Challenge - Money Terms, Phrases, Expressions
Have you ever noticed how many references to water or liquid are used in English when we discuss money?
For example: He has no liquid assets.
I want to see how many others we can come up with. I also would like to know if there are corresponding terms in Spanish.
For those of you learning English, you might want to pay attention, because they probably wouldn't ordinarily make sense to someone who hadn't heard them used repeatedly.
I've already given the first one.
He has no liquid assets. El está ilíquido.
23 Answers
El dinero abajo el desagüe.
Money down the drain.
(To lose or waste money.)
Corrections appreciated. 
Swimming in the money. (Eminem & Kanye)
You don't want to be "under water." (drowning in debt)
During a credit crunch like this one, you do want to be "liquid." (with adequate cash reserves)
You don't want to have your "assets frozen." (have the bank seize their collateral)
During a real estate market in which prices are rising, they say, "All boats rise with the tide." (meaning you don't have to be smart to make money, you just have to have to be invested)
Money laundering.
drowning in debt
ahogando en deuda
Can you float me a small loan?
¿Puede flotarme un poco de dinero? ¿Puede prestarme un poco de dinero?
How about the phrase "awash in red ink" meaning "in debt"?
Cold hard cash.
Water can be cold (frío) Water can be hard.(dureza)
No, I mean things like cashflow. Water flows.
I've got loads of dough. Now, I know dough isn't a liquid, but it is gelatinous, not quite solid. I really couldn't think of any direct references to water or liquid.
Do you have some liquid soap I could use?
Tienes un poco de jabón líquido que pueda usar?
The money began to trickle in
A million dollars is just a drop in the bucket to him.
When the bank cancelled his line of credit, his liquidity dried up, and his business folded. Liquidity is the life blood of a business.
When the bank cancelled his line of credit, he had no readily available funds to transact business, and his business folded. Readily available funds are the determining factor to the success of a business.
When his major tenant moved to another building, he lost an important rent stream, and his business suffered. In fact, he was under water until he found a new tenant. Once the new tenant started to pay rent, he was able to right the ship.
When his major tenant moved to another building, he lost an important source of income, and his business suffered. In fact, his expenses exceeded his income until he found a new tenant. Once the new tenant started to pay rent, his income was adequate to meet his expenses.
The business has sufficient reserves to stay afloat for six more months. El negocio tiene reservas suficientes para mantenerse a flote por seis meses más.
