Gastar in English: Meaning, Uses, Conjugation, and Natural Translations
Gastar in English usually means to spend, to use up, to waste, or to wear out, depending on context. It is used for money, time, energy, supplies, and damage from use. The reflexive form gastarse ofte...
Gastar in English: Meaning, Uses, Conjugation, and Natural Translations
Author: Ilyas Baba
TL;DR
Gastar in English usually means to spend, to use up, to waste, or to wear out, depending on context.
It is used for money, time, energy, supplies, and damage from use.
The reflexive form gastarse often means to be spent, to wear out, or to use something up.
The best translation depends on what is being “gasted”: money, resources, effort, or an object.
The quick answer: what does “gastar” mean in English?
The Spanish verb gastar most commonly translates into English as “to spend.” However, it does not always mean spending money. Depending on the sentence, gastar can also mean:
- To spend, usually money, time, or effort
- To use up, for resources such as fuel, water, battery, or supplies
- To waste, when something is spent badly or unnecessarily
- To wear out, when something becomes damaged through use
- To go through, in casual English, especially for large amounts of money or resources
A simple example is:
Gasté mucho dinero.
I spent a lot of money.
But another sentence needs a different English verb:
Este coche gasta mucha gasolina.
This car uses a lot of gas.
Also natural: This car burns a lot of fuel.
And with clothing or objects:
Los zapatos se gastaron rápido.
The shoes wore out quickly.
For learners, the key point is this: gastar does not have one fixed English translation. The natural English version depends on the noun that follows it and the idea behind the sentence.
Main meanings of “gastar in English”
1. Gastar = to spend money
This is the most common and most direct translation.
Spanish:
Ella gastó 50 euros en una chaqueta.
English:
She spent 50 euros on a jacket.
In English, the pattern is usually:
to spend + money + on + thing
Examples:
-
Gasté veinte dólares en comida.
He spent twenty dollars on food. -
No gastes todo tu sueldo.
Do not spend all your salary. -
La empresa gastó demasiado en publicidad.
The company spent too much on advertising.
A frequent learner mistake is translating Spanish structure too literally:
Incorrect: He spent 50 euros in a jacket.
Correct: He spent 50 euros on a jacket.
English uses on for the thing purchased.
2. Gastar = to spend time
Gastar can also refer to time, although pasar is often more common in Spanish for “to spend time.” Still, gastar tiempo appears when the speaker sees time as a resource.
Spanish:
Gastó toda la tarde buscando el documento.
Natural English:
He spent the whole afternoon looking for the document.
Examples:
-
No quiero gastar tiempo en eso.
He does not want to spend time on that. -
Gastaron horas discutiendo.
They spent hours arguing. -
Gasta demasiado tiempo en redes sociales.
She spends too much time on social media.
In English, time follows the same basic idea as money:
to spend + time + on something
to spend + time + doing something
Examples:
- spend time on homework
- spend time learning English
- spend hours reading
3. Gastar = to use up resources
When gastar refers to fuel, electricity, water, battery, paper, ink, or supplies, English often uses use, use up, consume, or burn.
Spanish:
La impresora gasta mucha tinta.
English:
The printer uses a lot of ink.
More examples:
-
Este aire acondicionado gasta mucha electricidad.
This air conditioner uses a lot of electricity. -
El teléfono gasta batería muy rápido.
The phone uses up battery very quickly. -
No gastes toda el agua caliente.
Do not use up all the hot water. -
La moto gasta poca gasolina.
The motorcycle uses very little gas.
In everyday English, consume is possible but sounds more formal or technical:
This machine consumes a lot of energy.
For casual speech, uses a lot of energy is usually more natural.
4. Gastar = to waste
Sometimes gastar has a negative meaning: to spend something badly, unnecessarily, or foolishly. In that case, English often uses waste.
Spanish:
No gastes tu dinero en tonterías.
English:
Do not waste your money on silly things.
More examples:
-
Está gastando su talento.
He is wasting his talent. -
Gastaron recursos en un proyecto inútil.
They wasted resources on a useless project. -
No gastes energía en discutir con él.
Do not waste energy arguing with him.
Context decides whether gastar means neutral spend or negative waste.
Compare:
Gastó 100 euros en libros.
She spent 100 euros on books.
Neutral.
Gastó 100 euros en algo que no necesitaba.
She wasted 100 euros on something she did not need.
Negative.
5. Gastar = to wear out
When gastar refers to physical damage through use, English often uses wear out. In these cases, Spanish often uses the reflexive form gastarse.
Spanish:
Las ruedas se gastaron.
English:
The tires wore out.
Examples:
-
Mis zapatos se gastaron después de un año.
My shoes wore out after a year. -
La batería se ha gastado.
The battery has run down.
Also possible: The battery is dead. -
La suela se gasta con facilidad.
The sole wears out easily. -
El lápiz se gastó.
The pencil got used up.
For clothes, shoes, tires, tools, batteries, and materials, wear out is usually more natural than spend.
Incorrect: The shoes spent quickly.
Correct: The shoes wore out quickly.
Gastar vs. gastarse: what changes?
Spanish has both gastar and gastarse. English learners often need to understand the difference because the translation changes.
Gastar
Gastar often has a subject that spends, uses, or wastes something.
Juan gastó el dinero.
Juan spent the money.
El coche gasta gasolina.
The car uses gas.
Gastarse
Gastarse can mean that something becomes used up, consumed, or worn out. It can also mean someone spends all of something.
Se gastó el dinero.
He spent all the money.
La batería se gastó.
The battery ran down.
Los frenos se gastan con el tiempo.
The brakes wear out over time.
The reflexive form often adds a sense of completion: the money is gone, the battery is empty, the shoes are worn, or the resource has been used up.
Common English translations of “gastar” by context
| Spanish use of “gastar” | Best English translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Money | spend | Gastó mucho. = He spent a lot. |
| Money used badly | waste | Gastó dinero en eso. = He wasted money on that. |
| Time | spend | Gastó dos horas. = She spent two hours. |
| Fuel or energy | use, consume, burn | Gasta gasolina. = It uses gas. |
| Supplies | use up | Gastó todo el papel. = He used up all the paper. |
| Battery | run down, use up | La batería se gastó. = The battery ran down. |
| Clothes or objects | wear out | La chaqueta se gastó. = The jacket wore out. |
| Effort | spend, waste, use | Gastó energía. = She used energy. |
“Gastar” in everyday Spanish phrases
Gastar dinero
Gastar dinero means to spend money.
No le gusta gastar dinero.
He does not like spending money.
If the money is spent foolishly, English may use waste money.
Está gastando dinero en cosas innecesarias.
She is wasting money on unnecessary things.
Gastar tiempo
Gastar tiempo means to spend time or to waste time, depending on tone.
No gastes tiempo en detalles pequeños.
Do not waste time on small details.
Gastó mucho tiempo preparando la presentación.
He spent a lot of time preparing the presentation.
Gastar bromas
This expression is important because it does not translate literally. Gastar una broma means to play a joke or to play a prank.
Le gastaron una broma.
They played a joke on him.
Also: They played a prank on him.
A literal translation such as they spent a joke on him is incorrect.
Gastar malas pulgas
This idiomatic expression means someone is in a bad mood or has a bad temper.
Hoy gasta malas pulgas.
He is in a bad mood today.
Depending on context:
- She is grumpy today.
- He has a bad temper today.
- She is not in a good mood today.
Gastar saliva
This phrase can mean talking too much or wasting words, especially when trying to convince someone.
No gastes saliva.
Do not waste your breath.
Natural English equivalent:
Do not waste your breath. He will not listen.
Conjugation of “gastar” in key tenses
Gastar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugation follows a common Spanish pattern.
Present tense
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yo gasto | I spend, use |
| tú gastas | you spend, use |
| él/ella/usted gasta | he, she, it spends, uses |
| nosotros gastamos | we spend, use |
| vosotros gastáis | you all spend, use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes gastan | they spend, use |
Since the article avoids first-person usage, examples below use third-person forms.
Examples:
-
Ella gasta poco dinero.
She spends little money. -
El motor gasta mucho aceite.
The engine uses a lot of oil. -
Ellos gastan demasiada energía.
They waste too much energy.
Preterite tense
The preterite describes completed actions.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| gasté | spent, used |
| gastaste | spent, used |
| gastó | spent, used |
| gastamos | spent, used |
| gastasteis | spent, used |
| gastaron | spent, used |
Examples:
-
Ella gastó todo su dinero.
She spent all her money. -
La empresa gastó mucho en la campaña.
The company spent a lot on the campaign. -
Los niños gastaron todo el papel.
The children used up all the paper.
Imperfect tense
The imperfect describes habits, background actions, or ongoing past situations.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| gastaba | used to spend, was spending |
| gastabas | used to spend, were spending |
| gastaba | used to spend, was spending |
| gastábamos | used to spend, were spending |
| gastabais | used to spend, were spending |
| gastaban | used to spend, were spending |
Examples:
-
Antes gastaba menos dinero.
He used to spend less money. -
Ese coche gastaba demasiada gasolina.
That car used to use too much gas. -
Ellos gastaban horas en ese juego.
They used to spend hours on that game.
Present perfect
Spanish often uses haber + gastado.
Ha gastado mucho dinero.
She has spent a lot of money.
Se ha gastado la batería.
The battery has run down.
Han gastado todos los recursos.
They have used up all the resources.
Future tense
Gastará menos el próximo mes.
He will spend less next month.
Este sistema gastará menos energía.
This system will use less energy.
Se gastarán los neumáticos si conduce así.
The tires will wear out if he drives like that.
Gastar vs. pasar: spending time
Spanish learners often compare gastar tiempo and pasar tiempo because both can translate as spend time in English.
Pasar tiempo
Pasar tiempo is common when the focus is experience, duration, or being with someone.
Pasó tiempo con su familia.
She spent time with her family.
Pasaron el día en la playa.
They spent the day at the beach.
Gastar tiempo
Gastar tiempo treats time more like a resource. It can sound practical, critical, or negative.
Gastó mucho tiempo en un problema pequeño.
He spent a lot of time on a small problem.
No gastes tiempo en eso.
Do not waste time on that.
A useful rule:
- pasar tiempo = spend time, often neutral or positive
- gastar tiempo = spend or waste time, often resource-focused
Gastar vs. gastar en: using the right preposition
In Spanish, gastar en means to spend on.
Gasta mucho en ropa.
She spends a lot on clothes.
Gastaron dinero en la casa.
They spent money on the house.
English also uses on after spend when naming the thing bought or funded.
Correct English patterns:
- spend money on clothes
- spend money on rent
- spend money on travel
- spend time on a project
When an action follows, English usually uses spend time + -ing:
Gastó dos horas estudiando.
She spent two hours studying.
Not: She spent two hours to study.
English phrasal verbs that translate “gastar”
English often uses phrasal verbs where Spanish uses gastar.
Use up
For supplies or resources:
Gastaron toda la leche.
They used up all the milk.
La máquina gastó todo el papel.
The machine used up all the paper.
Run out of
This translates the idea that someone has no more of something.
Se quedaron sin dinero is more direct for “ran out of money,” but se gastaron el dinero can mean the same result.
Se gastaron todo el dinero.
They ran out of money because they spent it all.
Wear out
For objects damaged by use:
Los neumáticos se gastaron.
The tires wore out.
Burn through
Informal English, often used for money or fuel:
Gastó todos sus ahorros en seis meses.
He burned through all his savings in six months.
This is expressive and casual. It suggests spending quickly.
Typical mistakes when translating “gastar in English”
Mistake 1: Always translating “gastar” as “spend”
Gastar often means spend, but not always.
Incorrect: This car spends a lot of gas.
Correct: This car uses a lot of gas.
Incorrect: My shoes spent.
Correct: My shoes wore out.
Mistake 2: Using the wrong preposition after “spend”
Incorrect: She spent money in clothes.
Correct: She spent money on clothes.
Incorrect: He spent two hours in homework.
Correct: He spent two hours on homework.
Mistake 3: Translating idioms word for word
Incorrect: They spent a joke on him.
Correct: They played a joke on him.
Incorrect: Do not spend saliva.
Correct: Do not waste your breath.
Mistake 4: Missing the negative tone
If the Spanish sentence criticizes the action, English may need waste, not spend.
Está gastando su vida en un trabajo que odia.
He is wasting his life in a job he hates.
The word spending would sound more neutral. Wasting captures the criticism.
Example sentences with “gastar” in English
-
Ella gasta mucho dinero en libros.
She spends a lot of money on books. -
Este coche gasta poca gasolina.
This car uses very little gas. -
No gastes energía en eso.
Do not waste energy on that. -
La batería se gastó durante el viaje.
The battery ran down during the trip. -
Los zapatos se han gastado.
The shoes have worn out. -
Gastaron todo el presupuesto.
They spent the entire budget. -
La impresora gasta demasiada tinta.
The printer uses too much ink. -
Le gastaron una broma a su hermano.
They played a joke on their brother. -
No quiere gastar tiempo en reuniones largas.
He does not want to waste time on long meetings. -
La tela se gasta con los lavados.
The fabric wears out with washing.
How to choose the best English translation
A practical method is to identify the object of gastar.
If the object is money
Use spend or waste.
- Neutral: spend money
- Negative: waste money
- Fast or excessive: burn through money
If the object is time
Use spend time or waste time.
- Neutral: spend time studying
- Negative: waste time arguing
If the object is fuel, energy, electricity, or supplies
Use use, use up, consume, or burn.
- Casual: uses a lot of fuel
- Complete consumption: used up all the paper
- Technical: consumes electricity
If the object is clothing, tires, parts, or materials
Use wear out.
- The tires wore out.
- The soles wore down.
- The fabric wears out quickly.
If the phrase is idiomatic
Translate the idea, not the words.
- gastar una broma = play a joke
- gastar saliva = waste one’s breath
- gastar malas pulgas = be in a bad mood
Pronunciation note: how “gastar” sounds
Gastar is pronounced roughly like:
gahs-TAR
The stress is on the final syllable: -tar.
The Spanish g before a sounds like the English g in go. The a vowels are open and clear, closer to ah than the English vowel in cat. The r at the end may be tapped or lightly pronounced, depending on accent and speaking style.
Learners do not need a perfect accent to be understood. Clear stress and vowel sounds matter more than imitating a specific regional accent.
Practice: translate “gastar” naturally
Try choosing the best English translation for each sentence.
1. El hotel gasta mucha electricidad.
Best translation:
The hotel uses a lot of electricity.
Not: The hotel spends a lot of electricity.
2. Se gastó todo el dinero.
Best translation:
He spent all the money.
Also possible:
He used up all the money.
3. Las ruedas se gastaron.
Best translation:
The tires wore out.
4. No gastes saliva.
Best translation:
Do not waste your breath.
5. Gastó tres horas escribiendo el informe.
Best translation:
She spent three hours writing the report.
Mini-guide for English speakers learning “gastar”
For English speakers learning Spanish, gastar is useful because it covers several English verbs. One Spanish verb can express:
- spend, as in money or time
- use, as in fuel or electricity
- use up, as in supplies
- waste, as in poor use of resources
- wear out, as in shoes or tires
This makes gastar efficient in Spanish but tricky in English translation. English prefers more specific verbs. A good translator or learner does not ask only, “What does gastar mean?” The better question is, “What is being spent, used, wasted, or worn out?”
That question usually leads to the right English verb.
FAQ: “gastar in English”
1. What is the main meaning of “gastar” in English?
The main meaning of gastar in English is to spend, especially when talking about money. For example, gastó dinero means he spent money or she spent money.
2. Can “gastar” mean “to waste”?
Yes. Gastar can mean to waste when the context is negative. No gastes dinero en eso can mean Do not waste money on that.
3. How is “gastar” translated for cars and fuel?
For cars, machines, fuel, and electricity, gastar usually means to use or to consume. Este coche gasta mucha gasolina means This car uses a lot of gas.
4. What does “gastarse” mean?
Gastarse often means to be used up, to wear out, or to spend all of something. La batería se gastó means The battery ran down, while se gastó el dinero means he spent all the money.
5. What does “gastar una broma” mean?
Gastar una broma means to play a joke or to play a prank. It should not be translated literally as spend a joke.
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