How to Say "money" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “money” is “dinero” — this is the most common and general term for money, suitable for almost any situation, from formal to informal.
dinero
dee-NEH-rohdiˈneɾo
Examples
¿Tienes dinero para el café?
Do you have money for the coffee?
No tengo suficiente dinero para comprar ese coche.
I don't have enough money to buy that car.
Ella invierte su dinero en la bolsa de valores.
She invests her money in the stock market.
Always Masculine: 'el dinero'
Even though 'dinero' ends in '-o', it's good to remember it's a masculine word. Always say 'el dinero' (the money) or 'mucho dinero' (a lot of money).
You Can't 'Count' It
In Spanish, like in English, 'dinero' is a general idea. You count 'euros' or 'dollars,' but not 'moneys.' So, 'dinero' almost always stays singular.
Using 'dineros'
Mistake: “Tengo muchos dineros.”
Correction: Tengo mucho dinero. 'Dinero' refers to the concept of money, so you don't usually make it plural, even when talking about a large amount.
plata
PLAH-tahˈplata
Examples
¿Tienes suficiente plata para el autobús?
Do you have enough money for the bus?
No tengo plata en este momento, ¿puedes pagar tú?
I don't have cash right now, can you pay?
Gané mucha plata vendiendo mi coche viejo.
I earned a lot of money selling my old car.
Use with 'Hay'
To ask if there is money available, use 'Hay plata' (Is there money?), treating it like an uncountable substance, similar to 'water'.
Confusing Regions
Mistake: “Using 'plata' for money in Spain in formal settings.”
Correction: In Spain, use 'dinero'. In almost all of Latin America, 'plata' is perfectly normal and common for 'money'.
euros
AY-rohsˈeu̯ɾos
Examples
Esta camiseta cuesta dieciocho euros.
This t-shirt costs eighteen euros.
Necesitamos trescientos euros para el viaje.
We need three hundred euros for the trip.
Solo tengo unos pocos euros en el bolsillo.
I only have a few euros in my pocket.
Plural Form is Regular
Since the singular form 'euro' ends in a vowel ('o'), you make the plural form 'euros' simply by adding an 's', just like many other Spanish nouns.
The Currency Symbol (€)
In Spanish-speaking contexts, the euro symbol (€) is usually placed after the number, often with a space, such as '10 €', not '€10'.
Using the Singular for Plural Amounts
Mistake: “Cuesta veinte euro.”
Correction: Cuesta veinte euros. (Always use the plural 'euros' for any amount greater than one.)
peso
PEH-sohˈpeso
Examples
Este billete es de cien pesos mexicanos.
This bill is for one hundred Mexican pesos.
Pagué el doble de lo que costaba, ¡qué despilfarro de pesos!
I paid double what it cost, what a waste of pesos (money)!
Currency Plural
Unlike English speakers who might say 'a hundred dollar,' Spanish always uses the plural form for amounts greater than one: 'cien pesos,' 'dos pesos.'
Misunderstanding Value
Mistake: “Assuming all pesos are worth the same (e.g., confusing the Mexican peso for the Argentine peso).”
Correction: Always specify or infer the country when discussing the 'peso' currency, as their values vary greatly.
fondos
FOHN-dohsˈfondos
Examples
Necesitamos recaudar fondos para el viaje escolar.
We need to raise funds for the school trip.
El banco aprobó los fondos para la nueva casa.
The bank approved the funds for the new house.
No tenemos fondos suficientes para pagar esto.
We don't have enough money to pay for this.
Always Plural for Money
When talking about money or financial resources, 'fondos' is always used in its plural form, even if you are referring to the general concept of money.
Using the Singular
Mistake: “Necesito fondo para el proyecto.”
Correction: Necesito fondos para el proyecto. (The singular 'fondo' usually means 'bottom' or 'background', not 'money'.)
peseta
peh-SEH-tahpeˈseta
Examples
Encontré una moneda de cien pesetas en el cajón.
I found a hundred-peseta coin in the drawer.
Mis abuelos todavía calculan los precios en pesetas.
My grandparents still calculate prices in pesetas.
Ese coche le costó un millón de pesetas en los años ochenta.
That car cost him a million pesetas in the eighties.
Feminine Noun
Since the word ends in 'a' and is feminine, you must always use feminine markers like 'la', 'una', or 'las'. For example: 'la peseta' or 'muchas pesetas'.
Using the Plural
To talk about the currency in general, we usually use the plural form 'pesetas', just like we say 'dollars' or 'euros' when talking about money broadly.
Current Currency Error
Mistake: “Using 'peseta' to pay for things in Spain today.”
Correction: Always use 'euros'. Spain switched to the Euro in 2002. Use 'peseta' only when talking about the past or using fixed idioms.
cuartos
KWAHR-tohsˈkwaɾtos
Examples
No tengo cuartos para comprar esa bicicleta.
I don't have the money to buy that bicycle.
¿Tienes suficientes cuartos para el taxi?
Do you have enough cash for the taxi?
Always Plural
When used to mean 'money,' this word is almost always used in its plural form, 'cuartos,' even though it refers to a general concept like 'dinero' (which is singular).
barras
BAH-rrasˈbaras
Examples
El ejercicio de gimnasia requiere mucha fuerza en las barras.
The gymnastics routine requires a lot of strength on the bars.
Esta canción tiene 32 barras en el coro.
This song has 32 measures in the chorus.
Actualiza la página y verás la barra de progreso.
Refresh the page and you will see the progress bar.
lana
LAH-nahˈla.na
Examples
¿Tienes suficiente lana para el taxi?
Do you have enough 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.)
pasta
PAHS-tahˈpas.ta
Examples
Necesito más pasta para comprar ese coche.
I need more dough (money) to buy that car.
¿Tienes suficiente pasta para pagar la cena?
Do you have enough cash to pay for dinner?
Informal Context
Only use 'pasta' to mean money when speaking with friends or in relaxed, casual situations. Use 'dinero' in formal settings.
tela
TAY-lahˈtela
Examples
¿Tienes suficiente tela para invitar a todos?
Do you have enough dough/cash to treat everyone?
Ese coche cuesta mucha tela.
That car costs a lot of money.
Context is Key
Mistake: “Using 'tela' to mean money in a formal setting (e.g., a bank application).”
Correction: Only use 'tela' for money when speaking casually with friends. Use 'dinero' or 'fondos' for formal contexts.
escudos
ess-KOO-dohsesˈkuðos
Examples
Necesitas 500 escudos para comprar el billete en Cabo Verde.
You need 500 escudos to buy the ticket in Cape Verde.
Antes del euro, Portugal usaba los escudos.
Before the euro, Portugal used escudos.
pavos
PAH-vohsˈpaβos
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.
feria
FEH-ree-ahˈfe.ɾja
Examples
¿Tienes suficiente feria para el taxi?
Do you have enough cash for the taxi?
Necesito hacer mucha feria para comprar esa moto.
I need to make a lot of dough (money) to buy that motorcycle.
Context is Key
Mistake: “Using 'feria' to mean money in Spain or formal settings.”
Correction: This meaning is restricted to specific regions and very casual talk. Use 'dinero' or 'efectivo' instead in formal contexts.
mango
mahn-gohˈmaŋɡo
Examples
No tengo ni un mango para el autobús.
I don't have a single cent for the bus.
Ese teléfono me costó cincuenta mangos.
That phone cost me fifty bucks.
Laburo todo el día para ganar unos mangos.
I work all day to earn a few bucks.
Plural Usage
In this slang sense, it is very common to use the plural 'mangos' to count money, similar to how 'bucks' is used in English.
Context is Key
Mistake: “Using this in a formal business meeting.”
Correction: Use 'dinero' or the specific currency (pesos, euros). 'Mango' is very informal and could sound unprofessional.
perros
PEH-rrohs (Make sure to roll the 'rr' sound!)ˈperos
Examples
Necesito unos perros para comprarme una bebida.
I need some cash to buy myself a drink.
¿Tienes perros sueltos?
Do you have any loose change?
Context is Key
If you are talking about money, this slang is only understood if the surrounding conversation is very informal or if you are in a specific region where this usage is common.
General vs. Specific Terms
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