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How to Say "salary" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “salary” is “salario” — use 'salario' for a general, fixed regular payment, often understood as a monthly amount, that forms the basis of your earnings.

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salario

sah-LAH-ree-ohsaˈla.rjo

nounA1general
Use 'salario' for a general, fixed regular payment, often understood as a monthly amount, that forms the basis of your earnings.
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-dohˈswel.do

nounA1general
Choose 'sueldo' when referring to a fixed payment, typically monthly or yearly, that you receive regularly for your work.
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-gahˈpaɣa

nounA2informal
Use 'paga' for your monthly income or the amount of money you receive each month, often in a more informal or direct sense.
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'.

nómina

nounB1formal
Refer to 'nómina' when talking about the official payroll or the total sum of money paid out by a company to its employees, often encompassing more than just your individual take-home pay.

Examples

La empresa paga la nómina el último día del mes.

The company pays the payroll on the last day of the month.

Salario vs. Sueldo

Learners often confuse 'salario' and 'sueldo' as they are both very common and refer to a fixed payment. In most everyday contexts, they are interchangeable, but 'salario' can sometimes feel slightly more formal or encompass broader compensation aspects, while 'sueldo' is a direct term for your regular pay.

Related Translations

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