Efectivo

Efectivo
 

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for December 13, 2009

efectivo (adjective) — real, actual; en efectivo = in cash; efectivos = officers. Look up efectivo in the dictionary

Pagó la cuenta en efectivo.
He paid the bill in cash.

Nunca lleva dinero en efectivo.
He never carries cash.

Numerosos efectivos de la policía rodearon el colegio.
A large police contigent surrounded the school.

Could this one mean also "Never carry cash"? (In the imperative?)

No, because negative imperatives use the subjunctive.

Ugh! The subjunctive. I haven't studied that yet ... won't do so anytime soon. :( Too many other things to focus on.......

So, it would be something like "Nunca lleves dinero en efectivo"?

Para no haberlo estudiado, lo haces muy bien :applause: ;)

It also means "effective"

Good point. The OP says efectivo (adjective) and as an adjective, it means effective. In en efectivo, it is a noun.

Ok, do not confuse me now. I know it means effective as in something being effective, and it also means cash in Spanish. Whether it is a noun or an adjective it goes beyond my realm... :rolleyes:

Now I just do not believe that you can't see the difference between a noun and an adjective, if you really tried. :erm:

You are an skeptical person.... So am I, but then again, maybe not. :D

I'm sure you're able to ;)

Efectivamente :D, "en efectivo" es una locución adverbial compuesta de preposición y sustantivo ;)

In the third sentence there is also a noun: " Numerosos efectivos"

:)

¿Se puede dar un ejemplo de "efectivo" significando "effective"?

el abono se hará efectivo por mensualidades the payment will be made in monthly instalments
su dimisión se hará efectiva a partir del 15 de enero her resignation will be effective from ...

Actually, "effective" should be a false friend for "efectivo", since we should say "eficaz" or "eficiente" (this one for people). But it's very common to say, for instance:

Este medicamento es muy efectivo (though we should say "eficaz", instead of efectivo)

http://www.elcastellano.org/diezerr.html

:)

Edit: Perikles' examples are OK ;)

All too correct. However, if you talk to anyone who speaks Spanish, most will say that efectivo is synonym of eficaz.

No?

Then again, is should not be a false friend.

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltCons...&LEMA=efectivo

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effective

I say "efectivo" for "eficaz". But that page is so good, I couldn't avoid to link it ;) :)

Then this poor people http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effective must be wrong. :dancingman::dancingman::dancingman:

How is this first example "effective"?

"The payment will be made effective in monthly instalments"