pasivo
/paˈsibo/
The Spanish word for liabilities is pasivo.
In a financial and accounting context, pasivo is used to refer to debts or obligations.
Meaning: money (noun)
Which one should you use?
In accounting, pasivo (liability) is the opposite of activo (asset).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the term adeudos is used to refer to liabilities.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pasivo is pasivos.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈsibo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish slang, particularly in some Latin American countries, pasivo is used as a specific term to describe a role in LGBTQ+ relationships.
- In Spanish, the opposite of a financial liability is not just an 'asset' but activo, the same word used to describe a volcano that is currently erupting.
- In some legal contexts, a person might be described as having responsabilidad civil, which is the legal way to describe being 'liable'.
Examples in context
- Los pasivos de la empresa se están reduciendoThe company's liabilities are decreasing.
- La empresa tiene muchas obligacionesThe company has many liabilities.
- Tengo muchas deudas que pagarI have a lot of liabilities to pay.
- Las cargas financieras son una preocupación constanteFinancial liabilities are a constant concern.
- Estoy lidiando con muchos adeudos en mi negocioI am dealing with a lot of liabilities in my business.
- Las empresas deben tener en cuenta todos sus pasivos antes de tomar decisiones financieras importantes.Companies must consider all their liabilities before making significant financial decisions.
- Todavía tengo algunas deudas pendientes de mi último proyecto empresarial.I still have some outstanding debts from my last business project.
- El pasivo de la empresa es muy alto.The company's liabilities are very high.
- Debemos reducir el pasivo este año.We must reduce the liabilities this year.
- Ese pasivo incluye varios préstamos bancarios.That liability includes several bank loans.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are reviewing a financial report.
- JavierElena, mira los activos en este balance.Elena, look at the assets in this balance sheet.
- ElenaSí, pero el pasivo también ha crecido.Yes, but the liabilities have also grown.
- Javier¿Cómo podemos pagar todo ese pasivo?How can we pay all those liabilities?
- ElenaNecesitamos un plan de pagos urgente.We need an urgent payment plan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pasivo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
