dar cambio
/daɾ kambjo/from spelling rules
To make change (in the sense of returning excess money to a customer) in Spanish is dar cambio.
To give back the money owed to a customer who paid with a larger bill than the price.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb dar (to give) and the noun cambio (change).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use hacer cambio (a literal translation of 'make change') instead of the idiomatic dar cambio.
Did you know?
- The word cambio is used for both the coins returned to a customer and the official exchange rate between different currencies.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to leave the cambio as a tip for small services, such as a quick taxi ride. This is often signaled by a gesture or by simply saying quédese con el cambio.
- A currency exchange office is commonly referred to as a casa de cambio, using the same noun used for making change in a shop.
Examples in context
- Necesitamos realizar un cambio en nuestra estrategia de marketingWe need to make a change in our marketing strategy
- Voy a cambiar algo en mi sala de estarI'm going to make a change in my living room
- ¿Puede darme cambio, por favor?Can you give me change, please?
- No puedo dar cambio ahora.I cannot make change right now.
- ¿Puede dar cambio de un billete de cincuenta?Can you make change for a fifty bill?
- Tengo que dar cambio al cliente.I have to make change for the customer.
Example conversation
At a small grocery store during a transaction.
- AlejandroSon diez euros, por favor.It is ten euros, please.
- SofíaTengo un billete de veinte. ¿Puede dar cambio?I have a twenty bill. Can you make change?
- AlejandroSí, aquí tiene su cambio.Yes, here is your change.
- SofíaMuchas gracias, Alejandro.Thank you very much, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
