deuda
/ˈdeuda/feminine
The English word debt is deuda in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists adeudo and dita.
Meaning: money that one person or entity owes or is required to pay to another (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| deuda | /ˈdeuda/ | feminine |
| adeudo | /aˈdeudo/ | masculine |
| dita | /ˈdita/ | feminine |
| jarana | /xaˈɾana/ | feminine |
deuda is used to describe money that one person or entity owes or is required to pay to another. The phrase estar en deuda can describe a financial debt or the feeling of being in one's debt due to a sense of gratitude. If you want to say someone is penniless, you can use the idiom estar a dos velas.
Which one should you use?
deuda is the standard and most common word for both financial and moral debt. In contrast, adeudo is a formal term often used in accounting or formal financial contexts to refer specifically to the amount or balance owed.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word pasivo can be used to refer to debt or liabilities within a technical context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of deuda is deudas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdeuda/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the word jarana can refer to a debt or a way of cheating, which stems from its roots in indigenous languages like Quechua.
- The term pasivo is used in Spain to describe debts within a technical or accounting framework, referring to a company's liabilities.
Examples in context
- Estoy libre de deudas.I am free of debt.This sentence is useful for saying you have no debt using deuda.Tatoeba #1336565 by hayastan, translation #249916 by Zifre
- Estoy en deuda contigo.I am in your debt.This sentence is useful for saying you owe someone a debt using deuda.Tatoeba #1614507 by marcelostockle, translation #1582094 by Spamster
- Tengo una deuda con él.I owe him a debt.This sentence is useful for saying you owe a debt to a person using deuda.Tatoeba #2112011 by teskmon, translation #249978 by CK
- María está tratando de pagar su deuda lo más pronto posible.María is trying to pay her debt as soon as possible.
- La empresa tiene una gran obligación con sus acreedores.The company has a significant debt with its creditors.
- Juan ha estado en números rojos desde que perdió su trabajo.Juan has been in debt since he lost his job.
- Ana tiene muchas deudas debido a sus constantes gastos innecesarios.Ana has a lot of debt due to her constant unnecessary expenses.
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a bank loan at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Cuál es la deuda total?What is the total debt?
- MateoLa deuda es muy grande.The debt is very large.
- LucíaMateo, ¿podemos pagar la deuda hoy?Mateo, can we pay the debt today?
- MateoNo, Lucía, no tenemos dinero.No, Lucía, we don't have any money.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “debt” translations and entries deuda, adeudo, dita, jarana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adeudo, deuda, jarana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
