How do you say “Make ends meet” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is Llegar a fin de mes, which literally means “To arrive at end of month”. English speakers use make ends meet to mean to earn just enough money to pay for basic living expenses. A familiar money expression for having enough to cover expenses. It uses the monthly budget as its image even when someone is paid on a different schedule. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
Llegar a fin de mes
/ʝeˈɡaɾ a fin de mes/
- Literal meaning
- “To arrive at end of month”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
96 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
English joins two ends together. Spanish imagines reaching the end of the month with the bills covered.
Both suggest a limited budget, especially with “apenas” or “a duras penas”. The Spanish can refer to money lasting long enough, not just to how much someone earns.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in Spanish?
Cubrir los gastos
Literally: “To cover the expenses”
Neutral wording for having enough money to pay necessary costs.
Salir adelante
Literally: “To go out ahead”
Broader: getting by or overcoming difficulty, not only paying bills.
Common translation traps
Hacer que los extremos se encuentren
This describes bringing physical ends together and does not convey managing a budget.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in Spanish.
In context
English
With the rent increase, it’s hard to make ends meet.
Spanish
Con la subida del alquiler, cuesta llegar a fin de mes.
English
They both work to make ends meet.
Spanish
Los dos trabajan para llegar a fin de mes.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-13