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How to Say "salary" in Spanish

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salario

sah-LAH-ree-oh/saˈla.rjo/

nounA1general
Use 'salario' for a general, fixed, regular payment for work, typically on a monthly basis. It's a very common and widely understood term.
A simple illustration showing a worker happily receiving a neat stack of currency bills from an employer's hand, representing a salary payment.

Examples

Mi salario me permite ahorrar un poco cada mes.

My salary allows me to save a little every month.

El gobierno subió el salario mínimo nacional.

The government raised the national minimum wage.

¿Cuál es el salario promedio en este sector?

What is the average salary in this sector?

It's Masculine!

Remember to always use the masculine article 'el' with this word: 'el salario' (the salary), even though it ends in '-a'.

Salario vs. Sueldo

Mistake: “Using 'sueldo' when referring to the legal/official minimum wage.”

Correction: 'Salario' is often preferred in official or legal contexts, especially when talking about the 'salario mínimo' (minimum wage). 'Sueldo' is more common for general monthly pay.

sueldo

SWEL-doh/ˈswel.do/

nounA1general
Use 'sueldo' for a fixed monthly or yearly payment, very similar to 'salario'. In many contexts, 'sueldo' and 'salario' can be used interchangeably.
A drawing of a hand accepting a tidy stack of cash and coins, symbolizing a salary payment.

Examples

Mi sueldo es suficiente para pagar el alquiler.

My salary is enough to pay the rent.

¿Cuándo nos van a depositar el sueldo de este mes?

When are they going to deposit this month's pay?

La empresa anunció un aumento del 10% en todos los sueldos base.

The company announced a 10% increase in all base salaries.

Gender Rule

As a masculine noun, 'sueldo' always uses the masculine articles: 'el sueldo' (the salary) and 'un sueldo' (a salary).

Sueldo vs. Dinero

Mistake: “Using 'sueldo' when you mean money in general (dinero).”

Correction: Use 'sueldo' only for the money earned from a job. Use 'dinero' for cash or money generally. Example: 'Tengo dinero en mi cartera' (I have money in my wallet).

paga

PAH-gah/ˈpaɣa/

nounA2general
Use 'paga' when referring to a specific monthly income, allowance, or the money received for a period, often implying a less formal or more specific payment than a general 'salary'.
A small neat stack of colorful paper money and several gold coins resting on a plain wooden table, representing earned salary or wages.

Examples

Mi paga mensual llega el día 25.

My monthly pay arrives on the 25th.

Les dieron una paga extra por el trabajo nocturno.

They gave them extra wages for the night work.

Gender Trap

Even though many financial terms are masculine, 'la paga' (pay/wages) is always feminine.

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: “Using 'el paga' to mean 'the pay'.”

Correction: The noun meaning 'pay' is always feminine: 'la paga'.

Salario vs. Sueldo vs. Paga

The most common mistake is overthinking the difference between 'salario' and 'sueldo', as they are often interchangeable for fixed payments. 'Paga' is usually distinct, referring more to a specific monthly income or allowance rather than a broad term for one's earnings from employment.

Related Translations

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