es tacaño
/es takaɲo/from spelling rules
To say someone is cheap in Spanish, use es tacaño.
This phrase is used to describe a person who is unwilling to spend money. While the English word 'cheap' can sometimes refer to the low quality of an object, tacaño specifically refers to a person's stingy character regarding money.
Which one should you use?
The form es tacaño is used to say 'he is cheap' or 'he is stingy.'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use the informal term Rata to call someone a 'rat,' which carries a strong negative connotation. Another informal expression is Codo/Coda, which means 'tight-fisted.' In colloquial speech, the phrase es un agarrado is a common way to call someone a cheapskate.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the terms Agarrado/Agarrada are used colloquially to describe someone who is cheap or stingy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending to 'a' to agree with a female subject, such as in es tacaña (she is cheap). To refer to a group of people, use the plural form son tacaños (they are cheap).
How do you pronounce it?
/es takaɲo/
Did you know?
- The slang term codo literally means 'elbow'. It implies that a stingy person keeps their arms folded tightly to avoid opening their hand to pay.
- The word tacaño may have surprising origins in Hebrew, potentially deriving from the word takaná, which refers to a religious ordinance or rule.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone tacaño is seen as a character flaw, but being ahorrador is praised as the virtue of being a 'saver'.
Examples in context
- Javier es tacaño, nunca invita a nadie a cenar.Javier is stingy, he never invites anyone for dinner.
- ¡No seas rata y invita algo!Don't be cheap and treat us to something!
- Tu hermana es muy coda, nunca quiere gastar en nada.Your sister is really tight-fisted, she never wants to spend money on anything.
- Julieta es re agarrada, nunca quiere pagar su parte.Julieta is so cheap, she never wants to pay her share.
- Él es tacaño con sus amigos.He is cheap with his friends.
- No compres eso, él es tacaño.Don't buy that, he is cheap.
- Mi jefe es tacaño con los aumentos.My boss is cheap with raises.
Example conversation
María and Javier are discussing a mutual acquaintance at a cafe.
- María¿Por qué no invitó a nadie a su fiesta?Why didn't he invite anyone to his party?
- JavierPorque él es tacaño.Because he is cheap.
- MaríaEs una pena, es un hombre muy bueno.It's a shame, he is a very good man.
- JavierSí, pero no quiere gastar dinero.Yes, but he doesn't want to spend money.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, tacaño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
