Hi, I’m Kodak.
The standard Spanish word for “money” is dinero.
However, real conversations contain many other words:
No tengo lana.
¿Traes feria?
Necesito más plata.
¡No seas codo!
All four expressions are related to money, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.
feria — Mexican word for money, coins, or change
plata — common Latin American word for money; literally “silver”
codo — Mexican word describing a stingy person
The first three words name money itself.
Codo, by contrast, describes someone’s attitude toward spending, giving, or sharing money.
In this guide, we will compare these expressions and learn the essential vocabulary needed to:
- ask how much something costs;
- say that you have or do not have money;
- talk about cash, coins, bills, and change;
- earn, save, spend, lend, and borrow money;
- split a restaurant bill;
- choose regionally appropriate slang;
- describe someone as frugal or stingy.
I thought Spanish had one word for money: dinero.
Why are there so many other words?
Dinero is the neutral basic word, but informal vocabulary changes from one country to another.
English also has “money,” “cash,” “bucks,” “dough,” and “change.”
Spanish has a similar combination of neutral, regional, and slang expressions.
- 1 Quick Guide to Spanish Slang for Money
- 2 Dinero: The Neutral Spanish Word for Money
- 3 Plata: A Common Latin American Word for Money
- 4 Lana: Mexican Slang for Money
- 5 Feria: Money, Coins or Change in Mexican Spanish
- 6 Codo: Mexican Slang for a Stingy Person
- 7 Lana vs. Feria vs. Plata vs. Dinero
- 8 Money, Cash, Coins and Change Are Not the Same
- 9 How to Say “I Don’t Have Money” in Spanish
- 10 How to Say “A Lot of Money”
- 11 Tener Dinero, Plata, Lana or Feria
- 12 How to Talk About Earning and Making Money
- 13 How to Talk About Spending Money
- 14 How to Talk About Saving Money
- 15 Lending and Borrowing Money in Spanish
- 16 How to Say “I Owe You Money”
- 17 How to Ask How Much Something Costs
- 18 Cheap, Expensive and Worth the Money
- 19 How to Pay in Spanish
- 20 How to Ask for Cash or Change
- 21 Splitting a Restaurant Bill
- 22 Ser Codo vs. Being Frugal
- 23 Which Word Should You Use in Mexico?
- 24 Which Word Should You Use in Latin America?
- 25 How to Talk About Money in Spain
- 26 Formal vs. Informal Money Vocabulary
- 27 Natural Conversations About Money
- 28 Common Beginner Mistakes
- 28.1 Mistake 1: Assuming every money word is interchangeable
- 28.2 Mistake 2: Using regional slang as universal Spanish
- 28.3 Mistake 3: Translating plata as silver every time
- 28.4 Mistake 4: Using dinero when you specifically mean cash
- 28.5 Mistake 5: Using feria when you specifically mean all forms of money
- 28.6 Mistake 6: Saying mucho plata or mucho lana
- 28.7 Mistake 7: Calling every careful spender codo
- 28.8 Mistake 8: Calling someone codo because they cannot afford something
- 28.9 Mistake 9: Using slang in professional requests for payment
- 28.10 Mistake 10: Copying native slang too frequently
- 29 How to Choose the Right Money Word
- 30 Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Money Slang
- 30.1 What is the standard Spanish word for money?
- 30.2 What is Mexican slang for money?
- 30.3 What does lana mean in Mexican slang?
- 30.4 What does feria mean in Mexican slang?
- 30.5 What does plata mean?
- 30.6 What is the difference between plata and dinero?
- 30.7 What is the difference between lana and plata?
- 30.8 What is the difference between lana and feria?
- 30.9 Does feria only mean coins?
- 30.10 How do you say cash in Spanish?
- 30.11 How do you say change in Spanish?
- 30.12 How do you say “I don’t have money” in Spanish?
- 30.13 What does codo mean in Mexican slang?
- 30.14 What does no seas codo mean?
- 30.15 What is the difference between codo and ahorrador?
- 30.16 Which Spanish money word should beginners use?
- 31 Spanish Slang for Money: Summary
Quick Guide to Spanish Slang for Money
| Word | Main meaning | Region | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| dinero | money | all Spanish-speaking regions | neutral |
| plata | money; literally silver | widely used in Latin America | conversational |
| lana | money; literally wool | especially Mexico | informal slang |
| feria | money, coins, or change | especially Mexico | informal and regional |
| codo / coda | stingy or tightfisted | especially Mexico and parts of Central America | colloquial and negative |
Use dinero when you need a neutral word.
Use plata when speaking conversationally with Latin American speakers who use it.
Use lana and feria when you understand the Mexican context.
Use codo carefully because it judges someone’s behavior.
Can I simply replace dinero with any of these words?
No.
Plata and lana often replace dinero in casual sentences.
Feria may specifically mean coins or change, while codo does not mean money at all.
Dinero: The Neutral Spanish Word for Money
Dinero is the most widely useful word in this article.
It can be used in:
- everyday conversation;
- business and banking;
- formal writing;
- government documents;
- academic explanations;
- conversations across different Spanish-speaking countries.
No tengo dinero.
I don’t have any money.
Necesito más dinero.
I need more money.
¿Cuánto dinero ganaste?
How much money did you earn?
Dinero is masculine:
mucho dinero — a lot of money
poco dinero — little money
todo el dinero — all the money
Will dinero ever make me sound unnatural because it is too formal?
Usually not.
It is neutral rather than extremely formal.
Local speakers may prefer slang among friends, but dinero remains correct and natural.
Plata: A Common Latin American Word for Money
Plata literally means silver.
Because silver was historically used to make coins, the word expanded from the material to silver coins and then to money generally.
Este anillo es de plata.
This ring is made of silver.
No tengo plata.
I don’t have any money.
The word is widely used conversationally in Spanish-speaking America.
It is feminine:
mucha plata — a lot of money
poca plata — little money
toda la plata — all the money
For a full explanation of its meaning, history, regional use, and comparison with dinero, see:
Is plata strong slang like “dough” or “moolah”?
Not necessarily.
For many Latin American speakers, it is an ordinary conversational word.
It is regional, but it may feel less slangy than strongly local words such as Mexican lana.
Lana: Mexican Slang for Money
Lana literally means wool.
In popular Mexican Spanish, it also means money.
No tengo lana.
I don’t have any money.
Tiene mucha lana.
He or she has a lot of money.
Me costó una buena lana.
It cost me a substantial amount of money.
Lana presents money as an informal resource that can be earned, spent, lent, saved, or handed over.
It is feminine:
poca lana — little money
una buena lana — a substantial amount of money
soltar la lana — to pay up or hand over the money
Read the complete guide here:
Will every Spanish speaker understand lana as money?
No.
Some may recognize it through Mexican media, but its money meaning is strongly associated with Mexico.
Outside that context, people may first think of wool.
Feria: Money, Coins or Change in Mexican Spanish
Feria is more context-dependent than lana.
It can refer to:
coins or loose change
small-denomination bills
change for a larger bill
money returned after payment
¿Traes feria para el autobús?
Do you have change for the bus?
No tengo feria para salir.
I don’t have money to go out.
¿Me puedes feriar este billete?
Can you break this bill for me?
The word also has the unrelated standard meaning “fair,” “festival,” or “trade exhibition.”
Vamos a la feria del libro.
We’re going to the book fair.
See the complete guide here:
If someone says No tengo feria, are they saying they have no money?
Possibly, but not always.
At a vending machine or bus stop, it may mean “I don’t have any small change.”
The person might still have a large bill or money in a bank account.
Codo: Mexican Slang for a Stingy Person
Codo literally means elbow.
In Mexican slang, it describes a person who is excessively reluctant to spend, give, or share.
ser codo — to be stingy
no seas codo — don’t be stingy
bien codo — really stingy
dolerle el codo — to hate parting with money or possessions
No seas codo. Paga tu parte.
Don’t be stingy. Pay your share.
Codo is included in this money-vocabulary hub because it describes behavior involving money.
It is not another synonym for dinero.
Read the detailed article here:
Can I say Necesito codo to mean “I need money”?
No.
Codo describes a stingy person or behavior.
Say Necesito dinero, Necesito plata, or Mexican Necesito lana.
Lana vs. Feria vs. Plata vs. Dinero
| Situation | Best choice | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral international Spanish | dinero | Necesito dinero. |
| Conversational Latin American Spanish | plata | No tengo plata. |
| Informal Mexican conversation about money | lana | Ganó mucha lana. |
| Mexican conversation about coins or change | feria | ¿Traes feria? |
| Describing someone who refuses to pay or share | codo / coda | No seas codo. |
Which slang word is most similar to English “bucks”?
There is no perfect one-word match.
Plata can be a casual general word, while Mexican lana may resemble “dough” or informal “money.”
The most natural choice depends on the country.
Money, Cash, Coins and Change Are Not the Same
English learners sometimes translate every financial word as “money.”
Spanish distinguishes several useful concepts:
efectivo — physical cash
moneda — a coin or currency
monedas — coins
billete — banknote or bill
cambio — change after payment or smaller denominations
feria — Mexican informal money or change
fondos — funds
Tengo dinero, pero no tengo efectivo.
I have money, but I don’t have cash.
Solo tengo un billete de quinientos.
I only have a 500-peso bill.
¿Tiene cambio?
Do you have change?
If I have money in my bank account but no notes or coins, what should I say?
Say Tengo dinero, pero no tengo efectivo.
That means you possess money but do not have physical cash.
Efectivo is more precise than slang in this situation.
How to Say “I Don’t Have Money” in Spanish
No tengo dinero.
Conversational Latin American Spanish:
No tengo plata.
Informal Mexican Spanish:
No tengo lana.
Mexican money or change:
No tengo feria.
No cash with me:
No traigo efectivo.
The English translation “I’m broke” may fit some situations, but the Spanish sentences do not always mean complete financial ruin.
They may simply mean:
- I do not have enough for this purchase.
- I do not have spending money available.
- I do not have cash with me.
- I do not want to spend money on this.
Does No tengo plata sound more serious than No tengo dinero?
Not by itself.
The emotional strength comes mainly from the situation and tone.
The principal difference is regional style, not necessarily the severity of the financial problem.
How to Say “A Lot of Money”
mucha plata — a lot of money
mucha lana — a lot of money
mucha feria — a lot of money, in some Mexican contexts
una buena lana — a substantial amount of money
una buena plata — a good amount of money, regionally
un montón de dinero — a ton of money
una fortuna — a fortune
Remember the gender difference:
plata is feminine → mucha plata
lana is feminine → mucha lana
feria is feminine → mucha feria
Why is it mucho dinero but mucha lana?
The quantity word agrees with the grammatical gender of the noun.
Dinero is masculine, while lana, plata, and feria are feminine.
Tener Dinero, Plata, Lana or Feria
The verb tener means “to have.”
¿Tienes dinero?
Do you have money?
Ella tiene mucha plata.
She has a lot of money.
Mi tío tiene mucha lana.
My uncle has a lot of money.
¿Tienes feria para la máquina?
Do you have change for the machine?
With feria, the same grammatical structure may ask about smaller denominations rather than total wealth.
If I ask ¿Tienes dinero?, could that sound intrusive?
It depends on the context.
At a store, it may simply ask whether someone can pay.
Without a clear reason, asking about another person’s finances can feel personal.
How to Talk About Earning and Making Money
Ganar dinero
Ganar can mean to earn or win.
Quiero ganar más dinero.
I want to earn more money.
Ganó mucha plata en el concurso.
She won a lot of money in the contest.
Ganó buena lana con ese negocio.
He made good money from that business.
Hacer dinero or hacer plata
Hacer dinero and hacer plata mean to make money.
Quiere hacer plata vendiendo ropa.
She wants to make money by selling clothes.
What is the difference between ganar dinero and hacer dinero?
They often overlap.
Ganar focuses on earning or winning the money.
Hacer focuses more broadly on generating or accumulating it.
How to Talk About Spending Money
The main verb is gastar.
gastar plata — to spend money
gastar lana — to spend money in Mexican slang
gastar dinero en algo — to spend money on something
Gasté mucho dinero en el viaje.
I spent a lot of money on the trip.
No quiero gastar tanta plata.
I don’t want to spend that much money.
Gastó mucha lana en ropa.
She spent a lot of money on clothes.
Does gastar plata require physical cash?
No.
It describes spending money, regardless of whether you use cash, a card, a bank transfer, or a digital wallet.
Use efectivo when the physical payment method matters.
How to Talk About Saving Money
The verb ahorrar means to save money or resources.
Estoy ahorrando dinero para viajar.
I’m saving money to travel.
Ahorramos mucha plata este año.
We saved a lot of money this year.
Quiero ahorrar lana para comprar un coche.
I want to save money to buy a car.
A person who saves carefully can be called:
cuidadoso con el dinero — careful with money
responsable con sus gastos — responsible with expenses
These expressions are generally more positive than codo.
If someone never buys unnecessary things, are they codo?
Not necessarily.
They may simply be ahorrador or financially responsible.
Codo usually implies that the behavior has become unreasonable, unfair, or ungenerous.
Lending and Borrowing Money in Spanish
The distinction between lending and borrowing often confuses beginners.
Prestar dinero
Prestar means to lend.
¿Me prestas dinero?
Can you lend me some money?
Mi amigo me prestó plata.
My friend lent me money.
Pedir dinero prestado
Pedir prestado means to ask to borrow.
Tuve que pedir dinero prestado.
I had to borrow money.
Devolver el dinero
Te devuelvo la plata mañana.
I’ll pay the money back tomorrow.
In ¿Me prestas dinero?, who gives the money?
The listener gives the money temporarily.
The speaker receives it and is expected to return it.
Think of the structure as “Will you lend money to me?”
How to Say “I Owe You Money”
The verb deber means to owe when followed by a person and an amount or object.
Te debo veinte dólares.
I owe you twenty dollars.
Todavía me debe dinero.
He still owes me money.
¿Cuánta plata te debo?
How much money do I owe you?
A debt is:
tener deudas — to have debts
pagar una deuda — to repay a debt
estar endeudado — to be in debt
Does deber also mean “should”?
Yes.
Debes pagar means “You should or must pay.”
Me debes dinero means “You owe me money.” The structure tells you the meaning.
How to Ask How Much Something Costs
The most useful question is:
How much does it cost?
For more than one item:
¿Cuánto cuestan?
How much do they cost?
Other useful questions include:
What is the price?
¿Cuánto vale?
How much is it worth? / How much does it cost?
¿Cuánto te costó?
How much did it cost you?
Ese teléfono cuesta mucha plata.
That phone costs a lot of money.
La reparación me costó una buena lana.
The repair cost me a substantial amount.
What is the difference between cuesta and vale?
Costar focuses on the price paid.
Valer can refer to price or value.
In ordinary shopping questions, both may ask how much something costs.
Cheap, Expensive and Worth the Money
caro / cara — expensive
económico / económica — economical or reasonably priced
costoso / costosa — costly
vale la pena — it is worth it
no vale lo que cuesta — it is not worth what it costs
El restaurante es barato.
The restaurant is inexpensive.
El hotel es caro, pero vale la pena.
The hotel is expensive, but it is worth it.
Do not use codo to describe an inexpensive product.
codo describes a stingy person.
Can I call a cheap restaurant codo?
No.
Say Es barato if the price is low.
You might call the owner codo only if you are criticizing the owner for being stingy.
How to Pay in Spanish
The main verb is pagar.
Voy a pagar en efectivo.
I’m going to pay in cash.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
Ya pagué la cuenta.
I already paid the bill.
Useful payment expressions include:
pagar con tarjeta — to pay by card
pagar por transferencia — to pay by bank transfer
pagar a plazos — to pay in installments
pagar por adelantado — to pay in advance
pagar la cuenta — to pay the bill
Mexican slang also includes:
Ya suelta la lana.
Pay up already.
This is much more direct than neutral pagar.
Can I say Suelta la lana to a customer?
No. It can sound like “Pay up” or “Cough up the money.”
Use a polite request such as ¿Podría realizar el pago, por favor? in a professional situation.
How to Ask for Cash or Change
Asking whether a business accepts cash
¿Aceptan efectivo?
Do you accept cash?
Asking for change
¿Tiene cambio de quinientos?
Do you have change for five hundred?
Mexican informal version
¿Tiene feria de quinientos?
Do you have change for a 500-peso bill?
Asking someone to break a bill
¿Me puede cambiar este billete?
Can you break this bill for me?
¿Me puedes feriar este billete?
Can you break this bill for me?
Regional Mexican usage.
Which question is safest when I am traveling?
Use ¿Tiene cambio? or ¿Me puede cambiar este billete?.
They are more geographically neutral than feria and feriar.
Splitting a Restaurant Bill
The restaurant bill is usually la cuenta.
The bill, please.
¿Podemos pagar por separado?
Can we pay separately?
Dividimos la cuenta.
We’ll split the bill.
Cada uno paga lo suyo.
Everyone pays for their own order.
Yo invito.
It’s my treat.
When everyone contributes money, you may hear:
Cada uno pone doscientos pesos.
Everyone contributes 200 pesos.
¿Cuánta plata tenemos que poner?
How much money do we need to contribute?
If one person refuses to contribute fairly, a friend might say:
No seas codo. Paga tu parte.
Don’t be stingy. Pay your share.
If someone wants to pay only for their own food, does that make them codo?
No. Paying separately can be completely fair.
Codo expresses a subjective criticism that the person is acting unreasonably or benefiting without contributing.
Ser Codo vs. Being Frugal
| Expression | Meaning | Typical judgment |
|---|---|---|
| ser ahorrador | to save and spend carefully | positive or neutral |
| ser cuidadoso con el dinero | to be careful with money | neutral or positive |
| ser codo | to be stingy or unwilling to share | negative |
| ser tacaño | to be stingy or miserly | negative |
Marta es ahorradora: compara precios y evita deudas.
Marta is frugal: she compares prices and avoids debt.
Pedro es codo: siempre espera que sus amigos paguen.
Pedro is stingy: he always expects his friends to pay.
Can someone have a lot of money and still be codo?
Yes.
The word describes willingness to spend, give, or share—not the amount of money the person possesses.
A wealthy person can be stingy, and a person with little money can be generous.
Which Word Should You Use in Mexico?
All of the following may appear in Mexico, but their functions differ.
lana — broad informal money slang
feria — money, especially change or smaller denominations
plata — understandable as money, but less specifically Mexican
codo — stingy person
efectivo — physical cash
cambio — change
A practical Mexican conversation might sound like this:
Do you have change for parking?
B: No, solo traigo un billete grande.
No, I only have a large bill.
A: Entonces yo pago, pero luego me das la lana.
Then I’ll pay, but give me the money later.
If I visit Mexico, should I immediately start using lana and feria?
Learn to recognize them first.
Use dinero, efectivo, and cambio when clarity matters.
Adopt the slang gradually after hearing how local speakers use it.
Which Word Should You Use in Latin America?
There is no single slang word used identically throughout Latin America.
However, plata has a broader geographic range than Mexican lana and feria.
Common in many Latin American conversations: plata
Strongly Mexican: lana, feria
Region-specific alternatives: guita, pisto, reales, and others
Even when a word is understood, it may not sound locally natural.
Comprehension and active use are different skills.
If plata is widely understood, why not use it everywhere?
Because understanding a regional word does not mean every speaker uses it naturally.
Dinero is more reliable when the listener’s regional background is unknown.
How to Talk About Money in Spain
In Spain, dinero is the normal general word for money.
Plata primarily means silver, although the Latin American money meaning may be understood.
Mexican lana and feria may be recognized through media but are not neutral Spain-Spanish choices.
dinero — money
efectivo — cash
cambio — change
monedas — coins
billetes — banknotes
Would saying No tengo plata in Spain be grammatically wrong?
No. It is a valid Latin American use and may be understood.
It simply sounds regional rather than like the most typical local choice.
No tengo dinero is safer.
Formal vs. Informal Money Vocabulary
| Informal expression | Neutral or formal alternative |
|---|---|
| No tengo lana. | No tengo dinero disponible. |
| Necesitamos feria. | Necesitamos cambio. |
| La empresa necesita más plata. | La empresa necesita más fondos o capital. |
| Suelta la lana. | Por favor, realice el pago. |
| Es un codo. | No está dispuesto a asumir el gasto acordado. |
In formal communication, describe the financial action rather than using an emotional slang label.
Can I use plata in a relaxed workplace conversation?
In countries where it is common, yes.
In an official budget, contract, or presentation, words such as dinero, fondos, capital, and recursos are more precise.
Natural Conversations About Money
Not having enough money to go out
Shall we go out for dinner?
B: Hoy no puedo. No tengo plata.
I can’t today. I don’t have the money.
Mexican conversation about an expensive repair
Did you get the car fixed?
B: Sí, pero me costó una buena lana.
Yes, but it cost me a substantial amount of money.
Needing change
Do you have change for the bus?
B: No, solo tengo un billete grande.
No, I only have a large bill.
Saving money
Why don’t you buy a new car?
B: Prefiero ahorrar dinero para comprar una casa.
I prefer to save money to buy a house.
Criticizing someone who refuses to contribute
Everyone contributed money for the gift except Carlos.
B: Sí, a veces es bien codo.
Yes, sometimes he is really stingy.
Having money but no cash
They only accept cash here.
B: Tengo dinero en la cuenta, pero no traje efectivo.
I have money in my account, but I didn’t bring cash.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Assuming every money word is interchangeable
Feria may specifically mean change, while codo describes a stingy person.
Mistake 2: Using regional slang as universal Spanish
Lana and feria are strongly associated with Mexico.
Mistake 3: Translating plata as silver every time
In Latin American financial contexts, it often means money.
Mistake 4: Using dinero when you specifically mean cash
Use efectivo for physical coins and banknotes.
Mistake 5: Using feria when you specifically mean all forms of money
Because feria may suggest change or small denominations, context is essential.
Mistake 6: Saying mucho plata or mucho lana
Use mucha plata and mucha lana because both nouns are feminine.
Mistake 7: Calling every careful spender codo
A person may be frugal or financially responsible rather than stingy.
Mistake 8: Calling someone codo because they cannot afford something
Codo criticizes unwillingness, not financial hardship.
Mistake 9: Using slang in professional requests for payment
Use neutral and polite vocabulary with customers, employers, banks, and government institutions.
Mistake 10: Copying native slang too frequently
Learn to recognize regional vocabulary before trying to imitate its full frequency and tone.
Which three words should a complete beginner actively use first?
Start with dinero, efectivo, and cambio.
They let you discuss money, cash, and change clearly across many regions.
Add plata, lana, and feria as your regional listening skills develop.
How to Choose the Right Money Word
Use dinero.
Do you mean physical cash?
Use efectivo.
Do you mean coins or change?
Use monedas or cambio.
Are you speaking conversationally in Latin America?
You may hear or use plata.
Are you speaking informally in Mexico?
You may hear lana for money.
Are you discussing Mexican coins or change?
You may hear feria.
Are you describing a stingy person?
Mexican Spanish may use codo; neutral Spanish uses tacaño.
What should I do when I am unsure which slang word is natural?
Use the neutral word first and listen to the people around you.
You never lose clarity by choosing dinero, efectivo, or cambio.
Regional slang becomes easier once you connect each word with a speaker, place, and situation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Money Slang
What is the standard Spanish word for money?
The standard and geographically neutral word is dinero.
What is Mexican slang for money?
Common Mexican expressions include lana for money and feria for money, coins, or change.
What does lana mean in Mexican slang?
Lana literally means wool. In Mexican slang, it means money.
What does feria mean in Mexican slang?
Feria can mean money generally, loose change, coins, smaller bills, or change after payment.
What does plata mean?
Plata literally means silver. In Spanish-speaking America, it is also a common word for money or wealth.
What is the difference between plata and dinero?
Dinero is neutral and widely understood. Plata is conversational and especially common in Latin America.
What is the difference between lana and plata?
Both can mean money. Lana is strongly associated with informal Mexican Spanish, while plata has a broader Latin American distribution.
What is the difference between lana and feria?
Lana broadly means money. Feria can also mean money but has a stronger connection with coins, change, and smaller denominations.
Does feria only mean coins?
No. It can refer to coins or change, but in Mexican usage it may also mean money generally.
How do you say cash in Spanish?
The precise word is efectivo.
How do you say change in Spanish?
The neutral word is cambio. Mexican Spanish may also use feria.
How do you say “I don’t have money” in Spanish?
The neutral form is No tengo dinero. Latin American speakers may say No tengo plata, while Mexican speakers may say No tengo lana or No tengo feria.
What does codo mean in Mexican slang?
Codo means stingy, cheap, or tightfisted. It does not mean money.
What does no seas codo mean?
It means “Don’t be stingy” or “Don’t be so cheap.”
What is the difference between codo and ahorrador?
Ahorrador describes someone who saves responsibly and can be positive. Codo negatively suggests unreasonable unwillingness to spend or share.
Which Spanish money word should beginners use?
Beginners should actively use dinero, efectivo, and cambio first. Regional slang can be added gradually.
Lana, Feria, Plata, or Dinero?
Four words, four different jobs — walk through them in order.
No tengo dinero. — neutral, universal, always correct.
Mexican slang — keep reading to pick between them ↓
Widely used across Spanish-speaking America; literally “silver.”
¿Traes lana? — the broad, everyday word.
¿Traes feria? — often about change or a particular amount.
¡No seas codo! — describes stinginess, not a synonym for “money.”
※ Lana and feria are Mexican-flavored; plata travels further across Latin America; dinero is the safe, neutral choice everywhere. Codo is not a money word at all — it judges a person.
Spanish Slang for Money: Summary
● Plata: silver; conversational word for money in Spanish-speaking America
● Lana: wool; informal Mexican slang for money
● Feria: fair or festival; Mexican slang for money, coins, or change
● Codo / coda: elbow; Mexican colloquial adjective meaning stingy
● Efectivo: physical cash
● Cambio: change after payment or smaller denominations
● Moneda: coin or currency
● Billete: banknote or bill
● Ganar dinero: to earn money
● Hacer plata: to make money
● Gastar dinero: to spend money
● Ahorrar dinero: to save money
● Prestar dinero: to lend money
● Deber dinero: to owe money
● Beginner default: use dinero, efectivo, and cambio when uncertain
Do not memorize these words as one flat list of synonyms.
Organize them by function:
Dinero, plata, and lana name money.
Feria may name money, but often focuses on change or smaller denominations.
Codo describes a person’s unwillingness to spend or share.
Once you connect each word with its region and situation, Spanish money conversations become much easier to understand.
What Does Lana Mean in Mexican Slang?
What Does Feria Mean in Mexican Slang?
Real Academia Española and Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española: Diccionario de la lengua española — dinero, plata and codo
El Colegio de México: Diccionario del español de México — lana, feria, cambio and codo
Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española: Diccionario de americanismos — plata and codo
