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Uruguayan Spanish Banking Vocabulary

Posted on March 21, 2007
Filed Under Vocabulary, Banking | 1 Comment

In order to facilitate in the process of dealing with banks in Uruguay, I painstakingly collected all the information I could related to banking from Uruguayan sites. Below is a list of the terms I found relevant. Some of the more complex concepts have a full explanation next to them.

Useful banking vocabulary

Abonar – To pay, especially an installment. In some contexts to deposit.
Abrir una cuenta – Open an account
Al portador – To the bearer
Anverso – Front (of a check)
Caja de ahorros – Savings account
Caja de seguridad – Safety deposit box
Cámara de clearing – Check clearing location: Montevideo, Canelones, Interior
Cheque certificado – Certified check (the banks certifies that when written, funds were available)
Cheque con provisión garantizada – Certified check in which the bank puts the funds in escrow
Cheque cruzado – It is equivalent to For deposit only in the US. The check writer draws two parallel lines on the left top corner, may have the word banco between the lines.
Cheque de pago diferido – Post dated check to be cashed no earlier than stipulated. In order to be valid the following words MUST appear on the check: “Cheque de pago diferido” and in front of the date the words: “Páguese desde el”
Cheque devuelto – Returned check (if it does not conform to rules for whatever reason)
Cheques en moneda extranjera – Check in foreign currency. Only available to non-residents or to companies that deal with dollars regularly
Cheque fechado – Dated check
Cheque para abono en cuenta – When the expression “Para abono en cuenta” is written on the top left corner of the check, it can only be deposited to an account at the same bank as the bank of check issuer .
Cheque rechazado – Bounced check
Clausura de la cuenta - Close the account
Clearing – Check clearing, takes 24h for Montevideo, 48 h for Canelones and 72 h elsewhere
Cobrar - To collect, in a different context also to charge a price for something
Cobrar un cheque – To cash a check
Cuenta abierta - Opened account
Cuenta clausurada – Closed account
Cuenta suspendida – Suspended account. An account can be suspended for six months if you bounce a check and fail to pay it within 5 days after being notified.
Cuotas mensuales - Monthly installments
Depositar - To deposit
Depósitos a Plazo Fijo - Fixed term investments, CDs
Deuda - Debt
Devuelto por falta de fondos - Returned due to insufficient funds. If you deposit a check given to you and it is returned due to lack of funds, it will be available at your local branch. The check issuer must contact you to retrieve the check upon payment to you. The check issuer must present the bounced check to his bank as proof that it has been paid. The issuer has five days from the date of notification to present the check, or the account will be suspended for six months. Yikes!
Devuelto por fecha vencida – Returned due to expired date. Regular checks are valid for 15 days from the date they are written (120 days for checks in USD). Deferred checks are valid for 15 days from the post date due date, but not more than 180 days.
Dinero - Money
Dorso – Back (or a check)
Efectivo – Cash
Endosar un cheque – To endorse a check. The signature on the back allows someone else to cash the check.
En efectivo – In cash
En moneda nacional – In pesos
Enviar dinero - Send money
Falta de Fondos – Lack of funds
Fecha - Date
Firma - Signature
Firmante - Signer
Firmar – Sign
Fondos – Funds
Girar dinero – Send money
Giro – Transfer (of funds)
Giro bancario – Bank transfer
Giro en descobierto - Overdraft
Hipoteca - Mortgage
Importe – Amount
Interés - Interest
Letra de cambio – Cashier’s check
Librador – The one writing the check
Librar un cheque – To write or issue a check
Libretas de cheques – Check book
Movimientos - Transactions
Nombre del titular – Name of account holder
Número de la cuenta corriente – Account number
Número de orden – Check number
Pago - Payment
Portador – Bearer
Préstamos - Loans
Prestamista - Lender
Prestatario - Borrower
Provisión de fondos – Availability of funds
Realizar un giro – Send money, transfer money
Rechazo de cheque postdatado – Bouncing of post-dated checks. Post dated checks are only allowed under the form of cheque diferido.
Retirar - To withdraw
Sacar - To withdraw
Saldar - To settle (a debt)
Saldo - Balance
Talon, Talonario – Check-stub
Tarjeta de crédito - Credit card
Tasa - Rate
Tasa de interés - Interest rate
Tasa efectiva - Actual rate, yield

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• Uruguayan Mate Custom
• Marijuana Legal Status in Uruguay
• Types of Cheeses Made in Uruguay
• Things to Consider Before Hiring Household Help
• Uruguayan Knife Sharpener
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