MAHR-hen/ˈmaɾxen/

nounC1business/finance
Use 'margen' in a financial context to mean the difference between the cost of a product or service and the price it is sold for (profit margin).
A sheet of white paper with a central block of neat text lines, highlighting the wide, empty space (the margin) surrounding the text block.

Examples

La compañía debe aumentar su margen de beneficio para ser sostenible.

The company must increase its profit margin to be sustainable.

Por favor, no escribas en el margen del examen.

Please, do not write in the margin of the exam.

Caminamos por el margen del río hasta encontrar un puente.

We walked along the bank of the river until we found a bridge.

El coche se detuvo en el margen de la carretera.

The car stopped on the side (verge) of the road.

Gender Note

Even though 'margen' ends in '-en', it is a masculine noun ('el margen'). However, in older usage or specifically referring to a riverbank, you might occasionally hear 'la margen'.

Using the wrong gender

Mistake: “La margen es muy estrecha.”

Correction: El margen es muy estrecho. (Always use the masculine article 'el' for the paper margin or general edge.)

Margen vs. Beneficio for 'Profit Margin'

Learners often confuse 'margen' and 'beneficio' when discussing profit. While 'beneficio' means 'profit', 'margen' is used specifically for 'profit margin' when there's a difference between cost and price. 'Margen de beneficio' is the most precise term.

Related Translations

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