Word for "cash"?

[robbie007]

This is probably a silly and easy question, but I will ask anyways...

If you are on the streets of a city in Arizona, such as Phoenix, where Hispanics speak Mexican Spanish (not formal Spanish as spoken in Spain), and a beggar asks you for money or change, how would you say in Spanish "I don't have any cash!" or "I don't have any change."

My obvious guess is "No tengo dinero." How else would YOU respond?

[poli]

There may be regional usages but efectivo and metálico are used in the following way pagar en efectivo/pagar en metálico (to pay in cash)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

The usual Mexican reply to beggars is "no traigo/tengo cambio", which means "I don't have small money".

In other contexts, as Poli said, "cash" is "efectivo".

- El pago es en efectivo.
The payment must be in cash.


A side note, just for the sake of precision: Mexican Spanish is not "less formal" than Spanish from Spain. There are colloquial and formal ways of talking in every region.

[Glen]

Speaking of change, a Colombian friend of mine tells me the cashier asks ¿No tiene más sencillo? [Do you have anything smaller?] when you use a large-denomination bill to pay for an inexpensive item.

[pinosilano]

Originally Posted by robbie007

"I don't have any cash!" or "I don't have any change."

As the colombian friend of Glen says, 'no tengo sencillo' is very usual and comprensive as well.