A2 Idiom 비격식체

Estar tieso/a.

To be broke.

To have no money at all, to be penniless.

🌍

문화적 배경

In Spain, 'estar tieso' is almost a national pastime at the end of the month. It's often used with 'la cuesta de enero' (the January slope), referring to the financial difficulty after Christmas spending. While 'tieso' is understood, Mexicans are more likely to say 'estar bruja' or 'andar corto'. 'Tieso' in Mexico can sometimes mean someone who is very formal or 'stuck up'. In Argentina, 'estar seco' (to be dry) is the most common equivalent. 'Tieso' might be understood more literally as being physically rigid or dead. Colombians might use 'estar arrancado' or 'estar vaciado'. 'Tieso' is used but often carries the literal meaning of being cold or stiff.

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Gender Check

Always remember to change the ending to -a if you are female. It's a very common mistake for beginners!

⚠️

Not for Bosses

Never tell your boss you are 'tieso' unless you have a very close, joking relationship. It's too informal.

To have no money at all, to be penniless.

💡

Gender Check

Always remember to change the ending to -a if you are female. It's a very common mistake for beginners!

⚠️

Not for Bosses

Never tell your boss you are 'tieso' unless you have a very close, joking relationship. It's too informal.

🎯

Add 'Perdido'

To sound like a native, say 'Estoy tieso perdido'. It adds emphasis and sounds very natural.

💬

The 'Cuesta de Enero'

Use this phrase specifically in January to bond with Spaniards over post-holiday poverty.

셀프 테스트

Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'tieso' or 'tiesa'.

María no puede venir al viaje porque está ________.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: tiesa

María is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'tiesa'.

Which sentence is correct?

Select the natural way to say you're broke.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Estoy tieso hoy.

We use 'estar' for temporary states like being broke.

Complete the dialogue.

A: ¿Quieres ir a cenar fuera? B: No puedo, ________.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: estoy muy tieso

'Estoy muy tieso' is the idiomatic way to say you can't afford it.

Match the meaning of 'tieso' to the context.

Context: 'Hacía tanto frío en la montaña que volvimos tiesos.'

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: They were very cold.

In the context of weather/mountains, 'tieso' means frozen or very cold.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

Estar vs Ser Tieso

Estar Tieso
Broke Temporary state
Ser un Tieso
Rigid person Personality trait

연습 문제 은행

4 연습 문제
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'tieso' or 'tiesa'. Fill Blank A2

María no puede venir al viaje porque está ________.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: tiesa

María is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'tiesa'.

Which sentence is correct? Choose A2

Select the natural way to say you're broke.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Estoy tieso hoy.

We use 'estar' for temporary states like being broke.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

A: ¿Quieres ir a cenar fuera? B: No puedo, ________.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: estoy muy tieso

'Estoy muy tieso' is the idiomatic way to say you can't afford it.

Match the meaning of 'tieso' to the context. situation_matching B1

Context: 'Hacía tanto frío en la montaña que volvimos tiesos.'

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: They were very cold.

In the context of weather/mountains, 'tieso' means frozen or very cold.

🎉 점수: /4

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

No, it's not offensive, but it is very informal. It's a self-deprecating way to talk about money.

Usually no. It's used for people. For a company, you would say 'está en quiebra' or 'no tiene liquidez'.

'Pobre' is a general condition of poverty. 'Tieso' is usually a temporary state of having no cash right now.

Yes, in slang it can mean dead, but context makes it clear. If you're talking about your wallet, you're not dead!

Yes, but it's much more common in Spain. In LatAm, you'll hear 'limpio', 'chiro', or 'pelado' more often.

Yes, 'estoy muy tieso' is perfectly correct and very common.

It can mean to go broke, to be shocked/surprised, or to die. Context is everything.

Yes! It's a great 'bridge' idiom to help you sound more like a native speaker.

Absolutely. It's perfect for WhatsApp with friends.

Only in the sense of a 'stiff' (corpse). In English, we don't use 'stiff' for being broke.

관련 표현

🔄

Estar sin blanca

synonym

To be without a 'blanca' (old coin).

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Estar pelado

synonym

To be plucked/peeled.

🔗

Estar a dos velas

similar

To be at two candles.

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No tener un duro

synonym

To not have a five-peseta coin.

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