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B2 verb #2,000 más común 14 min de lectura

affordable

Top 2,000

When you are learning English at the A1 level, the word affordable is very important for shopping and talking about money. Affordable means that something does not cost too much money. It means you have enough money in your pocket or in your bank to buy it. For example, if you have ten dollars and a sandwich costs five dollars, the sandwich is affordable. You can buy it easily. If a car costs one million dollars, it is not affordable for most people. We use this word to talk about things we need every day. You can say, 'This shirt is affordable.' You can say, 'I want to find an affordable hotel for my holiday.' It is a very good word to use when you want to say something is a good price. It is better than saying 'cheap' because sometimes 'cheap' means bad quality. Affordable means the price is good and the quality is okay. You will see this word in shops, on the internet, and in advertisements. When a shop wants you to buy their things, they will say their things are affordable. Remember, affordable is an adjective. It describes a noun. You put it before the noun, like 'affordable food', or after the verb 'to be', like 'The food is affordable'. Practice using this word when you go to the supermarket or when you look at prices online. It will help you talk about your budget and what you can buy. Understanding this word helps you navigate daily life, ask for better prices, and understand when someone is offering you a good deal. It is one of the most useful words for managing your money in an English-speaking environment.

At the A2 level, you can understand that affordable is an adjective used to describe things that are reasonably priced. When something is affordable, it means that ordinary people can pay for it without losing all their money. It is a very common word in daily life, especially when talking about living expenses, shopping, and travel. For example, when you move to a new city, you need to find an affordable apartment. This means the rent is not too high for your salary. If you want to buy a new computer, you might look for an affordable laptop that has good features but does not cost a fortune. The word affordable is very positive. It shows that you are happy with the price. You can use it to give advice to your friends. If your friend wants to eat out, you can say, 'I know an affordable restaurant near here.' You can also use it with words like 'very' or 'quite' to make your meaning stronger. For instance, 'The bus tickets are very affordable.' The opposite of affordable is unaffordable or expensive. If something is unaffordable, you do not have enough money for it. Learning to use affordable correctly helps you sound more natural when discussing money, plans, and purchases. It is a step up from just saying 'cheap' or 'not expensive', showing that you understand the value of money and how to describe prices in a polite and accurate way. You will hear this word often in commercials on TV and radio, where companies try to show that their products are the best choice for your wallet.

At the B1 intermediate level, your understanding of affordable expands to include broader contexts beyond simple daily purchases. Affordable describes products, services, or living conditions that are priced at a level that the average person can manage financially. It implies a balance between cost and your available budget. You will frequently encounter this word in discussions about housing, healthcare, and education. For example, a major topic in many countries is the lack of affordable housing in big cities, meaning that average workers cannot find apartments they can pay for with their salaries. You might also read articles about the need for affordable healthcare so that everyone can visit a doctor when they are sick. In professional and academic settings, affordable is used to discuss solutions to economic problems. When you are planning a project or a trip, you must ensure that the costs remain affordable. You can use comparative forms like 'more affordable' and 'most affordable' to compare options. 'Taking the train is more affordable than flying.' It is important to distinguish affordable from its synonyms. While 'cheap' simply means low cost (and sometimes low quality), affordable means reasonably priced and within one's financial means, carrying a much more positive and respectful tone. Using affordable shows that you can discuss financial matters with nuance, evaluating whether a price is fair and accessible rather than just looking at the absolute number. It is a key vocabulary word for expressing opinions on social issues, planning budgets, and analyzing consumer choices in a more detailed and mature way.

At the B2 upper-intermediate level, affordable is recognized as a versatile and essential adjective used to articulate concepts of financial accessibility, economic policy, and consumer value. It goes beyond personal budgeting to encompass societal and market-driven contexts. When you describe something as affordable, you are making a relative assessment based on average income levels, market norms, and perceived value. In business and marketing, affordable is strategically used to position products for the mass market, appealing to cost-conscious consumers without degrading the brand's perceived quality. You will frequently use and encounter collocations such as 'highly affordable', 'affordable rates', 'affordable alternatives', and 'affordable housing initiatives'. In discussions regarding public policy, affordability is a central theme. Debates often center on how governments can provide affordable public transport, affordable childcare, or affordable higher education. At this level, you should be comfortable using affordable in complex sentence structures, such as, 'Despite the economic downturn, the company managed to keep its core product line highly affordable for its loyal customer base.' You should also be adept at using its antonym, 'unaffordable', to critique market conditions, e.g., 'The real estate market has become completely unaffordable for first-time buyers.' Understanding the subtle distinction between 'affordable' (within financial means), 'cost-effective' (providing good value for the money spent), and 'economical' (using resources carefully) is crucial for precise communication in professional and academic writing. Mastering this word allows you to participate fluently in sophisticated conversations about economics, social equity, and strategic business planning, demonstrating a clear grasp of how financial terminology applies to real-world scenarios.

At the C1 advanced level, affordability is understood as a multifaceted socioeconomic construct that dictates market accessibility and influences public policy on a macro scale. The adjective affordable is employed not merely to describe a price tag, but to analyze the intersection of wage stagnation, inflation, and cost of living. In advanced discourse, you will utilize affordable to critique systemic economic issues. For instance, you might analyze how gentrification eradicates affordable housing, thereby displacing marginalized communities. In corporate strategy, you would discuss how achieving economies of scale allows a multinational corporation to offer affordable solutions in emerging markets, thereby driving market penetration. The usage of affordable at this level is highly nuanced, often requiring context to define whose perspective of affordability is being considered. What is affordable to a dual-income household may be prohibitive to a single parent. Therefore, phrases like 'universally affordable' or 'affordable for the median income bracket' are common in academic and professional texts to provide necessary precision. You are expected to seamlessly integrate affordable into complex arguments, utilizing it alongside advanced vocabulary such as 'subsidize', 'cost-prohibitive', 'disposable income', and 'socioeconomic disparity'. Furthermore, you will recognize the rhetorical power of the word in political rhetoric, where 'making life more affordable' is a ubiquitous campaign promise designed to resonate with the electorate's financial anxieties. Your mastery of affordable at the C1 level demonstrates your ability to navigate complex economic texts, articulate sophisticated financial arguments, and understand the profound societal implications of pricing and accessibility.

At the C2 proficient level, your command of the word affordable reflects a comprehensive mastery of its economic, sociopolitical, and psychological dimensions. You recognize that affordability is a highly relative and elastic concept, deeply intertwined with macroeconomic indicators such as purchasing power parity, inflation indices, and real wage growth. In high-level academic writing or expert professional discourse, you employ affordable to dissect complex market dynamics and policy interventions. You might author a paper examining the efficacy of government subsidies in rendering renewable energy technologies affordable for developing nations, or analyze the long-term socioeconomic ramifications of an increasingly unaffordable urban real estate market. At this level of proficiency, you are acutely aware of the semantic satiation and rhetorical manipulation surrounding the word in marketing and political spheres, where affordable is frequently deployed as a nebulous buzzword to mask underlying structural inequities or inferior product quality. You effortlessly navigate the subtle semantic gradients between affordable, cost-effective, viable, and accessible, selecting the precise term demanded by the rigorous standards of academic or executive communication. Your usage demonstrates an implicit understanding that affordability is not merely a static attribute of a product or service, but a dynamic relationship between market forces and consumer financial capacity. You can deconstruct arguments centered on affordability, challenging underlying assumptions about income distribution and cost structures, thereby utilizing the vocabulary not just to describe reality, but to critically analyze and challenge the economic paradigms that define it.

Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

affordable en 30 segundos

Reasonably priced and accessible.
Within one's financial budget.
Not overly expensive or costly.
Offers good value for money.

The term affordable is an adjective used to describe items, services, or properties that are priced reasonably enough that a typical person or a specific demographic can purchase them without experiencing significant financial hardship. Understanding the concept of affordability is crucial in modern economics, personal finance, and consumer behavior. When we say something is affordable, we are inherently making a relative judgment based on income levels, market averages, and the perceived value of the item in question. For instance, what is affordable to a high-income earner might be entirely out of reach for someone earning a minimum wage. However, in general commercial and societal contexts, affordable implies a price point that is accessible to the broad middle class or the target audience of a product. This concept extends far beyond simple retail purchases; it is a foundational element in discussions about housing, healthcare, education, and transportation. In the realm of real estate, affordable housing refers to residential units that are priced below the market rate, specifically designed to be accessible to low- and middle-income families. This is a critical socioeconomic issue in many major cities worldwide, where the cost of living frequently outpaces wage growth. Similarly, in healthcare, access to affordable medical treatments and insurance is a major political and social topic, as it directly impacts the quality of life and longevity of a population.

Economic Perspective: From an economic standpoint, affordability is the intersection of consumer purchasing power and market pricing, dictating supply and demand dynamics.

Furthermore, the psychological aspect of affordability cannot be ignored. Consumers often experience a sense of relief and satisfaction when they find a product that meets their needs without draining their bank accounts. This emotional response is heavily leveraged by marketers and advertisers who frequently use the word affordable as a buzzword to attract budget-conscious shoppers.

The new smartphone is highly affordable for students.

When evaluating whether something is affordable, individuals typically assess their disposable income, which is the money left over after paying for essential living expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries. If purchasing an item requires dipping into savings or taking on high-interest debt, it is generally not considered affordable.

Personal Finance: In personal finance, an affordable expense is one that fits comfortably within a meticulously planned monthly budget.

The rise of fast fashion and budget airlines are prime examples of industries built entirely around the concept of affordability, democratizing access to trendy clothing and international travel.

We managed to find an affordable apartment in the city center.

However, there is often a debate about the trade-off between affordability and quality. Sometimes, highly affordable items are manufactured using cheaper materials or less ethical labor practices, leading to a shorter lifespan for the product and potential environmental concerns. Therefore, savvy consumers look for items that offer a balance—they seek out products that are both affordable and durable, representing true value for money.

Providing affordable healthcare is a priority for the new government.

In corporate environments, businesses also strive to keep their operational costs affordable to maintain profitability. They negotiate with suppliers to secure affordable raw materials and invest in affordable technologies that streamline their processes.

Business Strategy: Companies often use penetration pricing to make new products highly affordable, capturing market share quickly.

The restaurant offers an affordable menu for families.

Electric cars are becoming more affordable every year.

Ultimately, the word affordable encapsulates a complex web of financial capability, market pricing, perceived value, and socioeconomic equity, making it one of the most frequently used and highly resonant words in the English language when discussing money, purchases, and living standards.

Using the word affordable correctly in English involves understanding its grammatical function as an adjective and its typical placement within a sentence. Because it describes a noun, it is most commonly placed directly before the noun it modifies, such as in the phrases affordable housing, affordable prices, or affordable healthcare. It can also be used as a subject complement following a linking verb, as in the sentence, The new car is surprisingly affordable. When constructing sentences, it is important to recognize that affordable carries a universally positive connotation. It implies that a price is fair, reasonable, and accessible, unlike the word cheap, which can sometimes imply poor quality or a lack of durability. Therefore, when you want to praise a product's pricing without insulting its quality, affordable is the ideal vocabulary choice.

Adjective Placement: Place affordable directly before the noun (attributive) or after a linking verb (predicative) for standard usage.

You will frequently encounter affordable modified by adverbs to indicate the degree of affordability. Common collocations include highly affordable, readily affordable, easily affordable, and surprisingly affordable. These adverbs help to nuance the statement, providing more context about the speaker's expectations versus the reality of the price.

The community center provides affordable childcare services.

In professional and academic writing, affordable is often used in discussions about policy, economics, and social welfare. For example, a policy paper might discuss the need for affordable higher education or affordable public transit. In these contexts, the word transcends individual purchasing power and addresses systemic accessibility.

Policy Context: In policy discussions, affordable often pairs with essential services like housing, education, and medical care.

When writing marketing copy or advertisements, affordable is a powerful tool to attract consumers. It reassures potential buyers that engaging with the brand will not cause financial strain. Phrases like affordable luxury or affordable elegance are often used to market mid-tier products that aspire to high-end aesthetics without the exorbitant price tags.

They launched a line of affordable cosmetics.

Finding an affordable lawyer can be challenging.

It is also common to see affordable used in comparative and superlative forms, though it requires the use of more and most rather than a suffix. You would say more affordable and most affordable. For example, This neighborhood is more affordable than the one downtown, or This is the most affordable option available.

Comparatives: Always use 'more' and 'most' with affordable; never say 'affordabler' or 'affordablest'.

In negative constructions, you can use not affordable or the antonym unaffordable. For instance, The rent in this city has become completely unaffordable for young professionals. Both convey the same meaning, but unaffordable is often perceived as a stronger, more definitive statement about the lack of financial accessibility.

We need to make renewable energy more affordable.

The hotel offers affordable rates during the off-season.

By mastering these various structures and contexts, learners can effectively incorporate affordable into their daily vocabulary, enhancing their ability to discuss finances, make recommendations, and analyze economic conditions with clarity and precision.

The word affordable is ubiquitous in everyday English, permeating various facets of daily life, media, and professional discourse. You are highly likely to hear it in commercial advertising, where businesses constantly vie for consumer attention by highlighting the cost-effectiveness of their products. Television commercials, radio spots, and online targeted ads frequently boast about affordable car insurance, affordable vacation packages, and affordable meal delivery services. In these contexts, the word is used as a primary selling point, designed to lower the barrier to entry for potential customers who might be hesitant to spend money.

Advertising: Marketers use the term to assure consumers that a product will not break their budget, making it a staple in promotional language.

Beyond the commercial sphere, affordable is a cornerstone of political and social commentary. News broadcasts and political debates frequently center around the affordability of essential living costs. Politicians campaign on promises to create more affordable housing, lower taxes to make daily life more affordable, and reform healthcare systems to ensure affordable medical coverage for all citizens.

The mayor promised to build more affordable housing units.

You will also hear this word frequently in real estate and property management. Real estate agents use it to describe starter homes or properties located in up-and-coming neighborhoods. Renters search for affordable apartments, and landlords might advertise their units as the most affordable in the area.

Real Estate: Property listings heavily rely on the term to attract first-time buyers and budget-conscious renters.

In the realm of education, affordable is a critical term. Prospective students and their parents spend countless hours researching affordable colleges, affordable online degree programs, and affordable textbook options. The rising cost of tuition has made the search for affordable education a primary concern for millions of families globally.

State universities generally offer more affordable tuition rates.

We found an affordable tutor for the math exam.

Furthermore, in casual conversations among friends and family, affordable is used to share recommendations and advice. People might discuss an affordable new restaurant they discovered, an affordable brand of clothing, or an affordable way to travel to a specific destination. It is a word that facilitates the sharing of practical, money-saving tips within social circles.

Casual Conversation: Friends frequently use the word when recommending products or services that offer good value for money.

The technology sector also heavily utilizes the term. As new gadgets are released, reviewers and tech journalists evaluate whether the latest devices are affordable for the average consumer. They often categorize products into premium, mid-range, and affordable tiers.

This laptop is an affordable option for basic web browsing.

They aim to provide affordable internet access to rural areas.

In summary, whether you are reading a financial report, watching a political debate, browsing a real estate website, or simply chatting with a friend about weekend plans, the word affordable is an inescapable and highly useful part of the English lexicon.

While affordable is a relatively straightforward adjective, English learners often make a few common mistakes regarding its grammar, word formation, and contextual usage. One of the most frequent errors is confusing the adjective affordable with the verb afford. Learners might say, 'This car is very afford,' instead of the correct form, 'This car is very affordable.' The suffix '-able' is crucial here, as it transforms the verb (the action of having enough money) into the adjective (the characteristic of being reasonably priced).

Form Confusion: Do not use the verb 'afford' when an adjective is required to describe a noun.

Another common grammatical mistake involves the comparative and superlative forms. Because affordable is a multi-syllable word, it must take more and most to form comparisons. Some learners incorrectly apply the '-er' or '-est' suffixes, resulting in non-existent words like 'affordabler' or 'affordablest'. The correct phrasing is always more affordable or most affordable.

This store is much more affordable than the boutique.

Contextually, a frequent mistake is using affordable as a direct synonym for cheap without considering the nuances. While both words relate to low cost, cheap often carries a negative connotation implying poor quality, flimsiness, or lack of value. Affordable, on the other hand, is inherently positive, suggesting a fair price for good or acceptable quality. If you tell a chef their food is cheap, they might be insulted; if you say it is affordable, they will likely take it as a compliment regarding their pricing strategy.

Connotation Error: Avoid using affordable when you specifically mean low quality; use cheap or poorly made instead.

Additionally, learners sometimes struggle with the preposition that follows affordable when specifying who the item is affordable for. The correct preposition is typically for. For example, 'The housing is affordable for young families.' Using 'to' (e.g., 'affordable to young families') is also acceptable and widely understood, but 'for' is generally preferred in formal writing. Using prepositions like 'by' or 'with' in this context is incorrect.

The new software is affordable for small businesses.

We want to make healthy food affordable for everyone.

Finally, a subtle mistake is overusing the word in formal academic writing where more precise economic terms might be appropriate. While affordable is perfectly fine for general essays, advanced academic papers in economics might prefer terms like cost-effective, economically viable, or accessible, depending on the exact nuance required.

Register Awareness: Ensure the word matches the formality of the text; affordable is versatile but sometimes too casual for strict economic theory.

The generic medication is highly affordable.

They are seeking affordable solutions to the crisis.

By paying attention to word forms, comparative structures, connotations, and prepositions, learners can easily avoid these common pitfalls and use affordable with native-like fluency and accuracy.

The English language offers a rich variety of synonyms and related terms for affordable, each carrying its own slight variation in meaning, tone, and appropriate context. Understanding these nuances allows for more precise and expressive communication. One of the most common synonyms is inexpensive. Inexpensive is a direct, neutral way to state that something does not cost a lot of money. It lacks the explicitly positive value judgment of affordable but also avoids the negative connotations of cheap.

Inexpensive: A neutral term simply indicating a low price, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Another frequently used word is cheap. As discussed previously, cheap can mean low in price, but it very often carries a secondary meaning of low quality or poor craftsmanship. You might say 'I bought a cheap umbrella, and it broke in the wind.' However, in informal contexts, people do use cheap simply to mean affordable, as in 'Let us find a cheap place to eat.'

We are looking for an affordable alternative to the leading brand.

For business and professional environments, cost-effective is an excellent alternative. Cost-effective implies that the item or service provides good value for the amount of money spent; the benefits outweigh the costs. It is highly analytical and perfectly suited for reports, proposals, and corporate meetings.

Cost-effective: Ideal for business contexts where return on investment and value generation are the primary focus.

Economical is another related term, often used to describe things that save money over time by not wasting resources. For example, a car that gets excellent gas mileage is described as economical. It implies efficiency and prudence in spending.

The new heating system is highly affordable to run.

They offer affordable financing options for buyers.

Budget-friendly is a modern, slightly informal compound adjective that has become very popular in lifestyle blogs, travel writing, and marketing. It paints a picture of a product that respects the consumer's budget. Similarly, pocket-friendly is used in a very similar, colloquial manner.

Budget-friendly: A highly approachable, consumer-oriented term frequently found in modern digital media and advertising.

Reasonably priced is a descriptive phrase that serves as a direct synonym for affordable. It explicitly states that the price is fair and logical, appealing to the consumer's sense of reason. On the opposite end of the spectrum, antonyms include expensive, costly, pricey, exorbitant, and unaffordable.

The clinic provides affordable dental care.

We enjoyed an affordable meal at the local diner.

Choosing the right synonym depends entirely on the context. If you are writing a corporate financial report, cost-effective is best. If you are writing a travel blog, budget-friendly is perfect. If you are simply describing a fair price without any extra connotations, affordable or reasonably priced are your most reliable choices.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Informal

Jerga

Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Ejemplos por nivel

The food here is very affordable.

The price of the food is good and not too high.

Used as a subject complement after the verb 'is'.

I need an affordable car.

I need a car that does not cost a lot of money.

Used as an attributive adjective before the noun 'car'.

This shop has affordable clothes.

The clothes in this shop are cheap but good.

Modifies the plural noun 'clothes'.

Is the ticket affordable?

Does the ticket cost a good price?

Used in a simple yes/no question.

We found an affordable hotel.

We found a hotel that fits our budget.

Used with the indefinite article 'an' because 'affordable' starts with a vowel sound.

Apples are affordable fruits.

Apples do not cost much money to buy.

Used to describe a general category of items.

I want an affordable phone.

I want a mobile phone that is not too expensive.

Direct object modification.

The rent is not affordable.

The cost to live here is too high.

Used in a negative sentence with 'not'.

We are looking for an affordable apartment in the city.

We want a flat in the city that we can pay for easily.

Modifies 'apartment' within a prepositional phrase.

Taking the bus is an affordable way to travel.

The bus is a cheap method for going places.

Used to describe a method or way of doing something.

She bought an affordable gift for her friend.

She bought a present that was reasonably priced.

Used in a past tense narrative sentence.

Are there any affordable restaurants near the station?

Are there cheap places to eat close to the train station?

Used in a question asking for existence ('Are there any...').

This brand offers very affordable shoes.

This company sells shoes at a very good price.

Modified by the intensifier 'very'.

It is hard to find affordable housing these days.

It is difficult to find cheap places to live now.

Collocation 'affordable housing' introduced.

The new gym has affordable membership fees.

The gym does not charge too much money to join.

Modifies a compound noun 'membership fees'.

He wants to make healthcare more affordable.

He wants to lower the cost of medical care.

Used in the comparative form 'more affordable'.

The government is trying to build more affordable housing for low-income families.

The state is constructing cheaper homes for poor families.

Used in a complex sentence discussing social issues.

Online courses are often a more affordable alternative to traditional universities.

Internet classes usually cost less than regular colleges.

Used to compare two different options.

Despite its premium look, the smartphone is surprisingly affordable.

Even though it looks expensive, the phone is actually cheap.

Modified by the adverb 'surprisingly'.

We need to find an affordable solution to this problem quickly.

We must discover a cheap way to fix this issue fast.

Used abstractly to describe a 'solution'.

Many young people are moving to the suburbs to find affordable rent.

Youth are leaving the city center to get cheaper rent.

Explaining a cause-and-effect relationship.

The clinic provides affordable dental care to the local community.

The medical center offers cheap teeth treatments to people nearby.

Used with specific types of services ('dental care').

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find an affordable reliable used car.

It is getting harder to buy a cheap and good second-hand car.

Stacked adjectives 'affordable' and 'reliable'.

They offer an affordable monthly payment plan for the new furniture.

They have a cheap way to pay every month for the furniture.

Modifies a complex noun phrase 'monthly payment plan'.

The lack of affordable childcare is a major barrier for working parents.

Not having cheap babysitting stops parents from working.

Used as the subject of a complex sentence discussing socioeconomic barriers.

The company's strategy is to penetrate the market with highly affordable, entry-level products.

The business plans to enter the market using very cheap basic items.

Used in a business strategy context with 'highly'.

To make the transition to renewable energy successful, solar panels must become universally affordable.

For green energy to work, solar power must be cheap for everyone.

Modified by 'universally' to indicate broad accessibility.

Critics argue that the proposed tax cuts will not make the cost of living any more affordable for the middle class.

People say the tax reduction won't help average people pay for life.

Used in a political/economic critique.

The city council approved a new zoning law to encourage the development of affordable commercial spaces.

The local government passed a rule to build cheaper shops and offices.

Modifies 'commercial spaces' in a legal/administrative context.

While the initial investment is high, the equipment is highly affordable to maintain over its lifespan.

It costs a lot first, but it is cheap to keep running later.

Used with an infinitive phrase 'to maintain'.

We are committed to providing high-quality, yet affordable, legal representation.

We promise to give excellent but cheap lawyer services.

Contrasted with 'high-quality' using 'yet'.

The sudden spike in inflation has rendered many basic necessities virtually unaffordable for vulnerable populations.

High inflation made everyday items too expensive for poor people.

Use of the antonym 'unaffordable' modified by 'virtually'.

Gentrification often displaces long-term residents by systematically eradicating the availability of affordable housing stock.

Upgrading neighborhoods forces old residents out by destroying cheap homes.

Used in sociological and urban planning discourse.

The startup disrupted the industry by leveraging economies of scale to offer an affordable alternative to legacy software systems.

The new company changed the market by using size to make a cheaper option than old software.

Integrated with advanced business terminology ('economies of scale', 'legacy systems').

Policymakers must strike a delicate balance between incentivizing pharmaceutical innovation and ensuring life-saving medications remain affordable.

Leaders must balance rewarding drug creation with keeping important medicines cheap.

Used in the context of public health policy and ethics.

The macroeconomic data suggests that the dream of homeownership is becoming increasingly less affordable for the millennial demographic.

Economic numbers show buying a house is getting too expensive for young adults.

Used with 'increasingly less' to show a negative trend.

Subsidizing public transportation is a proven mechanism for maintaining an affordable urban mobility network.

Paying for public transit is a good way to keep city travel cheap.

Used in civil engineering and public administration contexts.

The challenge lies in designing an ecologically sustainable product that is simultaneously affordable for the mass consumer market.

The hard part is making a green product that is also cheap for everyone to buy.

Contrasting environmental sustainability with economic accessibility.

Her thesis examines the correlation between affordable higher education and long-term socioeconomic mobility.

Her paper looks at how cheap college connects to moving up in society over time.

Used in an academic research context.

The sheer volume of hidden fees rendered the supposedly affordable vacation package exorbitantly expensive.

Many secret costs made the 'cheap' holiday actually very costly.

Used ironically with 'supposedly' to critique deceptive pricing.

The central bank's monetary tightening, while aimed at curbing inflation, inadvertently exacerbated the crisis by rendering capital borrowing entirely unaffordable for small enterprises.

The bank's strict money rules, meant to stop inflation, accidentally made loans too expensive for small businesses.

Complex syntactic structure involving participial phrases and economic jargon.

Affordability in the healthcare sector is not merely a function of pricing, but a complex calculus involving insurance premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums.

Cheap healthcare isn't just about the price tag; it involves a complicated mix of insurance costs.

Using the noun form 'affordability' to deconstruct a systemic issue.

The proliferation of fast fashion relies on a paradigm of hyper-affordable garments, a model heavily criticized for its catastrophic environmental externalities and labor exploitation.

Fast fashion depends on very cheap clothes, which is bad for the earth and workers.

Used with the prefix 'hyper-' to denote extreme levels.

In navigating the geopolitical landscape, developing nations often find themselves forced to choose between adopting affordable, high-emission energy infrastructure or cost-prohibitive green technologies.

Poor countries often have to pick between cheap, dirty energy or expensive, clean energy.

Contrasted directly with 'cost-prohibitive' in a geopolitical context.

The rhetoric of 'affordable living' is frequently co-opted by developers to secure tax abatements, only to deliver units that remain inaccessible to the median wage earner.

Builders use the phrase 'cheap living' to get tax breaks, but build homes average people still can't buy.

Critiquing the semantic manipulation of the word in real estate.

True universal design dictates that assistive technologies must be inherently affordable, thereby preventing the commodification of basic accessibility rights.

Good design means helpful tech must be cheap, so basic access isn't just for the rich.

Linking affordability to human rights and design philosophy.

The empirical evidence demonstrates that when essential utilities become unaffordable, the cascading effects on public health and social cohesion are profound and immediate.

Data shows that when basic services get too expensive, health and society suffer quickly.

Analyzing the macroeconomic consequences of a lack of affordability.

He argued persuasively that the commodification of higher education has transformed it from an affordable public good into a debt-leveraged luxury.

He argued that making college a business changed it from a cheap public benefit to an expensive luxury bought with debt.

Used to contrast historical economic models with current realities.

Sinónimos

inexpensive reasonably priced low-cost budget-friendly economical attainable

Antónimos

expensive unaffordable pricey

Colocaciones comunes

affordable housing

affordable price

affordable healthcare

affordable alternative

highly affordable

make affordable

affordable rates

affordable option

affordable care

affordable living

Frases Comunes

at an affordable price

keep things affordable

an affordable way to

make it affordable for

affordable for everyone

clean and affordable

safe and affordable

high quality and affordable

an affordable luxury

search for affordable

Se confunde a menudo con

affordable vs cheap

affordable vs economical

affordable vs cost-effective

Modismos y expresiones

Fácil de confundir

affordable vs

Patrones de oraciones

Cómo usarlo

note

Although the prompt specified 'affordable' as a verb, 'affordable' is universally recognized and utilized strictly as an adjective in the English language. The verb form is 'afford'. This entry focuses on the adjective 'affordable' as defined in the prompt's definition.

Errores comunes

Using 'afford' instead of 'affordable' as an adjective (e.g., 'The car is afford').
Adding '-er' or '-est' to make comparisons (e.g., 'affordabler').
Using 'affordable' to mean low quality (use 'cheap' instead).
Using the wrong preposition, such as 'affordable by me' instead of 'affordable for me'.
Misspelling the word as 'affordible' with an 'i' instead of an 'a'.

Consejos

Use 'More' and 'Most'

Always use 'more' and 'most' for comparisons. Say 'This is the most affordable option,' not 'the affordablest option.'

Upgrade from 'Cheap'

If you want to sound more professional or polite, replace the word 'cheap' with 'affordable' in your vocabulary.

Collocations Matter

Memorize common collocations like 'affordable housing' and 'affordable healthcare' as they are frequently tested in English proficiency exams.

Stress the Second Syllable

Make sure to emphasize the 'FORD' part of the word: af-FORD-a-ble. This helps with clear native-like pronunciation.

Preposition 'For'

When specifying who can buy the item, use the preposition 'for'. Example: 'It is affordable for young families.'

Business English

In business contexts, use 'affordable' to describe pricing strategies that target the mass market without devaluing the brand.

Affordable vs. Cost-effective

Use 'affordable' when talking about the initial price. Use 'cost-effective' when talking about long-term value and return on investment.

Spotting in News

When reading the news, look for 'affordable' in articles about the economy, inflation, and government policies.

Giving Recommendations

Use 'affordable' when recommending places to friends. 'I know an affordable cafe nearby' sounds helpful and positive.

Remember the Suffix

Remember that it ends in '-able', not '-ible'. Think of being 'able' to buy it.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'A FORD is ABLE' to be bought by many people because it is an affordable car brand.

Origen de la palabra

Late 16th century English

Contexto cultural

While not an idiom itself, 'affordable' is often used in the phrase 'affordable luxury', an oxymoron used in marketing to sell premium-feeling goods to the middle class.

Calling something 'affordable' can sometimes be a euphemism for 'cheaply made' in high-end luxury contexts, but generally, it is a highly positive term in middle-class society.

In the UK, 'affordable housing' is a specific legal and planning term referring to social rented, affordable rented, and intermediate housing provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"What is the most affordable way to travel around your city?"

"Do you think higher education is affordable in your country?"

"How do you find affordable places to eat when you travel?"

"What makes a city affordable or unaffordable to live in?"

"Have you ever bought something just because it was highly affordable?"

Temas para diario

Describe a time when you had to search hard for an affordable option for something important.

Write about the difference between something being 'cheap' and something being 'affordable'.

How has the affordability of everyday items changed in your lifetime?

If you were a city mayor, how would you create more affordable housing?

Make a list of your favorite affordable luxuries and explain why you like them.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

'Affordable' is an adjective. It is used to describe a noun, such as 'an affordable car'. The verb form is 'afford', as in 'I can afford this car'.

'Affordable' means reasonably priced and within your budget, usually maintaining a positive connotation regarding quality. 'Cheap' means low in price but often carries a negative connotation implying poor quality or bad craftsmanship.

Because 'affordable' has four syllables, you must use 'more' to make it comparative. The correct form is 'more affordable'. Never say 'affordabler'.

Both are understood, but 'affordable for me' is generally the preferred and more common prepositional phrase in standard English.

The direct antonym is 'unaffordable', which means something is too expensive for the average person to buy. Other opposites include 'expensive', 'costly', and 'pricey'.

Yes, in many English-speaking countries, 'affordable housing' is a specific term used in real estate and government policy to describe homes priced below market rate for lower-income residents.

No, 'affordable' describes the price of items, services, or properties. It does not describe people. You cannot say 'He is an affordable person'.

It is pronounced uh-FAWR-duh-buhl. The primary stress is on the second syllable, 'FAWR'.

Common adverbs include 'highly', 'very', 'surprisingly', 'readily', and 'easily'. For example, 'The new software is highly affordable'.

Yes, 'budget-friendly' is an excellent, slightly more informal synonym for 'affordable'. It is very popular in modern lifestyle and travel writing.