Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| asignación | /asiɡnaˈθjon/ /asiɡnaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| mesada | /meˈsada/ | feminine |
| acostamiento | /akostamjento/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| franquicia | /fɾanˈkiθja/ /fɾanˈkisja/ |
feminine |
The word 'allowance' is used to describe an amount that is granted, but the Spanish translation changes based on whether you are talking about a formal allocation, pocket money, a technical limit or a subsidy. For example, asignación de viaje means travel allowance and subsidio gubernamental refers to a government allowance. In academic or research settings, you may use estipendio to describe an allowance.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the specific type of allowance. Use asignación for general or official allocations and grants. Use mesada specifically when referring to pocket money given to a child or teenager. Use franquicia in technical contexts where 'allowance' refers to a permitted limit or entitlement, such as a baggage allowance. While asignación is general, estipendio is common in professional or academic environments and subsidio is used for financial assistance like a government allowance.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and Central America, the term mesada is frequently used to refer to an allowance.
How does it change in a sentence?
Asignación is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles such as la or una.
How do you pronounce it?
/asiɡnaˈθjon/
Did you know?
- While franquicia translates to 'allowance' in the context of baggage limits, it is the exact same word used for a business 'franchise'.
- In some linguistic traditions, mesada is derived from mesa, meaning 'table'. This refers to the practice of placing money on a table for someone to collect.
- The word estipendio is used for an academic or professional allowance, but in a religious context, it specifically refers to the fee paid to a priest for a service.
Examples in context
- asignación mensualMonthly allowanceThis example shows how to say 'monthly allowance' using asignación.
- franquicia de equipajeBaggage allowanceThis example demonstrates the use of franquicia for a 'baggage allowance'.
- ¿Cuándo recibiré mi paga?When will I get my allowance?
- La asignación para gastos de viaje es insuficiente.The allowance for travel expenses is insufficient.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing their company's benefits.
- AlejandroElena, ¿ya recibiste tu asignación de transporte?Elena, did you already receive your transport allowance?
- ElenaSí, Alejandro, me llegó ayer al banco.Yes, Alejandro, it arrived in my bank account yesterday.
- AlejandroQué bien, la asignación es muy generosa este año.That's great, the allowance is very generous this year.
- ElenaEs verdad, nos ayudará mucho con los gastos.It's true, it will help us a lot with the expenses.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “allowance” translations and entries asignación, mesada, acostamiento, franquicia, 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 asignación, mesada, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
