Vocabulary: Money, Finance & Banking

Welcome to the exhaustive guide on finances and banking! In this interactive vocabulary lesson, we will cover the essential words you need to manage your money in English.

We will explore everyday money terms, banking actions, business vocabulary, and how native speakers use finance-related idioms. Read through the vocabulary, test your knowledge in the quizzes, and complete today's missions below.

Everyday Money List:

Cash - Money in coins or notes.
Coin - A flat, typically round piece of metal used as money.
Currency - A system of money in general use in a particular country.
Change - Money returned to someone as the balance of the sum paid.
Receipt - A printed statement acknowledging that something has been paid for.
Wallet - A pocket-sized, flat, folding holder for money and plastic cards.
ATM - Automated Teller Machine; a machine that dispenses cash.
Banknote - A piece of paper money.
Counterfeit - Made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intention to deceive.

Banking List:

Account - An arrangement by which a bank holds funds on behalf of a client.
Balance - The amount of money held in a bank account.
Deposit - To place money in a bank account.
Withdraw - To remove money from a bank account.
Transfer - To move money from one account to another.
Loan - A thing that is borrowed, especially a sum of money.
Interest - Money paid regularly at a particular rate for the use of money lent.
Mortgage - A legal agreement by which a bank lends money for buying property.
Overdraft - A deficit in a bank account caused by drawing more money than the account holds.
Credit - The ability to obtain goods before payment, based on trust.
Debit - An entry recording a sum deducted from a bank account.
Statement - A document showing the current balance and transactions of an account.
Borrow - To take and use something with the intention of returning it.
Lend - To grant someone the use of something on the condition that it will be returned.

Business List:

Revenue - Income, especially when of an organization.
Profit - A financial gain.
Budget - An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.
Invoice - A list of goods sent or services provided, with a statement of the sum due.
Contract - A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment or sales.
Enterprise - A business or company.
Investment - The action or process of investing money for profit.
Tax - A compulsory contribution to state revenue.
Salary - A fixed regular payment made by an employer to an employee.
Expense - The cost required for something; the money spent.
Audit - An official inspection of an individual's or organization's accounts.

Expressions List:

Break the bank - To cost a lot of money.
Make ends meet - To earn just enough money to live on.
Foot the bill - To pay for something.
On the house - Given away free by a merchant.
Pay through the nose - To pay much more than a fair price.
A penny saved is a penny earned - It is as useful to save money as it is to earn it.
Cash cow - A business, investment, or product that provides a steady income or profit.
In the red - Spending and owing more money than is being earned.
In the black - Earning more money than is being spent.

Please enable JavaScript to view the interactive flashcards, take the quiz, and download the audio resources.

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

Filter the words below and click on any card to reveal its definition, audio pronunciation, and a sentence-building mini-game.

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of the financial vocabulary and idioms.

visibility Definition Match

What do you call a machine where you can get cash out of your bank account?

account_balance Banking Actions

To put money INTO your bank account is to...

warning VOCABULARY TRAP

Which sentence is correct when you want someone to give you money for a short time?

psychology Idiom Meaning

If something "breaks the bank", it means...

workspace_premium

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

Complete these real-world tasks to lock the vocabulary into your memory.

Check Your Wallet 🔍 Look in your wallet or purse. Write down the English words for three things you find inside (e.g., cash, coins, receipt).

Draft a Message ✍️ Write a professional message asking a client to pay an invoice. (e.g., "Please pay the invoice for the bicycle tour.")

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Let's review the key concepts covered in the interactive module above to ensure you are ready to talk about money and banking.

Lend vs. Borrow

This is the most common mistake for English learners!

Borrow: To TAKE money from someone. (e.g., "Can I borrow $10 from you?")
Lend: To GIVE money to someone. (e.g., "Can you lend me $10?")

Financial Idioms

Native speakers often use idioms to talk about money, instead of being direct.

Break the bank: To be too expensive.
In the red: Losing money or in debt.
In the black: Making a profit.

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Vocabulary: Money, Finance & Banking

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Lend vs. Borrow

Financial Idioms

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