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English Money Vocabulary: Verbs and Phrases for A2-B1 Learners

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English money vocabulary at A2-B1 is mostly short verbs and phrases. You probably know "money", "bank" and "price" already. The hard part is the small words around them: pay back, run out of, cut back on.

This guide groups the most useful ones by situation, with an example sentence for each. Use it for shopping, eating out, borrowing and talking about your budget.

TL;DR:

  • Learn money words by situation (shopping, restaurants, borrowing, saving), not as one long list.
  • Watch the small word after the verb: "pay back" and "pay off" mean different things.
  • "Borrow" and "lend" go in opposite directions. Mixing them up is a very common mistake.
  • Many everyday money idioms are officially higher level (B2 and above) but you will hear them early, so learn to recognise them.
  • Practise with a fill-in-the-blank sentence, not just a translation.

Levels below are from Cambridge Dictionary, which marks words with their English Vocabulary Profile level. "Idiom" means a common phrase with no level given there.

What are the most useful English money verbs?

Start with the verbs you will use every week.

Verb Level Example
pay (for) A1 Can I pay for the tickets by card?
spend A2 I spend too much on coffee.
save (up) A2 She is saving up for a new phone.
borrow A2 Can I borrow ten pounds?
lend A2 I can lend you ten pounds.
pay back B1 I'll pay you back on Friday.
owe B1 I owe my brother fifty euros.
afford B1 We can't afford a new car this year.
run out of B1 We always run out of money before the end of the month.
waste B1 Don't waste your money on things you don't need.

How do you talk about shopping and prices in English?

In shops, you mostly need to say whether something is a good price or a bad one.

A2-B1 words:

  • discount (A2) – a lower price. "Students get a 10% discount."
  • receipt (A2) – the paper that proves you paid. "Keep the receipt in case it doesn't fit."
  • change (A2) – the money you get back. "Here's your change."
  • bargain (B1) – something much cheaper than usual. "These shoes were only ten euros — a real bargain."
  • second-hand (B1) – used before. "We bought a second-hand bike."
  • refund (B1) – money given back. "It was broken, so I asked for a refund."

Phrases you will hear (higher level):

  • rip-off (informal) – much too expensive. "Five pounds for a small bottle of water is a rip-off."
  • cost a fortune (idiom) – cost a lot. "A flat in the city centre can cost a fortune."
  • shop around (idiom) – compare prices first. "Shop around before you buy a laptop."

How do you split the bill and tip in English?

Restaurant money English is short and polite.

  • the bill (A2) – what you pay at the end. "Could we have the bill, please?"
  • tip (B1) – extra money for good service. "We left a ten percent tip."
  • split the bill (split: B2) – share the cost. "Shall we split the bill?"
  • on the house (idiom) – free, paid for by the restaurant. "The dessert was on the house."
  • chip in (C2) – each person gives some money. "We all chipped in for Maria's present."
  • pick up the tab (idiom) – pay for everyone. "Don't worry, I'll pick up the tab tonight."

How do you describe saving and spending habits?

At B1 you start talking about your habits and plans with money. These phrases are very common, even though most are officially B2 or higher.

Phrase Level Example
put aside B2 He puts aside some money every month.
cut back (on) B2 We're cutting back on eating out.
stick to a budget budget: B2 It's hard to stick to a budget when friends want to go out.
make ends meet C1 With two jobs she can barely make ends meet.
splash out (on) C2 We splashed out on a nice dinner for our anniversary.
money is tight idiom We can't go on holiday this year; money is tight.

What is the difference between borrow, lend and owe?

These three cause the most confusion. Look at the direction of the money:

  • You borrow money from someone: "Can I borrow ten pounds from you?"
  • You lend money to someone: "I can lend you ten pounds."
  • You owe money to someone: "I owe my sister fifty euros."

When you give the money back, you pay the person back. If you take a big loan, you may get into debt. When you have paid all of it, you have paid off the debt (B2).

Which money words describe people?

  • generous (B1) – happy to give or share money. "My aunt is very generous."
  • mean (B2, mainly British) – not willing to spend or share. "He's too mean to buy anyone a drink."
  • stingy (informal) – the same idea as "mean".
  • broke (informal) – having no money right now. "I can't come out tonight. I'm broke until payday."

How many money words should you learn?

You don't need all of them at once. Pick 8-10 from the situation you meet most often, and learn them with example sentences.

How many new words to learn per day helps you choose a pace. The B1 flashcard study plan shows how money fits into a four-week routine.

Talking about money at work? Business English vocabulary covers the professional side.

Practise English money vocabulary

Reading a list once makes words feel familiar, but not memorable. Short sessions spread over several days work better — that is the idea behind spaced repetition.