“Spare” shifts by meaning—extra, free time, or pardon—so Spanish changes too: de repuesto, de sobra, libre, perdonar, ahorrar.
“Spare” is one of those English words that feels simple until you try to translate it. In Spanish, there isn’t one single match. The right choice depends on what you’re trying to say: an extra item, time you can give, money you can set aside, or mercy you want to show.
This page gives you clear Spanish options for the most common meanings of “spare,” plus ready-to-say phrases you can drop into real conversations. No guesswork. Just clean choices that sound natural.
What “Spare” Means In English
Before you pick Spanish words, lock in the English sense. “Spare” shows up in a few everyday ways.
- Extra item: a spare key, spare tire, spare shirt
- Extra amount: spare change, money to spare
- Free time: a spare minute, time to spare
- To avoid harm: spare someone the trouble, spare them the details
- To show mercy: spare me, spare his life
- Simple and not fancy: a spare room, spare design
Spanish handles each one with different wording. That’s normal. Spanish tends to name the idea directly instead of stretching one word across many uses.
Taking “Spare” Into Spanish With Extra Meaning
When “spare” means “extra,” Spanish often uses short phrases built around extra, de repuesto, or de sobra. Each one has its own feel.
Use “De Repuesto” For A Backup Part
De repuesto is the go-to choice for a replacement part you keep ready. You’ll hear it with cars, devices, and anything that has parts.
- una llave de repuesto (a spare key)
- una llanta de repuesto / un neumático de repuesto (a spare tire)
- una batería de repuesto (a spare battery)
- piezas de repuesto (spare parts)
Use “Extra” For An Additional Item Or Person
Extra works well when you mean “additional.” It’s direct and widely understood.
- Traje una camiseta extra. (I brought an extra shirt.)
- ¿Tienes una silla extra? (Do you have an extra chair?)
- Necesitamos una mano extra. (We need an extra set of hands.)
Use “De Sobra” When There’s More Than Needed
De sobra points to having more than enough. It can sound a bit firm, so tone matters.
- Tenemos comida de sobra. (We have more than enough food.)
- Me quedó tiempo de sobra. (I had time left over.)
- Con eso es de sobra. (That’s more than enough.)
Use “Sobrante” For Leftover Material
Sobrante is common for leftover pieces, especially in work or building talk.
- ¿Qué hacemos con la pintura sobrante? (What do we do with the leftover paint?)
- Guarda la tela sobrante. (Save the leftover fabric.)
Spare Change, Money To Spare, And “Spare” As Extra Amount
Money phrases can trip people up because English uses “spare” loosely. Spanish tends to name the type of money or the idea of having enough.
Say “Cambio Suelto” Or “Monedas Sueltas” For Spare Change
For coins and small change, these are natural picks.
- ¿Tienes cambio suelto? (Do you have change?)
- Solo tengo monedas sueltas. (I only have coins.)
- Necesito cambio para el bus. (I need change for the bus.)
Say “Tener De Más” For Having Money To Spare
When you mean “I can afford it” or “I have extra,” you can use tener de más or talk about what’s left after expenses.
- No tengo dinero de más. (I don’t have extra money.)
- Este mes me queda un poco de dinero. (I have a bit of money left this month.)
- No me sobra nada. (I don’t have anything left over.)
Spare Time And A Spare Minute In Spanish
When “spare” is about time, Spanish often uses tiempo libre, un momento, or verbs like tener and sobrar.
Use “Tiempo Libre” For Free Time
- Hoy tengo tiempo libre. (I have free time today.)
- ¿Tienes tiempo libre esta tarde? (Do you have free time this afternoon?)
Use “Un Minuto” Or “Un Momento” For A Spare Minute
In daily speech, people ask for a minute more than they say “spare.”
- ¿Tienes un minuto? (Do you have a minute?)
- Dame un momento. (Give me a moment.)
- ¿Me das un segundo? (Can you give me a second?)
Use “Me Sobra Tiempo” For “I Have Time To Spare”
This uses sobrar to show time left over.
- Me sobra tiempo. (I have time to spare.)
- No me sobra tiempo. (I don’t have time to spare.)
- Nos sobra media hora. (We have half an hour left.)
Table 1
Spare In Spanish By Meaning
| English Sense | Best Spanish Options | Ready Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Backup item or part | de repuesto | Necesito una llave de repuesto. |
| Additional item | extra | Traje una camiseta extra. |
| More than enough | de sobra | Con eso es de sobra. |
| Leftover material | sobrante | Guarda la pintura sobrante. |
| Coins or small change | cambio suelto, monedas sueltas | ¿Tienes cambio suelto? |
| Free time | tiempo libre | Hoy tengo tiempo libre. |
| Time left over | me sobra (tiempo) | No me sobra tiempo. |
| Show mercy | perdonar, ahorrar (en sentido de “no hacer pasar”) | Perdóname, por favor. |
| Avoid trouble or pain | ahorrar | Me ahorraste un mal rato. |
Spare Someone The Trouble In Spanish
When “spare” means “save someone from” or “not make them go through something,” Spanish often uses ahorrar.
Use “Ahorrar” For “Spare Someone” In This Sense
Think of it as “save” in the sense of saving effort, time, pain, or hassle.
- Me ahorraste una llamada. (You spared me a call.)
- Nos ahorró tiempo. (It saved us time.)
- No me ahorres los detalles. (Don’t spare me the details.)
- Me ahorraste un mal rato. (You spared me a bad time.)
Notice the pattern: a form of ahorrar plus what was saved. It’s clean and common.
Spare Me! And “Spare His Life” In Spanish
When “spare” is about mercy, Spanish uses different verbs based on the situation. Sometimes it’s a polite “please stop.” Other times it’s about forgiveness or letting someone live.
Use “Perdóname” Or “Perdón” For Forgiveness
- Perdón. (Sorry.)
- Perdóname. (Forgive me.)
- Discúlpame. (Excuse me.)
Use “Basta” Or “Ya” For “Spare Me” As “Stop”
If “Spare me!” means “Enough,” you can use short stop-phrases.
- Basta. (Enough.)
- Ya. (Stop / Enough.)
- Ya basta. (That’s enough.)
Use “Perdonar La Vida” Or “Dejar Con Vida” For Life-And-Death Talk
For “spare his life,” Spanish often uses a phrase rather than a single verb.
- Le perdonó la vida. (He spared his life.)
- Lo dejó con vida. (He left him alive.)
These lines appear in stories, news writing, and dramatic speech. In everyday talk, you’ll more often use perdonar for “forgive.”
Spare Room, Spare Bedroom, And “Spare” As Simple Or Extra Space
“Spare room” can mean an extra room you don’t use daily. Spanish has a few natural ways to say it, based on what that room is used for.
Use “Cuarto Extra” For A Straight Translation
- Tenemos un cuarto extra. (We have an extra room.)
- Hay una habitación extra al fondo. (There’s an extra room in the back.)
Use “Habitación De Invitados” For A Guest Room
If the room is mainly for visitors, this is the phrase that fits.
- La habitación de invitados está lista. (The guest room is ready.)
Use “Desocupado” Or “Libre” For A Room That’s Available
- El cuarto está libre. (The room is free.)
- Ese cuarto está desocupado. (That room is unoccupied.)
Table 2
Pick The Right Spanish By Situation
| You Mean “Spare” As… | Say This In Spanish | Short Note |
|---|---|---|
| A backup key or part | de repuesto | Best for items kept “just in case.” |
| An extra item | extra | Works for people, seats, clothes, food. |
| Money you can afford | dinero de más / me sobra | “Me sobra” can sound blunt; tone matters. |
| Coins or small change | cambio suelto | Common in shops and buses. |
| Free time | tiempo libre | Good for plans and schedules. |
| Time left over | me sobra tiempo | Shows extra time after tasks. |
| Save someone trouble | ahorrar | Use a direct object: me, te, le, nos. |
| Forgive or show mercy | perdonar | Use for apologies and forgiveness. |
Pronunciation And Accent Marks That Matter
Spanish spelling gives you clues, so lean on them. Perdón has an accent mark that pushes the stress to the last syllable. Perdonar keeps a steady rhythm: per-do-NAR. Ahorrar starts with a silent h; you say a-OR-rar. Repuesto sounds like reh-PWES-to. Say the phrases slowly, then speed up.
Mini Practice Lines You Can Say Out Loud
Practice matters most when you say full lines, not single words. Try these aloud and swap details: names, items, times.
- ¿Tienes una llave de repuesto?
- Necesito una batería de repuesto.
- ¿Te sobra una silla?
- No me sobra tiempo hoy.
- ¿Tienes un minuto?
- Me ahorraste un viaje.
- Perdón, fue mi culpa.
Common Mistakes And Clean Fixes
Most mix-ups come from picking one Spanish word and forcing it everywhere. Use these clean fixes instead.
Mistake: Using “Extra” For Spare Parts
Fix: Use de repuesto for parts and backup items you keep ready.
Mistake: Translating “Spare Me” Word-For-Word
Fix: Decide what you mean. “Stop” can be basta. “Forgive me” can be perdóname.
Mistake: Saying “Tengo Tiempo De Sobra” In Every Time Situation
Fix: Use tiempo libre for availability. Use me sobra tiempo for time left after tasks.
Self-Check Before You Speak
Use this short checklist when you see “spare” in English.
- Is it an item or a feeling?
- If it’s an item, is it a backup part (de repuesto) or an additional one (extra)?
- If it’s money or time, do you mean “free” (libre) or “left over” (me sobra)?
- If it’s mercy, do you mean “forgive” (perdonar) or “stop” (basta)?
- If it’s avoiding hassle, use ahorrar plus what was saved.
Wrap-Up
Spanish gives you clean, natural options for “spare,” once you pick the meaning. Use de repuesto for backups, extra for additional items, tiempo libre for free time, me sobra for leftover time or money, ahorrar to save someone trouble, and perdonar for mercy.
Read the English line, choose the sense, then grab the Spanish phrase that matches. After a few tries, it starts to feel automatic. It sticks faster than you’d expect too.