Handling money is a part of daily life, and doing it in Spanish requires a specific set of words. This vocabulary list covers the essential terms you'll need for everyday financial transactions in Latin America, from paying for coffee and groceries to using an ATM or talking about prices. Whether you're traveling, shopping, or living abroad, mastering these words will make your interactions smoother and more confident. Many of these words are helpful cognates, meaning they look and sound similar to their English counterparts. Words like 'banco', 'tarjeta', 'dólar', and 'depositar' are easy to recognize, giving you a great starting point. As you build your vocabulary, you'll also learn key verbs like 'pagar' (to pay) and 'costar' (to cost), which are fundamental for any transaction. This list focuses on practical, high-frequency Latin American Spanish. For example, while 'dinero' is the standard word for money, you'll frequently hear the informal term 'plata' in countries from Mexico to Argentina. We've included these real-world variations to help you understand Spanish as it's actually spoken.
money
No tengo mucho dinero esta semana. — I don't have much money this week.
money (informal, like 'cash' or 'dough')
¿Me prestas algo de plata para el bus? — Can you lend me some cash for the bus?
bank
Tengo que ir al banco para abrir una cuenta. — I have to go to the bank to open an account.
(bank) account
El dinero de mi salario va directo a mi cuenta bancaria. — My salary money goes directly to my bank account.
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ATM (Automated Teller Machine)
Necesito sacar dinero del cajero automático antes de ir al restaurante. — I need to get money from the ATM before going to the restaurant.
to withdraw money
Ayer saqué cien dólares para mis gastos del fin de semana. — Yesterday I withdrew a hundred dollars for my weekend expenses.
to deposit
Voy al banco a depositar este cheque. — I'm going to the bank to deposit this check.
password / PIN
Olvidé mi clave para usar la tarjeta en el cajero. — I forgot my PIN to use the card at the ATM.
balance (account balance)
Quiero revisar el saldo de mi cuenta. — I want to check my account balance.
to wait in line, to queue
No me gusta hacer fila en el banco, por eso uso la app. — I don't like waiting in line at the bank, so I use the app.
to pay
¿Vas a pagar con tarjeta o en efectivo? — Are you going to pay with a card or in cash?
in cash
En este mercado pequeño solo se puede pagar en efectivo. — In this small market, you can only pay in cash.
credit card
Pagué los boletos de avión con mi tarjeta de crédito. — I paid for the plane tickets with my credit card.
debit card
Uso mi tarjeta de débito para las compras diarias. — I use my debit card for daily purchases.
bill, check (at a restaurant)
Mesero, ¿nos trae la cuenta, por favor? — Waiter, can you bring us the bill, please?
tip
En este país, es normal dejar un 10% de propina. — In this country, it's normal to leave a 10% tip.
to cost
¿Cuánto cuesta este café? — How much does this coffee cost?
price
El precio de la gasolina es muy alto ahora. — The price of gasoline is very high now.
expensive
Esa chaqueta es muy bonita, pero es muy cara. — That jacket is very nice, but it's very expensive.
cheap, inexpensive
Compré estos zapatos en una tienda de descuento, ¡fueron muy baratos! — I bought these shoes at a discount store, they were very cheap!
free (of charge)
Con la compra de un café, el segundo es gratis. — With the purchase of one coffee, the second one is free.
sale, special offer
Hay una oferta de 2 por 1 en las camisetas. — There's a 2-for-1 offer on the t-shirts.
coin
No tengo monedas para el parquímetro. — I don't have any coins for the parking meter.
bill, banknote
¿Tienes un billete más pequeño? Solo tengo uno de 50. — Do you have a smaller bill? I only have a 50.
change (money returned); exchange rate
Aquí tiene su cambio, señor. — Here is your change, sir.
dollar
En Panamá y Ecuador, la moneda oficial es el dólar estadounidense. — In Panama and Ecuador, the official currency is the US dollar.
peso
El peso es la moneda de México, Colombia, Argentina y otros países. — The peso is the currency of Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and other countries.