Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Broke in Spanish: Sin Dinero or Rompió
Sin dinero · adjective · seen dee-NEH-roh
Broke in Spanish has two meanings: sin dinero or quebrado for having no money, and rompió for the past tense of to break.
Sin dinero is seen dee-NEH-roh, with the stress on the second syllable of dinero.
Estoy sin dinero hasta que me paguen el viernes.
I'm broke until I get paid on Friday.
Broke in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for broke, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| sin dinero | broke | seen dee-NEH-roh | Default, widely understood |
| rompió | broke | past tense of to break | |
| quebrado | broke | Latin America (no money) |
How Native Speakers Use Sin dinero
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
No money (informal)
No puedo salir esta noche, estoy completamente quebrado.
I can't go out tonight, I'm completely broke.
Quebrado is colloquial for penniless.
Past tense of break
El niño rompió el vaso sin querer.
The boy broke the glass accidentally.
Rompió is the preterite of romper.
Slang expression
Ando bien pelado, no me queda ni un centavo.
I'm totally broke, I don't have a single cent left.
Pelado is Mexican slang for broke.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Sin dinero
Using roto for no money
Incorrect: Estoy roto. (meaning broke/no money)
Correct: Estoy sin dinero.
Roto means broken (physically) in most dialects; use sin dinero or quebrado for having no money.
Confusing broke meanings
Incorrect: Rompí el banco. (meaning I'm broke)
Correct: Estoy en bancarrota.
Romper el banco is a literal translation from English that doesn't work; use estar en bancarrota for bankruptcy.
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See Sin dinero used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Broke in Spanish
- How do you say broke in Spanish?
- For having no money, use sin dinero (universal), quebrado (Latin America), or estar pelado (Mexican slang); for breaking something, use rompió.
- What is the difference between rompió and quebró?
- Rompió (from romper) means broke/shattered something, while quebró (from quebrar) can mean broke financially or physically cracked—quebrado is common for being penniless.
- How do you say I'm broke in a casual way?
- Colloquial options include estoy quebrado, no tengo un centavo, ando pelado (Mexico), or estoy sin blanca (Spain).