Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salario | /saˈlaɾjo/ | masculine |
| sueldo | /ˈsweldo/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to a fixed amount of money paid on a monthly or annual basis. The phrase salario mínimo is the standard way to refer to the 'minimum wage' in most Spanish-speaking countries. You may also encounter the verb salariar.
Which one should you use?
While salario and sueldo are often used interchangeably, sueldo is more commonly used to refer to a fixed, regular amount paid to an employee. In contrast, salario can sometimes imply a payment based on work performed or a more technical economic term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, both sueldo and salario are commonly used to refer to a salary.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of salario is salarios and the plural form of sueldo is sueldos. Both words are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈlaɾjo/
Did you know?
- The word salario is derived from the Latin word for 'salt', as Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt or given an allowance to buy it.
Examples in context
- Tiene un buen salario.He earns a good salary.This sentence uses salario to describe earning a good salary.Tatoeba #5138375 by don_ramon, translation #288945 by CK
- Su salario es muy alto.Her salary is very high.This sentence uses salario to describe a very high salary.Tatoeba #1593320 by teskmon, translation #372443 by ilayde
- Mi salario es muy bajo.My salary is very low.This sentence uses salario to describe a very low salary.Tatoeba #5515190 by baudelaire, translation #5515389 by Mar1L
- ¿Cuál es su sueldo?What is your salary?
- Espero una justa remuneraciónI expect a fair salary.
- ¿Cuánto es tu sueldito?How much is your salary?
- ¡Vaya sueldazo tienes!Wow, you have a great salary!
- Mi sueldo es de 2000 euros al mes.My salary is 2000 euros per month.
- ¿Podría decirme cuánto es el salario para este puesto?Could you please tell me the salary for this position?
- Me gustaría negociar un mejor sueldo.I would like to negotiate a better salary.
- No estoy satisfecho con mi remuneración actual.I am not satisfied with my current remuneration.
- ¿Cuánto te pagan en tu nuevo trabajo?How much are you being paid in your new job?
- Es increíble, ¡tienes un sueldazo!It's incredible, you have a great salary!
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are discussing a job offer at a cafe.
- LucíaJavier, ¿sabes cuánto es el salario mensual?Javier, do you know how much the monthly salary is?
- JavierNo estoy seguro, pero es un salario competitivo.I am not sure, but it is a competitive salary.
- LucíaEspero que sea suficiente para vivir bien.I hope it is enough to live well.
- JavierSeguro que sí, Lucía.I am sure it is, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salary” translations and entries salario, sueldo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salario, sueldo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
