As you travel in Spanish-speaking countries, chances are you'll use your Spanish most often in dealing one way or another with monetary transactions. Whether you're exchanging money, eating out or making arrangements for a place to stay, chances are you'll have to pay in some way. Here are some of the most common terms you'll run across:
ATM — el cajero automático
balance (of an account)— el saldo
bank — el banco
bill (printed currency) — el billete
cash only — sólo pagar en efectivo, sólo pago
change — el cambio; the verb form is cambiar
check — el cheque
coin — la moneda
commission — la comisión
credit card — la tarjeta de crédito
debit card — la tarjeta de débito
expensive — caro/cara
exchange office — la casa de cambio
exchange rate — el tipo de cambio
inexpensive — barato/barata, económico/económica
loan — el préstamo; the verb form is prestar
money — el dinero, la plata (colloquial), la lana (colloquial)
money transfer — la transferencia de fondos, el giro de dinero
national or local currency (as to distinguish from U.S. dollars or other foreign currency, which may be commonly used in some tourism-dominated areas) — la moneda nacional
(to) sign — firmar
tip (gratuity) — la propina
traveler's check — el cheque de viajero, el cheque de viaje
withdrawal (from an account) — el retiro
