Money in Spanish = Dinero (El dinero)

If there´s something you need to know and that you can’t afford ignoring if you want to get around in Latin America or Spain that’s how to say money in Spanish. Whether you are travelling as a regular tourist or if your mission requires you to operate in a secret or clandestine fashion, there is nothing you will get for free in Spanish speaking countries (you might get one or two things for free after a couple tequilas in Mexico though). The word money in Spanish is implicitly or explicitly present in anything that is worth enjoying: food, tours, souvenirs, transportation, businesses and all sorts of adventures.

However, people don’t actually use the word money in Spanish (dinero) as often as they use some related words and phrases such as cash, how much, or currency, except for when they want to make statements like:

That’s a lot of money! = ¡Eso es mucho dinero!” (to bargain)

I don’t have any money = No tengo dinero

I need some money = Necesito dinero

Now, anytime you ask how do you say money in Spanish, you will hear “depends on the country where you are”.  “dinero” is the formal, generally accepted term for money in all Spanish-speaking countries. But every country has a slang word for money. These are some of the most popular ones:

Pasta = Slang for money in Spain

Plata = Slang for money in Venezuela

Lana = Slang for money in Mexico

Cash in Spanish= Efectivo

Knowing how and when to use the word cash in Spanish will help you sound less formal and also help you be more specific with what type of money you’re referring too in different situations. Let’s take a quick look at some of examples of how to say cash in Spanish in certain situations.

I don’t have any cash for the bus – No tengo ningún dinero para el autobús

Can you lend me some cash for the taxi? – ¿Me puede prestar algo de dinero para el taxi?

We don’t take credit card here, only cash. – No tomamos la tarjeta de crédito aquí, solo pagos en efectivo.

Use “efectivo” (cash) when you need to ask about acceptable forms of payment:

Do you take cash? = ¿Acepta efectivo?

Acepta = Do you take

Efectivo = cash

As a tourist, you will need to find out how much things cost. Here’s how to ask that:

How much is it? = ¿Cuánto cuesta?

Cuanto = how much

Cuesta = is it?

As you may expect, people will always say the name of their national currency when they say how much something costs. For example, instead of saying “it’s 5 dollars” people will respond “it’s 5 pesos” (son cinco pesos). That would be 5 mexican dollars, so to speak.  If you don’t know or if you forget the name of the currency of a particular country you may ask:

What’s the currency here? = ¿Cómo se llama la moneda aquí?

Como se llama = What’s the

Moneda = Currency

Aquí = Here

So, as you travel to different Spanish-speaking countries be mentally prepared not to hear “Dollars” but Peso (Colombia), Bolivar (Venezuela),  Quetzal (Guatemala), Colon (Costa Rica), or Sol (Peru), to name a few.

Then there are times when you need to ask about acceptable forms of payment.

Do you take cash? = ¿aceptan efectivo?

Aceptan = do you take

Efectivo= Cash

Cash is not accepted = No se acepta efectivo

No se acepta = Is not accepted

Efectivo = Cash

Don’t be confused about all these terms. The good thing is you will always be understood if you stick to the word dinero. If you feel adventurous and want to try all the different slang words for money in Spanish, you can also give it a try.  It’s very simple.

You have now cleared you doubt about how do you say money in Spanish. You can also bargain, keep your expenses low and exchange money safely. If you want to keep learning more phrases in Spanish, you can check out some other articles and learn how to say thank you in Spanish and you’re welcome in Spanish.