Estar sin blanca

to be broke; **to be broke**; **to be flat broke**; **to be skint** (British English); **to have no money left**

Estar sin blanca means to be completely broke or to have no money available.

The expression refers to temporary lack of money rather than permanent poverty.

Someone may receive their salary tomorrow but still say today:

Estoy sin blanca.

• has run out of money
• cannot afford something
• is waiting to get paid
• has spent all their cash
• feels financially broke

The expression comes from the blanca, a small coin widely used in medieval Castile.

Because it had such little value, saying that someone did not even possess a blanca became a natural way of expressing complete lack of money.

Although the coin disappeared centuries ago, the idiom survived.

Today, most Spaniards use the expression without knowing that blanca was once real money.

Spanish has many colourful ways of saying that someone has no money.

Among the most common are:

• No tener un duro.
• No tener un euro.
• No tener un céntimo.
• Estar sin blanca.

Of these, estar sin blanca is one of the oldest and most traditional.

Spanish preserves the names of several old coins in everyday expressions.

Most speakers have never seen a blanca, yet they still say:

Estoy sin blanca.

The coin disappeared centuries ago.

The expression did not.

Do not interpret blanca as the colour white.

It refers to an old coin.

Instead of translating the words, translate the idea:

• I'm broke.
• I've got no money left.
• I'm flat broke.

The historical reference disappears in modern English.