Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Dollars in Spanish
Dólares · noun · DOH-lah-res
The Spanish word for dollars is dólares, the plural form of dólar. This term is used throughout the Spanish-speaking world when referring to US dollars or other dollar currencies.
DOH-lah-res
Este teléfono cuesta trescientos dólares.
This phone costs three hundred dollars.
Dollars in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for dollars, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| dólares | dollars | DOH-lah-res | Default, widely understood |
| plata | dollars | Latin America | |
| lana | dollars | Mexico | |
| billete | dollars | General |
How Native Speakers Use Dólares
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Asking a price
¿Cuántos dólares cuesta el boleto de avión a Miami?
How many dollars does the plane ticket to Miami cost?
Inquiring about the price of something in dollars.
Currency exchange
Necesito cambiar euros a dólares antes de viajar a Estados Unidos.
I need to exchange euros for dollars before traveling to the United States.
Discussing currency exchange at a bank or exchange office.
Saving money
He ahorrado quinientos dólares para comprar una bicicleta nueva.
I have saved five hundred dollars to buy a new bicycle.
Talking about saving a specific amount of money.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Dólares
Forgetting the accent on dólar
Incorrect: Me prestó cincuenta dolares.
Correct: Me prestó cincuenta dólares.
The word dólares carries a written accent on the first o. Omitting it is a spelling error, though the pronunciation remains the same in casual speech.
Using singular dólar for plural amounts
Incorrect: El libro cuesta veinte dólar.
Correct: El libro cuesta veinte dólares.
When referring to more than one dollar, Spanish requires the plural form dólares, just as English uses dollars for amounts greater than one.
Lock in Dollars Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Dólares used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using dólares in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Este teléfono cuesta trescientos dólares. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Dollars in Spanish
- What are some slang words for money in Spanish?
- Common slang terms include plata (silver, widely used in Latin America), lana (wool, popular in Mexico), and pasta or pelas (used in Spain). These are informal and refer to money in general, not specifically dollars.
- How do I say one dollar in Spanish?
- One dollar is un dólar. For amounts greater than one, use dólares. For example, five dollars is cinco dólares.
- Do all Spanish-speaking countries use the word dólares?
- Yes, dólares is universally understood. Countries like Ecuador, El Salvador, and Panama actually use the US dollar as their official currency, so the term is used daily in those nations.