Inklingo

How to Say "pittance" in Spanish

English → Spanish

limosna

lee-MOHS-nahliˈmosna

nounB2
Use 'limosna' when the pittance feels like a meager handout, implying it's insufficient and perhaps even insulting given the effort.
A single tiny copper coin sitting alone on a large, empty wooden table.

Examples

Después de trabajar tanto, este sueldo me parece una limosna.

After working so much, this salary seems like a pittance to me.

No quiero tus limosnas; quiero lo que me corresponde por mi trabajo.

I don't want your crumbs; I want what I'm owed for my work.

El aumento que nos dieron es una auténtica limosna.

The raise they gave us is absolute peanuts.

Using 'ser' with 'limosna'

When using the figurative meaning to complain, we almost always use the verb 'ser' (to be) followed by 'una limosna' to describe a situation or an amount.

Limosna vs Propina

Mistake: “Le dejé una limosna al camarero.”

Correction: Le dejé una propina al camarero. A 'limosna' is for charity; a 'propina' is a tip for service. Using 'limosna' for a waiter is very insulting!

miseria

mee-SEH-ryahmiˈse.rja

nounC1
Choose 'miseria' to emphasize the extreme scarcity or inadequacy of the amount, often used for wages or compensation that is barely enough to live on.
A massive, open, empty hand holding one single, tiny, shiny gold coin in the center of the palm, emphasizing insufficiency.

Examples

Le pagaron una miseria por el trabajo de todo el mes.

They paid him a pittance for a whole month's work.

Solo había una miseria de pan en la nevera.

There was only a tiny bit of bread (a trifle) in the fridge.

perra

PEH-rrah'pera

nounC2informal
Use 'perra' (plural 'perras') informally and figuratively to describe a very small, almost negligible amount of money, often with a tone of complaint or disbelief.
A close-up view of a large, open, empty leather wallet resting on a table, containing only a single small coin.

Examples

Después de tanto trabajar, me pagaron cuatro perras.

After all that work, they paid me peanuts (four pennies).

No tengo ni una perra para comprar el pan.

I don't have a single dime to buy bread.

Choosing between 'limosna' and 'miseria'

Learners often confuse 'limosna' and 'miseria'. While both mean a small amount, 'limosna' carries a stronger sense of it being an insulting handout, while 'miseria' focuses more on the sheer inadequacy and poverty of the sum.

Related Translations

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