Significado
To have no money at all, to be penniless.
Contexto cultural
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.
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.
Significado
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.
Teste-se
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'tieso' or 'tiesa'.
María no puede venir al viaje porque está ________.
María is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'tiesa'.
Which sentence is correct?
Select the natural way to say you're broke.
We use 'estar' for temporary states like being broke.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ¿Quieres ir a cenar fuera? B: No puedo, ________.
'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.'
In the context of weather/mountains, 'tieso' means frozen or very cold.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Estar vs Ser Tieso
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosMaría no puede venir al viaje porque está ________.
María is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'tiesa'.
Select the natural way to say you're broke.
We use 'estar' for temporary states like being broke.
A: ¿Quieres ir a cenar fuera? B: No puedo, ________.
'Estoy muy tieso' is the idiomatic way to say you can't afford it.
Context: 'Hacía tanto frío en la montaña que volvimos tiesos.'
In the context of weather/mountains, 'tieso' means frozen or very cold.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo, 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.
Frases relacionadas
Estar sin blanca
synonymTo be without a 'blanca' (old coin).
Estar pelado
synonymTo be plucked/peeled.
Estar a dos velas
similarTo be at two candles.
No tener un duro
synonymTo not have a five-peseta coin.
