Gasto

Gasto is a term used in economics and accounting, primarily in Spanish-speaking contexts, to denote money spent on goods, services, or activities. The noun derives from the verb gastar (to spend). In accounting, gastos are costs recognized by a business or organization over a period. They are contrasted with investments that create long-term assets; in practice, gasto de capital or capital expenditure (CAPEX) refers to spending on assets, while gasto operativo or operating expense (OPEX) covers day-to-day costs.

Costs can be categorized in several ways: fixed versus variable gastos reflect whether the amount remains constant with output; direct versus indirect gastos relate to whether they can be traced to a specific product or department. The recognition of gastos follows accounting standards and calendar periods; some expenses are expensed when incurred, others are capitalized as assets.

On the public side, gasto publico denotes government spending, spanning consumption, subsidies, and capital programs. In macroeconomics, gasto or expenditure is a component of GDP under the expenditure approach, along with private consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports.

In everyday usage, gasto often connotes that resources are being consumed and can be a target for budgeting or cost-control efforts, especially when gasto is high relative to income or revenue. Common phrases include gasto fijo (fixed expense), gasto variable (variable expense), and gasto de capital (capital expenditure).