Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lavado de dinero | /laˌbado de diˈneɾo/ | masculine |
| blanqueo de capitales | /blanˌkeo de kapiˈtales/ | masculine |
| lavado dinerario | /labado dineɾaɾjo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| lavado pecuniario | /labado pekunjaɾjo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to the act of obscuring the origin of money that has been obtained illegally. To express the action of laundering money, you can use the verbal phrase lavar dinero.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lavado de dinero is a literal translation of 'money laundering', where lavado means 'washing' and dinero means 'money'.
Which one should you use?
blanqueo de capitales is a more formal and legalistic term that emphasizes capital. If you are referring specifically to the crime itself, you might use delito de blanqueo de capitales.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Lavado de dinero is the most common way to express money laundering in Latin American Spanish. In Spain, blanqueo de capitales is the standard term used in legal and journalistic contexts. In some Latin American countries, blanquear plata might be used. In Mexico, the formal term Operaciones con recursos de procedencia ilícita (ORPI) is used to mean 'operations with illegally obtained resources'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms lavado de dinero, blanqueo de capitales, lavado dinerario and lavado pecuniario are all masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/laˌbado de diˈneɾo/
Did you know?
- The formal term pecuniario is a direct linguistic descendant of the Latin pecūnia, which originally referred to cattle as a form of wealth.
- The term lavado comes from the Latin lavō, the same root that gives English the word 'lavatory'.
- While lavado means 'washing', the term blanqueo literally means 'whitening', reflecting a different metaphor for making dirty money clean.
Examples in context
- El lavado de dinero es un delito grave.Money laundering is a serious crime.
- Están investigando un caso de lavado de dinero.They are investigating a money laundering case.
- Las leyes contra el lavado de dinero han cambiado.The laws against money laundering have changed.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are watching a crime documentary on TV.
- Lucía¿Es difícil detectar el lavado de dinero?Is it difficult to detect money laundering?
- JavierSí, Lucía, es muy complejo.Yes, Lucía, it is very complex.
- LucíaJavier, ¿sabes cómo lo hacen?Javier, do you know how they do it?
- JavierNo lo sé, pero parece sofisticado.I don't know, but it seems sophisticated.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “money laundering” translations and entries lavado de dinero, blanqueo de capitales, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blanqueo, de, dinerario, dinero, lavado, pecuniario, CC BY-SA 4.0.
