Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bonificación | /bonifikaˈθjon/ /bonifikaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| prima | /ˈpɾima/ | feminine |
| sobresueldo | /sobɾeˈsweldo/ | masculine |
| plus | /ˈplus/ | masculine |
| bonus | /ˈbonus/ | masculine |
In Spanish, several words can represent an extra amount of money given as a premium. While bonificación is a common term, it is also very frequently used to mean a discount or a reduction in price. In professional or business environments, prima is often used to refer to a performance bonus or an insurance premium. To describe a literal extra payment or overtime pay, use sobresueldo. The word plus is used colloquially in many Spanish-speaking contexts to refer to an added benefit or an extra advantage.
What does it mean word for word?
The word sobresueldo is a compound of sobre (over/extra) and sueldo (salary), which literally means 'extra salary'.
Which one should you use?
Choose your word based on the specific context: use bonificación for a financial bonus or discount, prima for a professional bonus or an insurance premium and sobresueldo for extra pay or overtime. The word plus is more informal and implies an added advantage.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word premio is occasionally used informally to refer to a bonus.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bonificación is feminine and must be preceded by feminine articles like la or una. The noun sobresueldo is masculine and must be preceded by masculine articles like el or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/bonifikaˈθjon/
Did you know?
- The word prima is a homonym in Spanish, meaning it can refer to a bonus payment or to a female first cousin.
- In certain legal or labor contexts, prima can specifically refer to the 'prima de riesgo', which is the risk premium paid to workers in dangerous jobs.
- The term prima comes from the Latin word prīma, which means 'first'.
Examples in context
- Recibí un plus este mesI received a bonus this month
- Nuestro trabajo duro fue recompensado con un bono este año.Our hard work was rewarded with a bonus this year.
- Mis padres me dieron un regalo adicional por mi graduación.My parents gave me an extra gift for my graduation.
- Juan recibió una paga extra por el trabajo realizado durante el fin de semana.Juan received a bonus for the work he did over the weekend.
- La bonificación de este mes es muy alta.This month's bonus is very high.
- Recibí una bonificación por llegar temprano.I received a bonus for arriving early.
- Es una bonificación por excelente desempeño.It is a bonus for excellent performance.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking about their monthly payroll at work.
- Mateo¿Ya recibiste tu bonificación, María?Have you received your bonus yet, María?
- MaríaSí, la bonificación ya está en mi cuenta.Yes, the bonus is already in my account.
- MateoQué bueno, yo también espero la mía.That's good, I am also waiting for mine.
- MaríaEspero que sea una buena bonificación para ti también.I hope it is a good bonus for you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bonus” translations and entries bonificación, prima, sobresueldo, plus, bonus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonificación, plus, prima, sobresueldo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
