verb

gastar

spend

Usar dinero, tiempo u otros recursos para conseguir algo o para hacer una actividad.

Definition & meaning

The verb gastar primarily refers to the act of using up resources, typically money or energy. It can be categorized into several nuanced meanings:

To spend money: This is the most common usage, referring to paying for goods or services.
To consume or wear out: Referring to the gradual depletion of a substance, such as fuel, or the physical deterioration of an object due to use, such as clothing or tools.
To waste: In some contexts, it refers to using something in a useless or excessive way, squandering time or resources.
To have or exhibit: Colloquially, especially in certain Spanish-speaking regions, it can mean to possess or display a certain characteristic or object (e.g., "gastar mal genio").

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

gastar is a regular -ar verb.
It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object (e.g., "Gastar dinero" - to spend money).

Word origin:

The word originates from the Old Occitan gastar, which in turn comes from the Latin vastare, meaning "to devastate" or "to lay waste." Over time, the meaning evolved from destruction to the act of consuming or using up.