Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pensión alimenticia | /pensjon alimentiθja/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /pensjon alimentisja/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| manutención | /manutenˈθjon/ /manutenˈsjon/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a court-enforced allowance. While pensión alimenticia can be used to describe alimony for a spouse, it is also the most common way to refer to child support. To say 'to pay alimony', you can use the phrase pagar la pensión alimenticia.
What does it mean word for word?
The term pensión alimenticia literally translates to 'alimentary pension' or 'food-related pension'.
Which one should you use?
Pensión alimenticia is used for both alimony and child support, whereas manutención is a shorter, more colloquial way to refer to either alimony or child support payments.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some countries, such as Spain, the term pensión compensatoria is used to refer specifically to alimony provided as compensation for a spouse after a divorce.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both pensión alimenticia and manutención are feminine nouns and require feminine articles such as la or una.
Did you know?
- The word pensión in pensión alimenticia shares an ancient root with the English word 'pendulum'. They both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'hanging' or 'weighing', which relates to the idea of a weight or a fixed measure.
- In many Spanish-speaking legal systems, pensión alimenticia is not just for divorcees but can be demanded by adult children who are still studying.
- The root of manutención comes from mano, meaning 'hand', and tener, meaning 'to hold'.
Examples in context
- Mi abogado está luchando por una pensión alimenticia justa.My lawyer is fighting for fair alimony.
- La pensión alimenticia es obligatoria por ley.Alimony is mandatory by law.
- Ella solicita una pensión alimenticia para sus hijos.She is requesting alimony for her children.
- El juez determinó el monto de la pensión alimenticia.The judge determined the amount of the alimony.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing legal matters at a cafe.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿ya pagaste la pensión alimenticia?Daniel, have you paid the alimony yet?
- DanielNo, todavía no he revisado los documentos.No, I haven't checked the documents yet.
- LucíaEs muy importante cumplir con la pensión alimenticia.It is very important to comply with the alimony.
- DanielLo sé, lo haré mañana mismo.I know, I will do it first thing tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alimony” translations and entries manutención, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries manutención, pensión, CC BY-SA 4.0.
