Inklingo

How to Say "to invest" in Spanish

English → Spanish

invertir

/een-behr-TEER//imbeɾˈtiɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'invertir' when referring to putting money, time, or energy into something with the expectation of future profit or benefit.
A small green sapling growing out of a pile of gold coins.

Examples

Quiero invertir mis ahorros en una empresa tecnológica.

I want to invest my savings in a tech company.

Ella invierte mucho tiempo en estudiar español cada día.

She spends a lot of time studying Spanish every day.

The Stem Change

In many present-tense forms, the 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie'. Think of it as the word growing stronger when you say it!

The Sneaky 'i'

In the past tense (preterite), when talking about him, her, or them, the 'e' changes to a simple 'i' (invirtió). This is a common pattern for '-ir' verbs.

Forgetting the stem change

Mistake: “Yo inverto mucho tiempo.”

Correction: Yo invierto mucho tiempo. Remember the 'e' splits into 'ie' in the 'yo' form!

colocar

/koh-loh-KAR//koloˈkaɾ/

verbB1financial
Use 'colocar' to mean 'to place' or 'to position' something, often referring to the placement of funds or assets in a specific financial product or location.
An illustration showing one smiling person handing a small, brown briefcase, representing a job, to another person who looks relieved and happy.

Examples

La agencia de empleo logró colocar a varios recién graduados.

The employment agency managed to place several recent graduates (find them jobs).

Decidimos colocar el dinero en acciones de bajo riesgo.

We decided to invest the money in low-risk stocks.

Figurative 'Placement'

Here, the action is still 'placing' something, but instead of a physical object, you are placing a person (in a job) or money (in a bank or stock).

meter

/meh-TEHR//meˈteɾ/

verbB2informal
Use 'meter' colloquially to signify putting effort or resources into something, often with a sense of 'throwing in' or contributing.
A bright soccer ball flying through the air and just entering the white netting of a soccer goal.

Examples

El delantero logró meter un gol en el último minuto.

The striker managed to score a goal in the last minute.

Vamos a meter todo nuestro esfuerzo en este proyecto.

We are going to put all our effort into this project.

Metieron varios millones de dólares en la nueva empresa.

They invested several million dollars in the new company.

Figurative Use

This meaning is an extension of the basic 'put inside' idea—you are putting the goal into the net, or putting money/effort into a venture.

Overusing 'Meter'

Mistake: “Hicimos un gol.”

Correction: Metimos un gol. ('Hacer un gol' is understandable, but 'meter un gol' is the most natural and common way to express scoring in football/soccer in many Spanish-speaking countries.)

Invertir vs. Colocar vs. Meter

The most common mistake is using 'invertir' when 'colocar' is more appropriate for simply placing funds, or using either when 'meter' is used informally for effort. Remember, 'invertir' implies a goal of future return, while 'colocar' is about placement and 'meter' is about contribution.

Related Translations

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