saldar
Lemma Details
Translation: to settle; to pay off; to balance; to clear; to liquidate
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from 'saldo' (balance, remainder), which comes from Italian 'saldo' (firm, solid, balance), ultimately from Latin 'solidus' (solid, whole, complete). The English word 'solid' shares this Latin root. The semantic evolution reflects how settling accounts makes them 'solid' or complete. The financial meaning developed in Italian mercantile language during the Renaissance and was adopted into Spanish.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 40%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Necesito saldar mi deuda con el banco.
I need to pay off my debt with the bank.
La empresa saldó todas sus cuentas pendientes.
The company settled all its outstanding accounts.
Vamos a saldar cuentas al final del mes.
We're going to balance the accounts at the end of the month.
Después de años, por fin saldaron sus diferencias.
After years, they finally settled their differences.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'saldar' as making your accounts 'solid' (from the Latin root 'solidus').
- Associate with 'saldo' (balance) - 'saldar' is what you do to a 'saldo'.
- Remember the phrase 'sale done' which sounds a bit like 'saldar' and implies completing a transaction.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in financial and business contexts in Spanish-speaking countries. The concept of 'saldar cuentas' can also be used metaphorically to refer to resolving personal issues or grudges between people.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Saldar' means to settle or pay off (especially debts), while 'soldar' means to weld or solder materials together.
Confused word:
El técnico necesita soldar las piezas de metal.
The technician needs to weld the metal pieces.
Notes: Both verbs are regular -ar verbs but operate in completely different contexts: financial vs. mechanical.
Mnemonic: 'Saldar' has an 'a' like 'pay', while 'soldar' has an 'o' like 'join'.
Explanation: 'Saldar' refers to settling accounts or debts, while 'saludar' means to greet or say hello to someone.
Notes: The extra 'u' in 'saludar' changes the meaning completely from financial to social context.
Mnemonic: 'Saludar' contains 'salud' (health) - you wish good health when greeting someone.