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Lesson 203 of 238

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Money's tight in Spanish

Everyone has a month when the money just doesn't stretch.

Today Justin is at Ben's fruit stall, and he has to say it out loud: he's short, some things he can cover, and the rest will have to wait.

You'll learn to talk about a tight month without making it a big speech, and even how to ask for a better price.

Ben listens, keeps it quiet, and knocks a little off. That's how it works at the mercado.

By the end of this lesson

Say you're short this month, what you can afford, and what can wait.

  • Ando cortoI'm short on money
  • Me alcanza para ___I can cover ___
  • No me alcanza para ___I can't cover ___
  • Lo dejo para despuésI'll leave it for later
  • ¿Me haces un precio?Can you do me a better price?
  • Este mes está pesadoThis month is tight

Scene — Ben's stall

Saturday morning at the mercado. Ben's fruit stall is piled high: tomatoes, avocados, apples.

Justin stands at the crate of tomatoes, counting bills in his head. He'd rather not say it loudly.

A busy daytime market stall piled with tomatoes, avocados and apples, with a vendor behind it, Justin at the tomato crate, and Yako beside him on two chairs.

Learn — short this month

Six short lines for one honest conversation: say you're short, what you can cover, what can't wait, what can.

Notice how ando corto says it lightly, without drama.

  1. Justin leans close to the vendor and quietly says he is short on money, holding a few bills.

    Ando corto

    I'm short on money

    When to use it: Say this to admit, casually, that money is short right now.

    Ando literally means I'm walking around, so this is a light, everyday way to say it.

    Say it: Ahn-doh KOHR-toh

  2. Justin points at the tomatoes and tells the vendor he can cover those, holding out his bills.

    Me alcanza para ___

    I can cover ___

    When to use it: Say this when your money does cover one thing.

    Alcanzar means to reach, so your money reaches for the tomatoes.

  3. Justin shakes his head at the avocados, telling the vendor he cannot cover those.

    No me alcanza para ___

    I can't cover ___

    When to use it: Say this when your money doesn't cover something.

    Same pattern as lesson 17's No me alcanza, now naming the thing that won't fit.

  4. Justin waves off the apples politely, saying he will leave them for later.

    Lo dejo para después

    I'll leave it for later

    When to use it: Say this to put something off until you have the money.

    Lo is it, so you're leaving it for later.

  5. Justin leans over the tomatoes with a hopeful smile, asking the vendor for a better price.

    ¿Me haces un precio?

    Can you do me a better price?

    When to use it: Say this to ask a vendor friend for a small discount.

    Haces is tú form, so save this for a vendor you know.

    Say it: AH-sehs — the c before e sounds like s in Mexico.

  6. Justin sighs with a tired smile and says this month is tight, while the vendor hands him the tomato bag.

    Este mes está pesado

    This month is tight

    When to use it: Say this to explain that this month, money is heavy going.

    Pesado literally means heavy; here it means a rough, expensive month.

Story — a quiet deal

Watch how Justin sorts out what he can cover and what can wait, all in a low voice.

The highlighted lines are today's. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Saturday morning at the mercado. Ben's stall is busy.
  2. Ben¡Buenos días, Justin! ¿Qué te doy hoy?Good morning, Justin! What can I get you today?
  3. JustinBuenos días. Este mes está pesado.Good morning. This month is tight.
  4. Ben¿Nada grave, espero?Nothing serious, I hope?
  5. JustinNo, tranqui. Solo que ando corto.No, it's fine. It's just that I'm short on money.
  6. Justin lowers his voice and points at the crate of tomatoes.
  7. JustinMe alcanza para los tomates.I can cover the tomatoes.
  8. JustinPero no me alcanza para el aguacate.But I can't cover the avocado.
  9. Ben¿Y las manzanas? Están buenísimas.And the apples? They're really good.
  10. JustinLo dejo para después.I'll leave it for later.
  11. Justin leans in a little closer.
  12. JustinOye, Ben... ¿me haces un precio?Hey, Ben... can you do me a better price?
  13. BenEntre nosotros... te bajo cinco pesos.Just between us... I'll knock five pesos off.
  14. JustinMe lo llevo. Gracias, Ben.I'll take it. Thanks, Ben.
  15. BenPara servirte. La próxima, sin pena.At your service. Next time, no embarrassment.

Practice — what can wait

Ten quick exercises: listen, pick, match, build and swap your way through a tight month.

By the end, saying the money doesn't stretch will feel natural, not embarrassing.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Ando cortoDrop the English here
    Lo dejo para despuésDrop the English here
    ¿Me haces un precio?Drop the English here
    Me lo llevoDrop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  3. Fill the gap

    I'll leave it for later

    Lo dejo para ____

  4. What do you say?

    It's the end of the month and everything cost more than you planned. You want to explain, lightly.

  5. What do you say?

    Ben asks if your money covers everything on the counter. It doesn't — the avocado alone would clean you out.

  6. What does it mean?

    ¿Hay algún descuento?

  7. What did you hear?

  8. What do you say?

    Ben is holding the tomatoes you asked for. Your money does cover them.

  9. Build the line

    I'm short on money

    Tap the words in order.

  10. What do you say?

    You want the tomatoes, but fifty pesos is too much. Ask Ben, a vendor you know, for a better price.

Say it — at the stall

Now you're Justin at the stall, and Ben knows you well enough to be kind about it.

Tap the microphone when it's your turn, and ▶ first if you want the model. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Ben¡Qué gusto verte, Justin! ¿Qué te doy?Good to see you, Justin! What can I get you?
  2. Justin (you)Explain that this month has been rough on your wallet.

    Este mes está pesado

    This month is tight

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Ando cortoI'm short on money
Me alcanza para ___I can cover ___
No me alcanza para ___I can't cover ___
Lo dejo para despuésI'll leave it for later
¿Me haces un precio?Can you do me a better price?
Este mes está pesadoThis month is tight
Next: lesson 204How people do it here

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these tight-month lines handy with the Yak Cards for this lesson and practice them anywhere.

One quick round a day makes saying you're short feel easy instead of awkward.

Open Yak Cards