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"Gastar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to spend", and "regatear" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to haggle". Learn more about the difference between "gastar" and "regatear" below.
gastar(
gahs
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to expend)
2. (to consume)
a. to wear out
Los niños gastan las suelas de los zapatos en muy poco tiempo.Children wear out the soles of their shoes in no time at all.
b. to wear down
Dina gastó los tacones de sus zapatos bailando en el festival.Dina wore down the heels on her shoes dancing in the festival.
5. (colloquial) (to use on the body) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
gastarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to run out
Se te gastarán las pilas en seguida si no bajas el volumen.Your batteries will run out in no time if you don't turn the volume down.
a. to wear out
Como es la camisa que más me pongo, ya se gastó el cuello.As it’s the shirt I wear the most, the collar already wore out.
b. to wear down
¡Qué raro! Solo se gastó el tacón de la bota derecha.How weird! Only the heel on the right boot wore down.
10. (to squander)
a. to waste
No te gastes el tiempo tratando de convencerlo; está decidido en no esforzarse nada.Don't waste your time trying to convince him; he's determined not to make any effort.
11. (colloquial) (to exhibit) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. to have
Roberto se gasta un genio; por eso tiene tan pocos amigos.Roberto has an awful temper; that's why he has so few friends.
regatear(
rreh
-
gah
-
teh
-
ahr
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
1. (to barter)
a. to haggle
Tienes que regatear para conseguir un buen precio.You need to haggle to get a good price.
b. to bargain
Tuve que regatear un rato largo con el vendedor hasta que nos pusimos de acuerdo.I had to bargain for a while with the salesman until we finally agreed.
2. (nautical)
a. to race
Decenas de veleros regatearon desde el puerto de Mar del Plata ayer a la mañana.Dozens of sailboats raced from Mar del Plata harbor yesterday morning.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to spare
Los concursantes no regatearon esfuerzos en la lucha por el gran premio.The contestants spared no effort in fighting for the grand prize.
4. (to elude)
a. to dodge
El conductor pudo regatear el otro vehículo al último segundo.The driver was able to dodge the other vehicle at the last second.
a. to deny
No regateo que ella tiene una inteligencia superior.I won't deny that she has superior intelligence.
6. (to barter)
a. to haggle over
Si no regateas la mercancía, pagarás demasiado.If you don't haggle over the merchandise, you will overpay.
b. to bargain over
Regateé el precio del coche hasta que conseguí lo que quería.I bargained over the price of the car until I got what I wanted.
7. (sport)
a. to dribble past
El delantero argentino regateó al defensa y marcó el segundo gol de su equipo.The Argentine forward dribbled past the defender and scored the second goal for his team.
