Banking Terms in Spanish — Accounts, Transactions and Phrases for the Bank

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Key takeaways

Core banking vocabulary: el banco (bank), la cuenta (account), el saldo (balance), el cajero automático (ATM).

Account types: la cuenta corriente (checking account), la cuenta de ahorros (savings account).

Transactions: el depósito (deposit), el retiro (withdrawal — Latin America), la transferencia (transfer).

Regional note: withdrawal is el retiro (Latin America) vs el reintegro / la retirada (Spain).

Key phrase: "Quisiera abrir una cuenta" (I would like to open an account).

You're moving to a Spanish-speaking country and need to open a bank account — but you don't know the difference between cuenta corriente and cuenta de ahorros. Or you're at an ATM in Mexico and the screen shows options you can't quite parse. Or you need to discuss a mortgage in Spanish and realize you have no idea how to say "interest rate" or "monthly payment." You can flexible Spanish course through step-by-step lessons built for real progress.

Banking vocabulary is high-stakes practical Spanish. Unlike most vocabulary categories, getting it wrong in a financial context can have real consequences — wrong account type, misunderstood fees, or a transaction gone in the wrong direction. And like many practical vocabulary sets, it comes with significant regional variation.

This guide covers account types, transaction vocabulary, ATM phrases, cards and payments, loans and mortgages, and the practical phrases you need to navigate a Spanish-speaking bank.

Core banking vocabulary

Spanish	English	Example
el banco	bank	Necesito ir al banco esta tarde. — I need to go to the bank this afternoon.
la sucursal	bank branch	La sucursal más cercana está a dos kilómetros. — The nearest branch is two kilometers away.
el cajero / el cajero automático	teller / ATM (literally "automatic cashier")	El cajero automático está fuera de servicio. — The ATM is out of service.
el dinero / el efectivo	money / cash	No tengo efectivo — ¿aceptan tarjeta? — I don't have cash — do you accept card?
el saldo	balance	Consulté el saldo antes de hacer la compra. — I checked the balance before making the purchase.
el estado de cuenta	bank statement	Necesito el estado de cuenta del último mes. — I need last month's bank statement.
el número de cuenta	account number	¿Cuál es su número de cuenta? — What is your account number?
el PIN / el NIP	PIN (Spain / Mexico)	Ingrese su NIP para continuar. — Enter your PIN to continue.

Account types in Spanish

Spanish	English	Notes
la cuenta corriente	checking account / current account	Universal — most common everyday account
la cuenta de ahorros	savings account	Latin America standard term
la cuenta de ahorro	savings account	Spain variant (singular ahorro)
la cuenta conjunta / la cuenta mancomunada	joint account	Universal
la cuenta empresarial	business account	Universal
la cuenta de depósito a plazo / el plazo fijo	fixed-term deposit / CD	Plazo fijo (Latin America) / depósito a plazo (Spain)

Transactions and operations

Spanish	English	Regional notes
el depósito / el ingreso	deposit (Latin America / Spain)	Depósito (LA) / ingreso (Spain)
el retiro / el reintegro / la retirada	withdrawal (Latin America / Spain)	Retiro (LA) / reintegro or retirada (Spain)
la transferencia	transfer	Universal
el giro	wire transfer / money order	Universal — also used for remittances
el cheque	check / cheque	Universal
el pago	payment	Universal
el cargo / el cobro	charge / fee	Cargo (debit from account) / cobro (fee charged)
el abono	credit / payment into account	Universal — also means "subscription" in other contexts

Language note: In Spanish banking, el cargo and el abono are the two sides of any transaction. Un cargo is a debit — money going out of your account. Un abono is a credit — money coming in. On bank statements, you'll see these columns: cargos (debits) and abonos (credits). This is different from crédito/débito on cards — for cards, it refers to the card type, not the direction of money.

Cards and digital payments

Spanish	English	Example
la tarjeta de crédito	credit card	¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta de crédito? — Can I pay with credit card?
la tarjeta de débito	debit card	Prefiero pagar con tarjeta de débito. — I prefer to pay with debit card.
la fecha de vencimiento	expiration date	La tarjeta tiene fecha de vencimiento en diciembre. — The card expires in December.
el límite de crédito	credit limit	Mi límite de crédito es de dos mil euros. — My credit limit is two thousand euros.
el pago sin contacto / el pago NFC	contactless payment	El pago sin contacto es más rápido. — Contactless payment is faster.
la banca en línea / la banca digital	online banking / digital banking	Gestiono todo desde la banca en línea. — I manage everything through online banking.

Loans, mortgages and interest

Spanish	English	Example
el préstamo	loan	Solicité un préstamo personal en el banco. — I applied for a personal loan at the bank.
la hipoteca	mortgage	Firmamos la hipoteca del apartamento. — We signed the mortgage for the apartment.
el tipo de interés / la tasa de interés	interest rate (Spain / Latin America)	¿Cuál es el tipo de interés del préstamo? — What is the interest rate on the loan?
la cuota / la cuota mensual	installment / monthly payment	La cuota mensual es de 500 euros. — The monthly payment is 500 euros.
el plazo	term / period (of a loan)	El préstamo tiene un plazo de cinco años. — The loan has a five-year term.
la garantía / el aval	collateral / guarantee	El banco pide una garantía para aprobar el préstamo. — The bank requires collateral to approve the loan.
la amortización	amortization	El cuadro de amortización muestra cada pago. — The amortization table shows each payment.

At the bank — practical phrases

Opening and managing an account:

Quisiera abrir una cuenta corriente. — I would like to open a checking account.
¿Qué documentos necesito para abrir una cuenta? — What documents do I need to open an account?
Quiero consultar mi saldo. — I want to check my balance.
¿Cuáles son las comisiones de esta cuenta? — What are the fees for this account?

Transactions:

Quiero depositar este dinero. — I want to deposit this money.
Necesito hacer una transferencia a esta cuenta. — I need to make a transfer to this account.
¿Cuánto tarda la transferencia? — How long does the transfer take?
Se hizo un cargo que no reconozco. — A charge was made that I don't recognize.

Loans and mortgage inquiries:

Quisiera información sobre préstamos personales. — I would like information about personal loans.
¿Cuál es la tasa de interés actual? — What is the current interest rate?
¿Puedo pagar la hipoteca por adelantado? — Can I pay off the mortgage early?

Problems and emergencies:

Perdí mi tarjeta — necesito bloquearla. — I lost my card — I need to block it.
Alguien hizo cargos no autorizados en mi cuenta. — Someone made unauthorized charges on my account.
El cajero se tragó mi tarjeta. — The ATM swallowed my card.

How to learn banking Spanish efficiently

Open or use a bank account in Spanish: If you live in or visit a Spanish-speaking country, do your banking in Spanish — your account interface, app, and bank visits all become vocabulary practice.
Learn cargo vs abono: These two terms appear on every bank statement — understanding the debit/credit distinction is the key to reading any Spanish bank document.
Know the regional terms for withdrawal: Before visiting a specific country, check whether they use retiro or reintegro — the ATM screen will match the local preference.
Practice the opening phrases: Quisiera abrir una cuenta and ¿Cuáles son las comisiones? are the two most practically important sentences for any banking situation.
Use AI conversation practice: Apps like Promova offer practical scenario practice — banking, travel, and everyday life conversations where financial vocabulary appears naturally.

Summary

Banking Spanish centers on accounts (cuenta corriente for checking, cuenta de ahorros for savings), transactions (depósito, retiro, transferencia), and the key debit/credit distinction: cargo (money out) vs abono (money in).

Regional variation: withdrawal is retiro in Latin America and reintegro / retirada in Spain. Interest rate is tipo de interés (Spain) or tasa de interés (Latin America). PIN is PIN in Spain and NIP in Mexico.

The most important banking phrases: Quisiera abrir una cuenta (I'd like to open an account), Perdí mi tarjeta — necesito bloquearla (I lost my card — I need to block it), and Se hizo un cargo que no reconozco (A charge was made that I don't recognize). Know these before you need them.

FAQ

What are the basic banking terms in Spanish?

Basic banking terms in Spanish: el banco (bank), la cuenta (account), el dinero (money), la tarjeta de crédito (credit card), la tarjeta de débito (debit card), el cajero automático (ATM), el depósito (deposit), el retiro/la retirada (withdrawal), la transferencia (transfer), el cheque (check/cheque), el saldo (balance), el estado de cuenta (bank statement), el préstamo (loan), and el interés (interest).

How do you say "checking account" and "savings account" in Spanish?

"Checking account" in Spanish is la cuenta corriente — universal across Spanish-speaking countries. "Savings account" is la cuenta de ahorros (Latin America) or la cuenta de ahorro (Spain — singular). Example: Quiero abrir una cuenta corriente (I want to open a checking account). A joint account is una cuenta conjunta or una cuenta mancomunada. A business account is una cuenta empresarial or una cuenta de empresa.

What are ATM phrases in Spanish?

ATM phrases in Spanish: el cajero automático (ATM — literally "automatic cashier"), Insertar/introducir la tarjeta (insert your card), Ingresar el PIN (enter your PIN), Retirar dinero / Hacer un retiro (withdraw money), Consultar el saldo (check balance), Sacar efectivo (take out cash — informal), ¿Cuánto desea retirar? (How much do you want to withdraw?), El cajero no tiene fondos (The ATM is out of cash).

How do you say "I want to open an account" in Spanish?

To say "I want to open an account" in Spanish: Quiero abrir una cuenta (I want to open an account). More formally: Quisiera abrir una cuenta corriente/de ahorros (I would like to open a checking/savings account). Related phrases: Necesito información sobre sus cuentas (I need information about your accounts), ¿Qué documentos necesito para abrir una cuenta? (What documents do I need to open an account?), Tengo una cita con el gerente (I have an appointment with the manager).

What is the difference between retiro and retirada in Spanish?

Both retiro and retirada mean withdrawal, but they reflect regional variation. El retiro is the standard term in Latin America — used at ATMs, in banking conversations, and on official documents. La retirada is more common in Spain, though el reintegro is also frequently used in Spanish banking. On Spanish ATM screens and banking apps, you'll often see Retirar efectivo (withdraw cash) as the button label. All three terms are understood across Spanish-speaking countries.

How do you talk about loans and mortgages in Spanish?

Loan and mortgage vocabulary in Spanish: el préstamo (loan — general), el crédito (credit/loan), la hipoteca (mortgage — from Greek "hypotheke"), el préstamo hipotecario (mortgage loan), el tipo de interés / la tasa de interés (interest rate — Spain / Latin America), la cuota mensual (monthly payment), el plazo (term/period), la garantía (collateral/guarantee), la amortización (amortization), el avalista / el fiador (guarantor), la entidad bancaria (banking institution). Phrases: Solicitar un préstamo (to apply for a loan), ¿Cuál es el tipo de interés? (What is the interest rate?)