Inklingo

How to Say "profit" in Spanish

English → Spanish

beneficio

beh-neh-FEE-syoh/beneˈfiθjo/

nounB1financial gain
Use 'beneficio' when referring to financial gain, earnings, or profit made by a company or in a business transaction.
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.

provecho

/pro-BEH-choh//pɾoˈβetʃo/

nounA2gain or useful result
Use 'provecho' to express a wish for someone to enjoy something, like food or an activity, meaning 'may you benefit from it' or 'enjoy'.
A small green plant flourishing and growing in a gardener's hands, representing a positive benefit.

Examples

¡Buen provecho! Que disfruten la cena.

Enjoy your meal! Hope you enjoy dinner.

Él siempre intenta sacar provecho de sus errores.

He always tries to get some benefit from his mistakes.

Leí el manual pero no le saqué mucho provecho.

I read the manual but I didn't get much out of it.

Using it as a Greeting

Even though it is a noun, you can say '¡Provecho!' or '¡Buen provecho!' on its own to someone who is eating. It is polite to say this even to strangers when passing their table.

Don't just say 'Disfruta'

Mistake: “Saying 'Disfruta tu comida' to sound like 'Enjoy your meal'.”

Correction: While not technically wrong, 'Buen provecho' is the much more natural and common way to say this in Spanish.

Financial vs. General Gain

Learners often confuse 'beneficio' and 'provecho' by using 'provecho' for financial contexts. Remember that 'beneficio' is strictly for monetary profit, while 'provecho' is typically used for enjoying food or a general personal benefit.

Related Translations

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