soy pobre
/soi pobɾe/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I am poor' is translated into Spanish as soy pobre.
soy pobre is a statement used to say that a person has very little money.
Which one should you use?
soy pobre describes a permanent condition or identity. In contrast, estoy pobre would imply a temporary state of having no money at the moment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Estoy pelado is an informal phrase used in Latin America. In Spain, the phrase Estoy sin blanca is commonly used to say you are broke.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word pobre is often used as an exclamation of pity, like 'poor thing', regardless of the person's actual financial status.
- The expression estoy sin blanca used in Spain refers to 'blanca', a small silver coin used in the past.
- In Latin America, a person might more colloquially say estoy pelado, which literally means 'I am peeled'.
Examples in context
- ¿Y si soy pobre?What if I am poor?This sentence is useful for asking 'What if I am poor?' using soy pobre.Tatoeba #2114338 by Shishir, translation #318531 by CM
- Soy pobre.I am poor.This sentence is useful for stating 'I am poor' using soy pobre.Tatoeba #454613 by Shishir, translation #8398135 by Amastan
- Discúlpeme, señor, pero soy pobre y no puedo permitirme comprar eso.Excuse me, sir, but I am poor and cannot afford to buy that.
- No puedo salir esta noche, estoy en la ruina.I can't go out tonight, I'm broke.
- No puedo comprarte un regalo, no tengo ni un duro en el bolsillo.I can't buy you a gift, I don't have a penny in my pocket.
- Chicos, no puedo pagar la cena hoy, estoy pelado.Guys, I can't pay for dinner today, I'm broke.
- Lo siento, no puedo invitarte a la fiesta, estoy sin blanca.I'm sorry, I can't invite you to the party, I'm broke.
- No puedo comprar ese coche porque soy pobre.I cannot buy that car because I am poor.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing their travel budget.
- JavierNo tengo dinero para un hotel de lujo.I don't have money for a luxury hotel.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, yo también soy pobre.Don't worry, I am poor too.
- JavierEntonces, buscaremos un hostal barato.Then, we will look for a cheap hostel.
- ElenaEs una buena idea para ahorrar.It is a good idea to save money.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
