In Spanish, “alimony” is often written as pensión conyugal or manutención conyugal, with wording shifting by country and document style.
If you’re translating legal paperwork, writing to an attorney, or building family-law vocabulary, “alimony” can trip you up. Spanish uses several phrases for the same idea, and one popular phrase often points to payments for children, not a former spouse.
Below you’ll get the core terms, how to choose between them, and sentences you can reuse.
What “Alimony” Means Before You Translate It
In English, “alimony” usually means money one spouse pays the other after separation or divorce. It’s tied to the marriage, not to children. That detail matters because Spanish has phrases that can sound close yet point to a different payment type.
Ask one quick question: is the payment for a former spouse, for children, or for both? Once you know that, Spanish wording becomes straightforward.
Two close ideas people mix up
- Spouse-to-spouse payments: money paid to a former spouse after a breakup.
- Child-related payments: money paid for children’s living costs.
Saying alimony in Spanish with the right phrase
The most reliable Spanish options for “alimony” in a spouse-to-spouse sense are pensión conyugal and manutención conyugal. Both point to maintenance linked to the marriage.
You’ll also see pensión compensatoria in Spain. It’s a specific legal term tied to balancing economic hardship after divorce, and it’s common in rulings and agreements there.
Quick translation choices
- Alimony → pensión conyugal
- Spousal maintenance → manutención conyugal
- Spain (common legal term) → pensión compensatoria
Pronunciation notes
- pensión: pen-SYON
- conyugal: ko-nyu-GAL
- manutención: ma-nu-ten-SYON
- compensatoria: kom-pen-sa-TO-ria
How To Say Alimony In Spanish For Court Papers
When you write for court papers, stick to the term that fits the register of the place. If you’re translating a court order, mirror the wording already used in that document and stay consistent from start to finish.
If you don’t know the country or the document is general, pensión conyugal is a safe, widely understood choice. If your context is Spain, pensión compensatoria is often the closest match to what courts use.
When Spanish Uses “Pensión Alimenticia” Instead
You’ll hear pensión alimenticia a lot. In many countries, that phrase is strongly tied to payments for children, even though the literal words point to “maintenance.” In some legal systems, it can also cover other dependent-family duties.
That’s why learners sometimes translate “alimony” as pensión alimenticia and end up describing child-related payments. If your context is spouse-to-spouse, choose pensión conyugal or manutención conyugal first.
If your source text is vague, add a clarifier like entre cónyuges (between spouses) or para los hijos (for the children) to lock the meaning.
How To Choose The Best Term In Your Sentence
Start with the audience. A bilingual friend may understand looser wording, while a sworn translation needs terms that match formal court style.
If you’re writing in formal legal Spanish
- Use pensión conyugal or manutención conyugal for spouse-to-spouse payments.
- In Spain-focused writing, pensión compensatoria often fits.
- Add entre cónyuges when the text could be read as child payments.
If you’re speaking in everyday Spanish
Many people will say pensión and rely on context. If you want to stay clear, say pensión para el ex cónyuge or pensión para la ex esposa, depending on the person.
If you’re translating a phrase that already says “spousal maintenance”
Mirror the specificity. “Spousal maintenance” lines up with manutención conyugal or pensión conyugal. If the English text says payments for children, use pensión alimenticia and keep “alimony” out of it.
Table Of Spanish Terms You’ll See In Divorce Papers
These phrases show up in rulings, agreements, and translated certificates. The table gathers common labels plus what they usually mean in real documents.
| English idea | Spanish term | What it usually points to |
|---|---|---|
| Alimony (general) | pensión conyugal | Spouse-to-spouse payments after separation or divorce |
| Spousal maintenance | manutención conyugal | Maintenance linked to marriage; common in legal writing |
| Compensatory alimony (Spain) | pensión compensatoria | Spain’s standard label for spouse payments ordered after divorce |
| Child payments | pensión alimenticia | Money for children’s needs; wording shifts by country |
| Duty to pay | obligación de pago | The duty to pay under a ruling or agreement |
| Back payments | pagos atrasados | Money still owed from earlier months |
| Change of amount | modificación | Changing the amount due after a change in income or needs |
| Enforcement action | ejecución | Legal action to make someone comply with the order |
Spanish Sentences You Can Copy And Adapt
These lines keep the meaning tight and sound natural. Swap the names, dates, and amounts as needed.
Simple statements
- El juez ordenó una pensión conyugal por doce meses.
- Mi abogado pidió manutención conyugal durante el proceso.
- En el acuerdo aparece una pensión compensatoria.
Amounts and timing
- Debe pagar la pensión el primer día de cada mes.
- La cantidad puede cambiar si cambian los ingresos.
- Hay pagos atrasados que se van a reclamar.
Clarifying spouse vs. children
- La pensión es entre cónyuges, no para los hijos.
- La pensión alimenticia es para cubrir gastos de los niños.
Common Mistakes With This Translation
Most mistakes come from choosing a phrase that sounds close in English, not from grammar.
Mixing up “alimenticia” with “conyugal”
Alimenticia often signals child-related payments. If your meaning is spousal, that choice can change the whole message.
Using a made-up word like “alimonia”
Spanish doesn’t use an everyday word that mirrors “alimony” one-to-one. A spelling like “alimonia” looks like a mistranslation. Stick to the established phrases above.
Skipping register in paperwork
In court writing, small word choices matter. If you’re translating paperwork, match the tone: use nouns like pensión, manutención, and obligación, and avoid casual shortcuts.
Table Of Country-Friendly Choices For Alimony Terms
Spanish varies by region. These are safe starting points when you’re aiming for typical wording. If you’re translating a specific court document, match the terms already used there.
| Target region | Common term | Notes to keep it clear |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | pensión compensatoria | Common in divorce rulings; add entre cónyuges if needed |
| Mexico | pensión conyugal | pensión alimenticia often leans child-related in many contexts |
| Argentina | cuota alimentaria | Often broad; add del cónyuge when the payee is the ex spouse |
| Chile | pensión de alimentos | Common in family law; confirm whether the text refers to children or spouse |
| United States Spanish (general) | pensión conyugal | Common in translations for spouse payments after divorce |
| General neutral Spanish | manutención conyugal | Clear meaning when you don’t know the reader’s country |
Extra Words That Often Appear Near Alimony
If you’re studying for an exam or translating a packet, you’ll often see alimony terms next to these words. Learning them together keeps your translation consistent.
People and roles
- cónyuge: spouse
- ex cónyuge: former spouse
- demandante: person who files the claim
Documents and actions
- sentencia: ruling
- acuerdo: agreement
- incumplimiento: failure to comply
- reclamar: to claim or request formally
A Checklist Before You Send A Translation
Run this quick pass to reduce errors when you write or translate anything that includes alimony.
- Confirm who receives the money: former spouse, children, or both.
- Pick the core phrase: pensión conyugal, manutención conyugal, or (Spain) pensión compensatoria.
- Add a clarifier like entre cónyuges if the line could be read as child payments.
- Keep the same term throughout unless the source text changes meaning.
- Read it out loud once to catch missing articles and awkward word order.
Quick recap
Use pensión conyugal or manutención conyugal when “alimony” means spouse-to-spouse payments. Use pensión compensatoria for Spain-focused writing. Save pensión alimenticia for child-related payments unless your document clearly uses it for spouse duties.