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A1 verb #146 가장 일반적인 11분 분량

spend

상위 146

연습하기 예시 노트와 팁 spend 30초 만에

설명 spend in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'spend' is one of the first verbs you learn to describe your daily life. It is primarily used in two simple contexts: money and time. For money, you use it to talk about buying things like food, clothes, or small items. You learn the basic structure 'spend money on something'. For time, you use it to describe your daily routine or hobbies, such as 'I spend time with my family' or 'I spend two hours watching TV'. At this stage, the focus is on simple, present tense sentences and basic irregular past tense forms like 'spent'. You use it to answer basic questions about your habits and how you use your resources on a day-to-day basis. It helps you build the foundation for discussing your lifestyle and basic needs in English.

At the A2 level, your use of 'spend' becomes more descriptive. You start to use it with a wider variety of objects, such as 'spend a holiday', 'spend a weekend', or 'spend a lot of energy'. You also begin to master the 'spend + time + -ing' structure, which allows you to describe activities more fluently, like 'I spent the morning cleaning my room'. You can talk about budgets in a simple way, comparing how much you spend on different things. You might also use it in the future tense to talk about plans, such as 'I am going to spend my summer in Spain'. Your understanding of the word expands to include more social contexts, like spending time with friends or colleagues, and you can handle more complex sentence structures involving 'spend'.

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At the B1 level, you use 'spend' to discuss more abstract concepts and give opinions. You can talk about whether spending money on certain things is a 'waste' or an 'investment'. You use 'spend' in more complex grammatical structures, such as the present perfect ('I have spent a lot of time thinking about this') or conditional sentences ('If I had more money, I would spend it on travel'). You also start to encounter 'spend' in more formal contexts, such as work meetings or news reports about government spending. You can describe your habits in more detail, using adverbs to modify the verb, like 'I rarely spend money on luxury items' or 'I wisely spend my time'. Your vocabulary around 'spend' also grows to include related terms like 'expenditure' or 'spending habits'.

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At the B2 level, you use 'spend' with a high degree of nuance and accuracy. You are comfortable using it in figurative ways, such as 'spending your breath' (talking in vain) or 'spending your force'. you can participate in debates about economic spending, social priorities, and time management. You understand the subtle differences between 'spend', 'expend', 'consume', and 'devote'. You can use the passive voice effectively, such as 'A significant amount of resources was spent on the research'. You also start to use common idioms and phrasal verbs related to spending, like 'spend a fortune' or 'spend yourself out'. Your ability to use 'spend' in various registers—from casual slang to formal academic writing—becomes much more refined, allowing you to express complex ideas about resource allocation.

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At the C1 level, 'spend' is used with sophisticated precision. You can use it to discuss complex philosophical ideas about how one 'spends' a life or the 'spent' nature of old ideas. You are aware of the word's etymological roots and how they influence its current usage. In professional and academic contexts, you use 'spend' to analyze data, discuss fiscal policy, and evaluate the efficiency of resource use. You can detect subtle tones in others' use of the word, such as irony or sarcasm when someone talks about 'spending' time on a useless task. Your use of collocations is natural and varied, and you can use the word to create cohesive and coherent long-form texts. You also understand the legal and technical implications of 'spending' in contracts and official documents.

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At the C2 level, you have a masterly command of 'spend' and all its connotations. You can use it in highly creative and literary ways, perhaps using it as a metaphor for the exhaustion of a star's energy or the passing of an era. You understand the most obscure idioms and historical uses of the word. You can write and speak about complex economic theories of spending with the same ease as you describe a personal afternoon. Your use of the word is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You can play with the word's meaning in poetry or rhetoric, and you are fully aware of its place within the broader system of the English language. 'Spend' becomes a tool for precise, elegant, and powerful communication in any context imaginable.

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연습하기 예시 노트와 팁

spend 30초 만에

Spend is a verb used for using money or time.
The past tense is 'spent', which is irregular.
Use 'on' for money: spend money on a car.
Use '-ing' for time: spend time reading.

The word spend is a fundamental verb in the English language, primarily used to describe the allocation or exhaustion of resources. At its core, it refers to the act of giving money to pay for goods, services, or experiences. However, its utility extends far beyond the financial realm, encompassing the way we utilize our most precious non-renewable resource: time. When you spend money, you are exchanging currency for something of value. When you spend time, you are dedicating hours, minutes, or even years to a specific activity, person, or location. This duality makes 'spend' one of the most frequently used verbs in daily life, as humans are constantly making choices about how to distribute their wealth and their life's duration.

Financial Transaction: This is the most common usage. It involves the transfer of money. For example, 'I spend twenty dollars on lunch every day.' It implies a conscious decision to part with capital in exchange for a commodity or service. In modern contexts, this can refer to physical cash, credit card transactions, or digital transfers.

I usually spend about fifty dollars on groceries every week to ensure I have healthy food.

Temporal Allocation: This refers to the passage of time. Unlike money, time cannot be regained, making this usage of 'spend' particularly poignant. When you 'spend time' with someone, you are giving them a part of your life. For instance, 'She spends her weekends gardening.' This usage often follows the pattern: spend + [time] + [verb-ing].

In a broader sense, 'spend' can also refer to the depletion of energy or effort. If you 'spend yourself' in a task, you have used up all your strength. This is more common in literary or formal contexts. In everyday conversation, however, you will mostly hear it in the context of budgeting or scheduling. People often ask, 'How do you spend your free time?' or 'How much did you spend on that new phone?' These questions seek to understand a person's priorities and lifestyle choices. Because 'spend' is an A1 level word, it is essential for beginners to master its basic patterns early on to describe their daily routines and financial habits effectively.

We decided to spend the entire afternoon at the beach watching the waves.

Energy and Effort: Though less common for beginners, you might hear 'spent' as an adjective meaning exhausted. 'I am completely spent after that marathon.' This relates back to the idea of using up a resource until nothing is left.

The government plans to spend millions on improving the local infrastructure.

Don't spend all your energy worrying about things you cannot change.

How much time do you spend practicing your English every day?

Using the word spend correctly requires understanding its grammatical structures, which differ slightly depending on whether you are discussing money or time. The most important thing to remember is that 'spend' is a transitive verb, meaning it usually needs an object—the resource being used. You don't just 'spend'; you spend 'money', 'time', 'effort', or 'a holiday'. Understanding these patterns will help you sound more natural and avoid common learner errors.

Pattern 1: Spend + Money + ON + Noun: When talking about financial expenditures, the preposition 'on' is crucial. You spend money ON a car, ON clothes, or ON a vacation. Example: 'I spent too much money on coffee this month.' You should avoid using 'for' in this context, which is a common mistake for speakers of other languages.

He spends a large portion of his salary on rent and utilities.

Pattern 2: Spend + Time + [Verb-ing]: When discussing time, we typically follow the amount of time with a gerund (the -ing form of a verb). For example, 'I spend my evenings reading.' Notice there is no preposition like 'in' or 'at' before the verb. 'I spend time to read' is grammatically incorrect in modern English; 'I spend time reading' is the standard form.

They spend hours talking on the phone every single night.

Another important structure involves the use of 'spend' with locations. You can 'spend time in' a place or 'spend a week at' a resort. This describes the duration of your stay. For example, 'We spent our vacation in Italy.' In this case, 'spend' acts as a synonym for 'stay' or 'pass', but it emphasizes the duration rather than just the location. Furthermore, 'spend' can be used in the passive voice, particularly in financial reporting: 'Millions of dollars were spent on the project.' This shifts the focus from who is spending to the amount being used.

Why do you spend so much time worrying about what others think?

Pattern 3: Spend + Time + Prepositional Phrase: This is used to indicate where or with whom time is passed. 'I spent the day with my grandmother.' or 'She spent the night at a friend's house.' This structure is very common for describing social activities and travel.

The company will spend its budget on marketing and research.

How do you spend your Sunday mornings when the weather is nice?

She spent her childhood living in a small village by the sea.

The word spend is ubiquitous, appearing in almost every facet of human interaction. From the mundane tasks of daily life to the complex discussions of global economics, 'spend' serves as the primary descriptor for the utilization of resources. You will hear it in shops, at home, in the office, and on the news. Its frequency is a testament to its fundamental role in how we describe our actions and choices.

In Retail and Shopping: When you are at a store, you might hear a cashier say, 'If you spend ten more dollars, you get a free gift.' Or you might overhear a friend saying, 'I shouldn't spend any more money today.' It is the central verb of the consumer experience.

Customers who spend over $100 qualify for free shipping on their entire order.

In Family and Social Life: Parents often talk about how they 'spend time' with their children. Friends might ask, 'Where did you spend your New Year's Eve?' It is used to discuss the quality and quantity of time shared with others.

In the professional world, 'spend' is often used in the context of budgeting and project management. Managers discuss 'marketing spend' or 'capital expenditure' (though 'spend' is often used as a noun in these business contexts, which is a more advanced usage). On the news, you will hear about 'government spending' on healthcare, education, or defense. These discussions highlight the word's importance in public policy and economic health. Even in the digital world, we talk about how much time we 'spend' on social media or 'spend' playing video games, reflecting our modern preoccupations.

The average person spends over two hours a day on social media platforms.

In News and Economics: Journalists frequently report on how much the state will 'spend' on new initiatives. This usage is usually formal and involves large, abstract sums of money.

We need to spend more time focusing on solutions rather than complaining about problems.

I spent my entire weekend cleaning the garage, and I am exhausted.

How much did you spend on your new laptop? It looks very expensive.

Even though spend is a basic word, learners often make specific errors that can make their English sound unnatural. These mistakes usually involve prepositions, verb forms, or confusing 'spend' with similar-sounding words in their native languages. By identifying these pitfalls, you can communicate more clearly and accurately.

Mistake 1: Using 'for' instead of 'on' for money: Many learners say, 'I spent $10 for a book.' While this is often understood, the correct preposition is 'on'. Correct: 'I spent $10 ON a book.' We use 'for' with the verb 'pay' (e.g., 'I paid $10 for the book'), but 'spend' always takes 'on'.

Incorrect: I spent money for a new phone.
Correct: I spent money ON a new phone.

Mistake 2: Using the infinitive with time: Learners often say, 'I spend time to study.' In English, we use the gerund (-ing) after spending time. Correct: 'I spend time studying.' The infinitive 'to study' is used with other verbs like 'want' or 'need', but not with 'spend'.

Another common error is using 'spend' when 'pass' or 'waste' might be more appropriate. While 'spend' is neutral, 'waste' implies that the resource was used poorly. 'I wasted two hours on that movie' means it was a bad movie. 'I spent two hours on that movie' is just a statement of fact. Also, 'spend' is an irregular verb. The past tense is 'spent', not 'spended'. This is a frequent error among beginners who try to apply the regular '-ed' ending to all verbs. Finally, avoid using 'spend' without an object. You cannot just say 'I spent yesterday.' You must say 'I spent yesterday working' or 'I spent yesterday at home.'

Incorrect: He spended all his savings.
Correct: He spent all his savings.

Mistake 3: Confusing 'spend' and 'cost': 'Spend' is what a person does; 'cost' is what an item does. 'I spent $5' vs. 'The coffee cost $5'. You cannot say 'The coffee spent $5'.

Incorrect: I spent three hours to finish the report.
Correct: I spent three hours finishing the report.

Incorrect: She spends her time in watching TV.
Correct: She spends her time watching TV.

Incorrect: How much did you spend for that shirt?
Correct: How much did you spend on that shirt?

While spend is a versatile word, English offers many alternatives that can provide more specific meaning or a different tone. Choosing the right synonym depends on whether you are talking about money or time, and whether the action is positive, negative, or formal. Expanding your vocabulary with these alternatives will make your speech and writing more precise.

Spend vs. Pay: 'Spend' focuses on the total amount of money used, while 'pay' focuses on the act of giving money to a specific person or for a specific bill. You spend money on a holiday, but you pay the travel agent.

I spent $200 on the flight, and I paid the airline directly.

Spend vs. Waste: 'Waste' is a negative alternative. It means to spend money or time on something useless or without a good result. If you spend time studying, it's good. If you waste time staring at a wall, it's bad.

When talking about time, 'pass' is a common alternative, but it has a slightly different nuance. 'To pass the time' often implies doing something just to make the time go by because you are bored or waiting. 'To spend time' implies a more active or intentional use of that time. For money, 'invest' is a positive alternative. When you invest money, you spend it with the expectation of getting more back later. 'Disburse' and 'shell out' are other alternatives; 'disburse' is very formal (used by banks or governments), while 'shell out' is informal and often implies that you are spending money reluctantly.

Instead of just spending your savings, you should consider investing them in the stock market.

Spend vs. Consume: 'Consume' is often used for resources like fuel, electricity, or food. You don't 'spend' electricity; you 'consume' it. However, you 'spend' money on your electricity bill.

He spent his afternoon passing the time by solving crossword puzzles.

I had to shell out fifty dollars for a new tire after I hit a pothole.

The government will disburse the funds to the schools by the end of the month.

How Formal Is It?

재미있는 사실

The word 'spend' is related to 'pendant' and 'pendulum' because they all come from the Latin root 'pendere', which means 'to hang' or 'to weigh'. When you weigh something, it hangs from a scale!

발음 가이드

UK /spend/

US /spend/

Single syllable word; the stress is on the entire word.

라임이 맞는 단어

bend lend mend send tend vend trend friend

자주 하는 실수

Pronouncing it as 'espent' (common for Spanish speakers).
Not pronouncing the 'd' clearly at the end.
Confusing the vowel sound with 'spand' or 'spind'.

난이도

독해 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text as it is a common, short word.

쓰기 2/5

Slightly harder due to the irregular past tense 'spent' and preposition rules.

말하기 1/5

Very common in daily speech; easy to pronounce.

듣기 1/5

Clear sound, though 'spent' can sometimes be confused with 'send' in fast speech.

다음에 무엇을 배울까

선수 학습

money time buy use day

다음에 배울 것

cost pay waste save invest

고급

expenditure fiscal allocation depletion prodigality

알아야 할 문법

Irregular Verbs

The past tense of spend is spent (not spended).

Gerunds after certain verbs

After 'spend time', use the -ing form: 'I spend time running'.

Prepositional usage

Use 'on' for objects of spending: 'spend money on a car'.

Transitive verbs

Spend needs an object (time, money, etc.).

Passive Voice

Money was spent (focus on the money, not the person).

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수준별 예문

I spend ten dollars on my lunch every day.

Je dépense dix dollars pour mon déjeuner chaque jour.

Subject + spend + amount + on + noun.

Do you spend time with your family on weekends?

Passes-tu du temps avec ta famille le week-end ?

Question form using 'do' + 'spend time with'.

She spends two hours watching TV every night.

Elle passe deux heures à regarder la télé chaque soir.

Spend + time + verb-ing (watching).

We spent our holiday in a small hotel by the sea.

Nous avons passé nos vacances dans un petit hôtel au bord de la mer.

Past tense 'spent' + holiday + in + place.

I don't spend much money on clothes.

Je ne dépense pas beaucoup d'argent pour les vêtements.

Negative form 'don't spend'.

How much did you spend on that new bike?

Combien as-tu dépensé pour ce nouveau vélo ?

Past tense question 'did you spend'.

He spends his free time playing football.

Il passe son temps libre à jouer au football.

Spend + free time + verb-ing.

They spend a lot of money at the supermarket.

Ils dépensent beaucoup d'argent au supermarché.

Spend + amount + at + place.

We are going to spend the weekend in the mountains.

Nous allons passer le week-end à la montagne.

Future 'going to' + spend + time + in + place.

I spent all morning cleaning the kitchen.

J'ai passé toute la matinée à nettoyer la cuisine.

Past tense 'spent' + duration + verb-ing.

How do you spend your Sunday mornings?

Comment passes-tu tes dimanches matin ?

Wh- question about routine.

She spent a lot of energy trying to finish the project.

Elle a dépensé beaucoup d'énergie à essayer de finir le projet.

Spend + energy + verb-ing.

Don't spend too much time on social media.

Ne passe pas trop de temps sur les réseaux sociaux.

Imperative 'don't spend' + time + on + noun.

I spent fifty euros on a gift for my mother.

J'ai dépensé cinquante euros pour un cadeau pour ma mère.

Spent + amount + on + noun.

They spent their childhood in a small village.

Ils ont passé leur enfance dans un petit village.

Spent + life stage + in + place.

We should spend more time practicing our English.

Nous devrions passer plus de temps à pratiquer notre anglais.

Modal 'should' + spend + time + verb-ing.

I have spent the last three years working for this company.

J'ai passé les trois dernières années à travailler pour cette entreprise.

Present perfect 'have spent' for duration up to now.

It's important to spend your money wisely.

Il est important de dépenser son argent sagement.

Infinitive 'to spend' as a subject complement.

She spends most of her income on rent and bills.

Elle dépense la majeure partie de son revenu pour le loyer et les factures.

Spend + portion of noun + on + noun.

Why spend a fortune on a car you rarely drive?

Pourquoi dépenser une fortune pour une voiture que vous conduisez rarement ?

Rhetorical question with 'spend a fortune'.

I spent the whole day worrying about the exam results.

J'ai passé toute la journée à m'inquiéter des résultats de l'examen.

Spent + duration + verb-ing (worrying).

The government is spending millions on new schools.

Le gouvernement dépense des millions pour de nouvelles écoles.

Present continuous 'is spending' for current policy.

We spent hours discussing the best way to solve the problem.

Nous avons passé des heures à discuter de la meilleure façon de résoudre le problème.

Spent + hours + verb-ing (discussing).

How much time do you spend on your hobbies each week?

Combien de temps passes-tu à tes loisirs chaque semaine ?

Question about frequency and duration.

The company spent a vast amount of resources on research and development.

L'entreprise a dépensé une vaste quantité de ressources en recherche et développement.

Spent + vast amount + on + abstract nouns.

I'm completely spent after working a twelve-hour shift.

Je suis complètement épuisé après avoir fait un service de douze heures.

Adjective 'spent' meaning exhausted.

He spent his life advocating for social justice.

Il a passé sa vie à militer pour la justice sociale.

Spent + life + verb-ing (advocating).

The force of the storm was finally spent by morning.

La force de la tempête était enfin épuisée au matin.

Passive use of 'spent' meaning exhausted or finished.

You shouldn't spend so much of your breath arguing with him.

Tu ne devrais pas dépenser autant de souffle à te disputer avec lui.

Idiomatic 'spend your breath'.

The budget was spent before the project was even halfway finished.

Le budget a été dépensé avant même que le projet ne soit à moitié terminé.

Passive voice 'was spent'.

She spends her days wandering through the ancient streets of Rome.

Elle passe ses journées à errer dans les rues anciennes de Rome.

Spend + days + verb-ing (wandering).

The candidate spent a lot of time campaigning in rural areas.

Le candidat a passé beaucoup de temps à faire campagne dans les zones rurales.

Spent + time + verb-ing (campaigning).

The political capital spent on this initiative was considerable.

Le capital politique dépensé pour cette initiative était considérable.

Figurative use of 'spent' with 'political capital'.

The narrative has spent its utility and no longer resonates with the public.

Le récit a épuisé son utilité et ne résonne plus auprès du public.

Metaphorical use meaning 'exhausted'.

She has spent herself in the service of her community.

Elle s'est épuisée au service de sa communauté.

Reflexive 'spend oneself' meaning to exhaust one's energy.

The funds were spent in accordance with the strict guidelines provided.

Les fonds ont été dépensés conformément aux directives strictes fournies.

Formal passive with prepositional phrase 'in accordance with'.

He spent the better part of a decade perfecting his craft.

Il a passé la majeure partie d'une décennie à perfectionner son art.

Idiomatic 'the better part of a [time period]'.

The sun's energy is slowly being spent over billions of years.

L'énergie du soleil s'épuise lentement sur des milliards d'années.

Scientific/Passive use of 'spent'.

They spent a fortune on a house that turned out to be a money pit.

Ils ont dépensé une fortune pour une maison qui s'est avérée être un gouffre financier.

Idiomatic 'money pit' and 'spend a fortune'.

The evening was spent in quiet contemplation of the events that had transpired.

La soirée a été passée dans une contemplation tranquille des événements qui s'étaient produits.

Formal passive 'was spent in [noun]'.

The once-vibrant movement is now a spent force in contemporary politics.

Le mouvement autrefois vibrant est désormais une force épuisée dans la politique contemporaine.

Adjectival 'spent force' meaning no longer influential.

To spend one's life in pursuit of a phantom is the ultimate tragedy.

Passer sa vie à la poursuite d'un fantôme est la tragédie ultime.

Philosophical use of 'spend' as an infinitive subject.

The author spends several chapters deconstructing the myth of the self-made man.

L'auteur consacre plusieurs chapitres à déconstruire le mythe de l'homme qui s'est fait tout seul.

Literary use of 'spend' to describe narrative structure.

Every ounce of his intellectual energy was spent on the final manuscript.

Chaque once de son énergie intellectuelle a été consacrée au manuscrit final.

Hyperbolic and formal passive construction.

The cultural capital of the city has been spent on frivolous spectacles.

Le capital culturel de la ville a été gaspillé dans des spectacles frivoles.

Abstract metaphorical use of 'spent'.

He was a man who had spent himself entirely, leaving nothing for his own kin.

C'était un homme qui s'était entièrement donné, ne laissant rien pour ses propres parents.

Reflexive use in a literary character description.

The arrows were spent, and the archers retreated into the shadows.

Les flèches étaient épuisées, et les archers se retirèrent dans l'ombre.

Archaic/Literary use meaning 'used up'.

The budget was spent with a profligacy that shocked the auditors.

Le budget a été dépensé avec une prodigalité qui a choqué les auditeurs.

Formal use with high-level vocabulary ('profligacy').

동의어

pay use consume pass disburse exhaust

반의어

save earn keep

자주 쓰는 조합

spend money

spend time

spend a fortune

spend the night

spend energy

spend a holiday

spend wisely

spend lavishly

spend a lifetime

government spending

자주 쓰는 구문

spend time with

— To be in the company of someone. It emphasizes the social connection.

I love to spend time with my grandparents.

spend money on

— To pay for a specific item or service. Always use 'on'.

How much do you spend on rent?

spend a penny

— A British polite way to say you need to go to the toilet.

Excuse me, I need to go and spend a penny.

spend the day

— To use the daylight hours for a specific activity or in a place.

We spent the day at the zoo.

spend a week

— To stay in a place for seven days.

They spent a week in Paris.

spend your breath

— To talk or argue when it will not change anything.

Don't spend your breath trying to convince him; he won't listen.

spend yourself

— To use up all your energy or strength.

She spent herself completely during the dance performance.

spend a lot

— To use a large amount of money.

I spent a lot at the mall today.

spend time doing

— To use time for a specific action (gerund).

He spends time painting in his studio.

spend it all

— To use every bit of the money you have.

If you spend it all now, you won't have anything for tomorrow.

자주 혼동되는 단어

spend vs cost

Cost is what the item does ($5 cost); spend is what the person does (I spent $5).

spend vs pass

Pass is used for time, often when waiting. Spend is more intentional.

spend vs waste

Waste is always negative; spend is neutral.

관용어 및 표현

"spend money like water"

— To spend money very quickly and freely without thinking.

Since he got his inheritance, he's been spending money like water.

informal

"spend a fortune"

— To spend a very large amount of money.

It cost a fortune to fix the roof.

neutral

"spend a king's ransom"

— To spend an incredibly large, almost impossible amount of money.

The billionaire spent a king's ransom on that private island.

literary/exaggerated

"spent force"

— Something or someone that no longer has any power or influence.

The old political party is now a spent force.

formal

"spend a bomb"

— A British idiom meaning to spend a lot of money.

They spent a bomb on their new kitchen.

informal (UK)

"spend time behind bars"

— To spend time in prison.

The thief spent five years behind bars.

informal/journalistic

"spend your way out of"

— To try to solve a problem by spending more money.

The country cannot simply spend its way out of this recession.

economic/political

"spend the night with"

— To stay at someone's house overnight (can be romantic or platonic).

She spent the night with her sister after the party.

neutral

"spend a pretty penny"

— To spend a considerable amount of money.

That designer dress must have cost a pretty penny.

informal

"all spent"

— Completely exhausted or used up.

By the end of the race, his strength was all spent.

literary

혼동하기 쉬운

spend vs pay

Both involve money.

You pay a person or a bill; you spend money on a thing.

I paid the waiter, but I spent $50 on the meal.

spend vs lend

Both involve money moving.

Lend means giving money that you expect to get back. Spend means giving money to buy something.

I will lend you $10, but don't spend it all at once.

spend vs save

They are opposites.

Save is keeping money; spend is using it.

If you save your money, you can spend it on something better later.

spend vs take

Used for time.

Take describes the time needed for a task (It takes an hour). Spend describes the person using that time (I spent an hour).

It takes an hour to drive there, so I spent an hour in the car.

spend vs use

General term for resources.

Use is more general. Spend is specific to money and time.

I use a pen to write, but I spend time writing.

문장 패턴

I spend [money] on [thing].

I spend $5 on coffee.

I spend [time] with [person].

I spend time with my mom.

I spent [time] [verb-ing].

I spent an hour walking.

Did you spend [money] on [thing]?

Did you spend money on that?

I have spent [time] [verb-ing].

I have spent years learning English.

It is a waste to spend [money] on [thing].

It is a waste to spend money on cigarettes.

[Resource] was spent on [project].

All our energy was spent on the task.

To spend [resource] is to [action].

To spend time is to live.

어휘 가족

명사

spender (a person who spends money)

spending (the act of spending money)

expenditure (formal: the act of spending)

overspending (spending too much)

동사

spend

misspend (to spend badly)

overspend (to spend more than you have)

형용사

spent (exhausted or used up)

spendable (money that is available to be used)

사용법

frequency

One of the top 1000 most common words in English.

자주 하는 실수

I spent $5 for a coffee. → I spent $5 on a coffee.
With the verb 'spend', we use the preposition 'on' for the object being purchased.
I spend two hours to watch TV. → I spend two hours watching TV.
When 'spend' is used with time, the following verb must be in the gerund (-ing) form.
He spended all his money. → He spent all his money.
Spend is an irregular verb. The past tense is 'spent', not 'spended'.
The movie spent $10. → The movie cost $10.
Items 'cost' money; people 'spend' money. You are the subject of 'spend', the item is the subject of 'cost'.
I spent my time in reading. → I spent my time reading.
You don't need the preposition 'in' between the time and the -ing verb.

팁

The -ing Rule

Always follow 'spend time' with a verb ending in -ing. It's one of the most common mistakes for learners. Practice saying 'spend time reading', 'spend time cooking', and 'spend time talking'.

Money vs. Time

Remember that 'spend' works for both money and time. This makes it a very 'high-value' word to learn because you can use it in so many different situations.

Don't forget 'ON'

When you talk about money, always use the preposition 'on'. 'I spent $10 on lunch.' This will make you sound much more like a native speaker.

Irregular Verb Alert

Spend -> Spent. Memorize this pair! Since we often talk about what we did in the past, you will use 'spent' very frequently.

Spend a Fortune

Use 'spend a fortune' when you want to emphasize that something was very expensive. It's a great way to add emotion to your speaking.

Marketing Spend

If you work in business, notice how 'spend' is used as a noun to mean 'budget'. 'We need to increase our social media spend'.

Spend Time With

This is the standard way to talk about being with friends or family. 'I spent the weekend with my cousins'.

Spending a Holiday

Use 'spend' to describe where you went for your vacation. 'We spent two weeks in Greece'.

Spending Energy

You can use 'spend' for effort too. 'I spent a lot of effort on this painting.' It shows you worked hard.

Spend out

To 'spend yourself out' means to spend all the money you have. Use it when you've gone on a big shopping spree!

암기하기

기억법

To remember the past tense 'spent', think: 'I spent my cent.' Both end in 't'.

시각적 연상

Imagine a wallet opening and money flying out like birds, or a clock with the hands moving quickly while you do something you love.

Word Web

Money Time Energy Wallet Clock Buy Pass Exhaust

챌린지

Try to use 'spend' three times today: once for money, once for time, and once in the past tense 'spent'.

어원

From the Old English 'spendan', which was borrowed from the Medieval Latin 'spendere'. This Latin word was a shortened form of 'dispendere', meaning 'to weigh out' or 'to pay out'.

원래 의미: The original meaning was related to weighing out money (gold or silver) to pay for something, as currency was often valued by weight in ancient times.

Germanic (Old English) with Latin roots.

문화적 맥락

Be careful when discussing how much people 'spend' on things, as money can be a sensitive or private topic in some cultures.

The concept of 'quality time' is very popular in the US and UK, emphasizing the importance of spending focused time with loved ones.

The song 'Spend My Life with You' by Eric Benét. The phrase 'A penny saved is a penny earned' (the opposite of spending). The book 'How to Spend $50 Million' (fictional concept).

실생활에서 연습하기

실제 사용 상황

Shopping

How much did you spend?
I spent too much.
Don't spend it all in one place.
I spent my savings on this.

Daily Routine

I spend my mornings at work.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend an hour commuting.
We spend evenings together.

Travel

We spent a week in Japan.
Where did you spend your vacation?
I spent the flight reading.
They spent the night in a hostel.

Work/Finance

The company spent the budget.
How much time was spent on this?
We need to spend more on marketing.
The project spent all its resources.

Relationships

I want to spend more time with you.
They spend every day together.
We spent our anniversary at a restaurant.
She spends a lot of time helping others.

대화 시작하기

"How do you usually spend your weekends when you have no plans?"

"If you had $1,000 to spend in one hour, what would you buy?"

"How much time do you spend on your phone every day?"

"Where is the most beautiful place you have ever spent a holiday?"

"Do you prefer to spend money on things or on experiences like travel?"

일기 주제

Describe how you spent your favorite day last year. What did you do and who were you with?

Write about your spending habits. Do you think you spend money wisely or do you waste it?

How would you spend your time if you didn't have to work or go to school?

Think about a time you spent a lot of energy on something. Was it worth the effort?

If you could spend a day with any famous person, who would it be and what would you do?

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

It is always 'spend on'. For example, 'I spent money on a new car.' We use 'for' with the verb 'pay', as in 'I paid $500 for the car'.

The past tense is 'spent'. It is an irregular verb. You should say 'I spent my money yesterday', not 'I spended'.

No, that is incorrect. You should say 'I spend time studying'. After 'spend time', we use the -ing form of the verb.

In business contexts, yes. You might hear 'What is our total marketing spend?' However, in daily English, it is almost always a verb.

It means completely exhausted or tired. For example, 'After the long run, I felt completely spent'.

You can say 'spend time in' or 'spend a week at'. For example, 'I spent my summer in Italy' or 'We spent the night at a hotel'.

It is a British idiom. It's a bit old-fashioned but still understood as a polite way to say you need to use the bathroom.

Yes, you can spend energy or effort on a task. It means you used your physical or mental strength to do it.

'Spend' is neutral—it just means you used the resource. 'Waste' is negative—it means you used the resource on something that wasn't worth it.

Usually, you need to say what you did. 'I spent yesterday working' or 'I spent yesterday at the beach' is better.

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