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How to Say "tight-fisted" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “tight-fisted” is “agarrado” — use 'agarrado' when describing someone who is extremely reluctant to spend money, often to the point of being perceived as stingy or miserly, especially in personal relationships..

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agarrado

/ah-gah-rah-doh//a.ɣa.ˈra.ðo/

adjectiveB1informal
Use 'agarrado' when describing someone who is extremely reluctant to spend money, often to the point of being perceived as stingy or miserly, especially in personal relationships.
A character holding a single coin very tightly to their chest with both hands.

Examples

No esperes que te invite, es un poco agarrado.

Don't expect him to treat you; he's a bit stingy.

Mi jefe es tan agarrado que nunca compra café para la oficina.

My boss is so cheap that he never buys coffee for the office.

Aunque tiene mucho dinero, siempre ha sido una persona muy agarrada.

Even though she has a lot of money, she has always been a very tight-fisted person.

Use with 'Ser'

When talking about someone being stingy as a personality trait, always use the verb 'ser' (to be).

Noun usage

You can use this word as a noun. Instead of saying 'He is stingy,' you can say 'He is a stingy one' (Es un agarrado).

Confusing 'Estar' and 'Ser'

Mistake: “Él está agarrado.”

Correction: Él es agarrado.

tacaño

adjectiveA2
Use 'tacaño' for a general, straightforward description of someone who is stingy or cheap, particularly in everyday situations like not leaving tips.

Examples

Mi tío es muy tacaño y nunca deja propina.

My uncle is very stingy and never leaves a tip.

Agarrado vs. Tacaño

Learners often confuse 'agarrado' and 'tacaño'. While both mean stingy, 'agarrado' carries a stronger sense of holding onto money tightly and can imply miserliness, whereas 'tacaño' is a more general term for being cheap.

Related Translations

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