plata
everyday, Argentina
In Argentina the everyday word for money is plata. Dinero is the standard word and guita is slang.
Meaning: currency used to pay (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| plata | everyday, Argentina |
| dinero | neutral |
| guita | slang |
Which one should you use?
Dinero sounds a bit more formal and is common in writing. Plata (literally "silver") is what you hear in shops, at home and among friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Argentines also use lucas for thousands of pesos, as in cinco lucas, and mango for a peso in casual speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
Plata is feminine and dinero is masculine: la plata and el dinero.
Did you know?
- Plata comes from the Spanish word for silver, and the River Plate region itself is named after silver.
Examples in context
- No tengo plata.I have no money.
- Necesito sacar plata del cajero.I need to take money out of the ATM.
- Eso cuesta diez lucas.That costs ten thousand pesos.
Example conversation
Matías asks his friend Brenda for help paying at a kiosk in Mar del Plata.
- MatíasBrenda, me quedé sin plata.Brenda, I ran out of money.
- BrendaTranqui, yo pago.No worries, I will pay.
- MatíasGracias. Mañana te devuelvo.Thanks. I will pay you back tomorrow.
