Inklingo

How to Say "to overcharge" in Spanish

English → Spanish

clavar

/klah-BAHR//klaˈβaɾ/

verbC1informal
Use 'clavar' when you mean to charge someone an unfairly high price for goods or services, essentially 'ripping them off'.
A sad person holding a single apple while handing over a huge stack of gold coins.

Examples

El taxista nos clavó cuarenta euros por un viaje corto.

The taxi driver ripped us off forty euros for a short trip.

Nos clavaron cincuenta euros por dos hamburguesas.

They ripped us off fifty euros for two hamburgers.

Ten cuidado en esa tienda, suelen clavar a los turistas.

Be careful in 그 store, they usually overcharge tourists.

recargar

/re-kar-GAR//rekaɾˈɡaɾ/

verbB2
Use 'recargar' when you mean to overload something with too much weight, work, or responsibility, or to add extra taxes.
A small wooden cart overflowing with a massive, unstable mountain of heavy boxes and crates.

Examples

No recargues el camión con tanto peso, es peligroso.

Don't overload the truck with so much weight, it's dangerous.

No debes recargar la estantería con tantos libros.

You shouldn't overload the shelf with so many books.

El diseñador no quiso recargar la habitación con demasiados muebles.

The designer didn't want to over-decorate the room with too much furniture.

Me van a recargar con más tareas este mes.

They are going to overburden me with more tasks this month.

Adjective usage

The past form 'recargado' is often used as an adjective to describe something that has 'too much going on,' like a room with too many decorations.

Recargar vs. Cobrar

Mistake:Me recargaron mucho por la cena.

Correction: Me cobraron mucho por la cena. Use 'cobrar' for the price of something, and 'recargar' only if there's an extra surcharge or tax added on top.

Money vs. Weight/Work

The most common mistake is confusing 'clavar' (to overcharge money) with 'recargar' (to overload with weight or tasks). Remember that 'clavar' is about excessive cost, while 'recargar' relates to excessive load or burden.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.