Spanish words used for money and finance are another set of words that are particular to every country. Each country develops their own phrases to express from financial solvency to brokenness. There are also words use to name the currency and other money related activities. Here is a list of 32 Chile Spanish expression about money and finance that you will hear over and over again.
This list is presented in a “flash card power point format” that you can download, print or embed in your website. This set of words is part of the Quick Vocabulary Tables of the book Speaking Chileno: A Guide to Spanish from Chile.
Spanish Words for Money: 32 Chile Spanish Expressions
List of Spanish Words for Money: 32 Chile Spanish Expressions
1. AFP: stands for Administradora de Fondo de Pensiones and refers to private pension fund companies.
2. aguinaldo: an extra salary payment that companies make to employees for Chile’s independence celebrations (Fiestas Patrias) or for Christmas.
3. andar al 3 y al 4: to have no money.
4. andar cortina: to have no money, broke.
5. andar en pelotillehue: to be without money.
6. andar pato: to be broke.
7. andar patricio: to not have any money.
8. andar salado: to be broke.
9. andar sin ni uno: to be without a cent, broke.
10. Arturo/Arturito: a 10 thousand peso bill, named for Arturo Pratt, the person on the bill.
11. bicicleta: financial concept when a person borrows money to pay previous debts and continues this indefinitely.
12. billete largo: well-off, loaded.
13. billullo: money, bucks, moola.
14. boleta: a basic receipt for purchases, which is different from a factura.
15. cartola: bank account statement.
16. chaucha: pocket change, very little, a small amount.
17. cortando: refers to how much money you make.
18. estar pato: to be flat broke.
19. factura: a receipt for business purposes that allows you to recover the Value Added Tax (IVA) paid on any purchase.
20. Gabriela: a 5 thousand peso bill, named for Gabriela Mistral, the person on the bill.
21. gamba: a 100 peso coin or 100 thousand Chilean pesos.
22. Isapre: stands for Instituciones de Salud Previsional, and refers to any of numerous private health care plans.
23. luca: a thousand pesos.
24. mojar: to bribe, grease the palm.
25. palo: a million Chilean pesos.
26. palo verde: a million dollars.
27. plata: moola, cash, money, bucks.
28. quina: 500 Chilean pesos.
29. recortín: a secret payment, like a commission for making something happen.
30. UF: stands for Unidad de Fomento and is an index in Chilean pesos that is used to adjust for inflation for long term debts.
31. UTM: stands for Unidad Tributario Mensual and is an index in Chilean pesos that is used to adjust for inflation for tax reasons and penalties.
32. vale vista: a cashier’s check assured by the bank, that cannot be canceled before you cash it, basically a bank issued check.
Check out these other Chile Spanish Slang Expressions articles.
