sin dinero
/sin dineɾo/from spelling rules
The phrase 'no money' in Spanish is translated as sin dinero.
sin dinero is used to express the state of being without money. To say 'I have no money', you can use No tengo dinero. For more formal situations, you might say No cuento con recursos económicos (I don't have economic resources) or Me encuentro en una situación económica difícil (I am in a difficult economic situation).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition sin (without) and the noun dinero (money).
Which one should you use?
While sin dinero is a literal way to say one is without money, the expression sin blanca is a more idiomatic and colloquial way to say one is completely broke or penniless.
How does it change in a sentence?
While sin dinero means 'without money', English speakers often mistakenly use it to translate the direct sentence 'I have no money'. The standard way to express the verb-based sentence 'I have no money' is no tengo dinero.
How do you pronounce it?
/sin dineɾo/
Did you know?
- While sin dinero is literal, Spanish speakers often use the phrase estar a dos velas to describe being broke, literally meaning 'to be with two candles'.
- In various Latin American countries, people use the word plata for money, which literally translates to 'silver'.
- The word dinero is related to the number ten, as the original Latin denarius was worth ten asses.
Examples in context
- Dan dejó a Linda sin dinero.Dan left Linda with no money.This sentence shows how to use sin dinero to describe someone left without money.Tatoeba #4381424 by pchamorro, translation #3991312 by Amastan
- Estoy sin dinero.I have no money.This sentence uses sin dinero to express the state of having no money.Tatoeba #1248423 by Shishir, translation #433613 by CK
- Sin dinero, sin trabajo, sin amigos. Verdaderamente no tenía nada que hacer.No money, no job, no friends. He was truly at loose ends.This sentence uses sin dinero as part of a list describing someone's lack of resources.Tatoeba #5084133 by diegohn, translation #18572 by Zifre
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- Daniel¿Quieres ir a cenar fuera esta noche?Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?
- ElenaLo siento, Daniel, pero estoy sin dinero.I am sorry, Daniel, but I am without money.
- DanielNo te preocupes, yo puedo pagar.Don't worry, I can pay.
- ElenaEres muy amable, muchas gracias.You are very kind, thank you very much.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
