Spanish word of the day: Cambio

What does cambio mean?

Cambio (masculine noun) — The money returned when a payment exceeds the required amount, commonly used when receiving coins or bills back after a transaction.

The term varies regionally with some Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina and Chile using "vuelto" instead.

Example sentences with cambio

• ¿Tienes cambio de un billete de cien dólares?
  💵 Do you have change for a hundred-dollar bill?

• ¿Podría darme cambio de un dólar?
  🪙 Could you give me change for a dollar?

• No me queda cambio para ese billete, ¿tienes alguna moneda?
  👛 I don’t have any change for that bill, do you have any coins?

The word cambio is commonly used with the verb “tener” (to have). If you need to remember how to conjugate “tener”, our conjugation tables can help!

Cambio in context

It's important to note that while "cambio" is widely understood, some countries have their own preferred terms. For instance, in Argentina and Chile, you're more likely to hear "vuelto" for change from a purchase. Another nuance is that "cambio" can refer to both the physical money returned and the act of exchanging currency. So, "casa de cambio" means currency exchange office. The phrase "tipo de cambio" specifically refers to exchange rates between currencies.

In some contexts, asking for "tener cambio" might imply you're looking to break a large bill, not necessarily make a purchase. It's also worth mentioning that in many Spanish-speaking countries, it's common to round up prices, so you might hear "quédese con el cambio" (keep the change) as a form of tipping. Understanding these nuances can help navigate financial interactions more smoothly in Spanish-speaking environments.