You Can’t Afford In Spanish | Say It Without Sounding Off

The clean, everyday translation is “No te lo puedes permitir,” and “No puedo costearlo” fits when you mean you don’t have the money.

You hear “you can’t afford” in English all the time, and it can mean a few different things. Sometimes it’s strict money. Sometimes it’s time. Sometimes it’s risk: “You can’t afford to mess this up.” Spanish has tidy options for each meaning, plus small tweaks that change the tone from blunt to polite.

This page gives you the best Spanish equivalents, when to pick each one, and ready-to-use lines you can copy into real conversations. You’ll also see what changes across countries, and how to avoid translations that sound stiff or off.

You Can’t Afford In Spanish With Natural Meaning And Tone

If you want one go-to line that fits most everyday situations, start here:

No te lo puedes permitir

“No te lo puedes permitir” maps well to “You can’t afford it.” It’s common, direct, and works for money limits, even when you don’t spell out prices. You can also switch the pronoun:

• No me lo puedo permitir. (I can’t afford it.)
• No se lo pueden permitir. (They can’t afford it.)

No puedo costearlo

“Costear” is a clean verb for paying for something you can’t cover. It’s especially good when the idea is plainly financial, like a bill, tuition, or rent. If you want a dictionary-backed definition for “costear,” the entry in the RAE dictionary definition for “costear” lines up with the “cover the cost” meaning in everyday use.

No me alcanza

“No me alcanza” means “It’s not enough for me,” with money implied. It’s short, spoken, and common in many places. You’ll also hear “No me alcanza la plata” or “No me alcanza el dinero.” It can sound more casual than “No puedo costearlo.”

No está a mi alcance

This one is a little more formal. It’s handy when you’re talking about something out of reach financially, like a house in a pricey neighborhood or a luxury item. It also works for opportunities that feel out of reach, though tone matters.

Pick The Right Spanish Phrase For What “Afford” Means Here

English “afford” carries three common meanings: money, time, and risk. Spanish shifts wording depending on which one you mean. If you match the meaning first, your sentence lands cleanly.

When “Afford” Means Money

Use these when the limit is cash, budget, or monthly cost.

• No te lo puedes permitir. Neutral, everyday, works in most cases.
• No puedo costearlo. Clear money focus, good for expenses.
• No me alcanza. Casual, fast, spoken tone.
• Se sale de mi presupuesto. Good for budgeting talk, emails, planning.

When “Afford” Means Time

English uses “afford” for time in a way Spanish usually doesn’t copy word-for-word. These feel natural:

• No tengo tiempo para eso. (I don’t have time for that.)
• No me da el tiempo. (I don’t have the time.)
• No puedo permitirme perder tiempo. (I can’t afford to waste time.)

When “Afford” Means Risk Or Consequences

This is the “We can’t afford mistakes” meaning. Spanish often uses “permitirse” or “no podemos” with a consequence word:

• No podemos permitirnos fallar. (We can’t afford to fail.)
• No podemos arriesgarnos. (We can’t risk it.)
• No podemos cometer errores. (We can’t make mistakes.)

If you’re deciding between “permitirse” and “costear,” a simple check helps: if you can attach a price tag, “costear” fits. If the “cost” is time, reputation, or consequences, “permitirse” fits.

Common Forms You’ll Hear In Real Speech

Spanish pronouns move around, so you may hear the same idea in different shapes. They mean the same thing, just with a different rhythm.

Word order that changes the feel

• No te lo puedes permitir. Standard phrasing.
• No puedes permitírtelo. Slightly punchier, same meaning.
• No me lo puedo permitir. Standard with “I.”
• No puedo permitírmelo. Same idea, different placement.

Quick add-ons that make it sound human

These small pieces soften the line or add clarity without changing the core meaning:

• Ahora mismo (right now): “Ahora mismo no me lo puedo permitir.”
• Con mi sueldo (with my salary): “Con mi sueldo no puedo costearlo.”
• Este mes (this month): “Este mes no me alcanza.”

If you want a reference for how “permitirse” is used as “to allow oneself,” check the RAE dictionary entry for “permitir”, since “permitirse” builds from that base meaning in everyday Spanish.

Sentences You Can Copy And Use Right Away

Here are ready lines grouped by situation. Swap the pronoun and you’re set.

Shopping And Personal Spending

• Me gusta, pero no me lo puedo permitir. (I like it, but I can’t afford it.)
• Está fuera de mi presupuesto. (It’s outside my budget.)
• No puedo costear ese gasto ahora. (I can’t cover that expense now.)

Rent, Bills, And Big Costs

• Con estos precios, no puedo costearlo. (With these prices, I can’t afford it.)
• No me alcanza para el alquiler. (I don’t have enough for rent.)
• Se me va del presupuesto. (It blows my budget.)

Work Deadlines And Time

• No puedo permitirme llegar tarde. (I can’t afford to be late.)
• No me da el tiempo para rehacerlo. (I don’t have time to redo it.)
• No podemos permitirnos perder un día. (We can’t afford to lose a day.)

Risk, Mistakes, And High Stakes

• No podemos permitirnos un error. (We can’t afford a mistake.)
• No podemos arriesgarnos a eso. (We can’t risk that.)
• No puedo permitirme fallar. (I can’t afford to fail.)

If you want a quick check on usage across regions, the FundéuRAE note on “permitirse” is useful for seeing how the verb behaves in real Spanish writing.

Table Of Best Translations By Meaning And Register

Use this table when you need the right phrase fast. It’s sorted by meaning first, then by how it tends to sound.

English Meaning	Spanish Option	When It Fits Best
Money: “I can’t afford it”	No me lo puedo permitir	Everyday purchases, clear and natural
Money: “I can’t cover that cost”	No puedo costearlo	Bills, tuition, big expenses, formal tone
Money: “I don’t have enough”	No me alcanza	Casual speech, quick answer
Budget: “It’s out of budget”	Está fuera de mi presupuesto	Planning, emails, polite refusals
Time: “I can’t afford to waste time”	No puedo permitirme perder tiempo	Deadlines, work urgency
Risk: “We can’t afford mistakes”	No podemos permitirnos errores	High stakes, responsibility, teams
Risk: “We can’t risk it”	No podemos arriesgarnos	When the danger is the main idea
Opportunity: “It’s not within reach”	No está a mi alcance	Formal speech, distant goals, pricey items
Plain time limit	No me da el tiempo	Daily life, schedules, tasks

Small Mistakes That Make The Spanish Sound Off

Most translation slips come from treating “afford” as one fixed verb. Spanish is pickier: it wants the meaning. Here are the errors that show up a lot.

Using “afordar” or a made-up verb

Spanish doesn’t use an “afford” clone in everyday speech. If you try to force it, it sounds like a machine translation. Stick with “permitirse,” “costear,” or “alcanzar,” depending on meaning.

Mixing money and risk in the same phrasing

“No puedo costear un error” sounds odd unless you’re talking about the financial cost of fixing the error. If you mean consequences, use “No puedo permitirme un error.”

Dropping the pronoun and losing clarity

“No puedo permitir” is incomplete unless you add what you can’t allow. Make it “No puedo permitirme” plus an action, or use the object form: “No puedo permitírmelo.”

Over-formal Spanish in casual moments

“No está a mi alcance” can feel stiff when you’re talking about a coffee or a pair of shoes. In those moments, “No me alcanza” or “No me lo puedo permitir” feels more like real speech.

How It Changes Across Countries Without Tripping You Up

You’ll hear small shifts from place to place. That’s normal. The safest choices that travel well are “No me lo puedo permitir” and “No puedo permitírmelo.”

In many parts of Latin America, “plata” is common for money, and “No me alcanza” shows up a lot in everyday talk. In Spain, “No me llega” can also show up, and “No me lo puedo permitir” is still a solid pick. If you’re writing for a broad audience, aim for the versions with “permitirse” and “presupuesto.” They read cleanly across regions.

If you want an extra sanity check on common phrasing and example sentences, a reputable learner-facing reference like Cambridge Dictionary’s “afford” English–Spanish entry gives you a quick cross-check for mainstream equivalents.

Make It Polite Or Firm With One Tiny Change

Spanish lets you dial the tone up or down with small moves. That’s handy when you’re turning someone down, negotiating, or setting a boundary.

Polite refusals

• Me encantaría, pero ahora no me lo puedo permitir. (I’d love to, but I can’t afford it right now.)
• Ahora mismo se me sale del presupuesto. (Right now it’s out of budget.)
• Este mes no me alcanza, lo dejamos para después. (This month I can’t swing it, let’s do it later.)

Firm boundaries

• No puedo permitirme perder más tiempo. (I can’t afford to lose more time.)
• No podemos permitirnos otro error. (We can’t afford another mistake.)
• No me lo puedo permitir, punto. (I can’t afford it, period.)

That last “punto” is blunt. Use it when you mean it. If you want softer, drop it and add “ahora” or “este mes.”

Mini Checklist To Choose The Best Line In Ten Seconds

When you’re stuck, run this quick mental check:

1. Is it money? Use “No me lo puedo permitir” or “No puedo costearlo.”
2. Is it time? Use “No me da el tiempo” or “No puedo permitirme perder tiempo.”
3. Is it risk? Use “No podemos permitirnos” plus the consequence.
4. Do you want casual? “No me alcanza.”
5. Do you want formal? “Está fuera de mi presupuesto” or “No está a mi alcance.”

Table Of Fast Conversions You Can Copy

If you just need a clean swap from English to Spanish, use these pairs and plug in your topic word at the end.

English Pattern	Spanish Pattern	Plug-In Example
I can’t afford it.	No me lo puedo permitir.	No me lo puedo permitir ahora.
I can’t afford + noun.	No puedo costear + noun.	No puedo costear esa reparación.
I can’t afford to + verb.	No puedo permitirme + verb.	No puedo permitirme faltar.
We can’t afford mistakes.	No podemos permitirnos errores.	No podemos permitirnos errores hoy.
It’s out of my budget.	Está fuera de mi presupuesto.	Está fuera de mi presupuesto este mes.
I don’t have enough money.	No me alcanza (el dinero).	No me alcanza el dinero para eso.

If you take one thing from this page, let it be this: Spanish “afford” is a meaning choice, not a single translation. Pick the meaning first, then pick the phrase. Once you do that, your Spanish stops sounding like a literal copy and starts sounding like something a person would say.