Spanish Conversation · Level 15
87 words
Spanish word
tacaño
Pronunciation
IPA/taˈkaɲo/
Meaning
- adjectivestingy
Example
Mi amigo es tacaño y nunca paga la cuenta.
My friend is stingy and never pays the bill.
More examples
No seas tacaño, invita a tus amigos esta vez.
Don't be stingy; invite your friends this time.
Core concept
Tight-fisted hand squeezing a small pile of coins.
Common phrases
ser tacaño
be stingy
muy tacaño
very stingy
comportamiento tacaño
stingy conduct
Similar words
mezquino: Displays petty stinginess and a chilly attitude when asked to help.
agarrado: Very tightfisted about giving money and resists any unnecessary payment.
rácano: Very frugal to the point of being miserly about trivial costs.
avaro: Driven to accumulate money and refuses to spend unless absolutely necessary.
Definition in Spanish
Que por afán de ahorrar o por avaricia restringe el gasto incluso cuando sería apropiado gastar, mostrando tacañería.
Word origin
Formed within Spanish from the taca- root with the suffix -ano, giving an adjective for a miserly person who withholds appropriate spending.
Usage tips
- Watch the ñ: writing tacano loses the palatal sound and looks like an error, and pronouncing it without the ñ can mark nonnative usage.
Other meanings
- misernoun
Opposites
- generosogenerousadjective
- desprendidoopenhandedadjective
Related words
- tacañeríamiserlinessnoun
- tacañamentestingilyadverb