Apoyo vs. respaldo
The Spanish words 'apoyo' and 'respaldo' both translate to 'support' or 'backing' in English, which refers to financial or moral help. However, they are used differently in various contexts, which subtly changes their meaning.
Apoyo
'Apoyo' typically refers to moral or emotional support. It can also indicate support in terms of assistance or help.
Mi familia siempre ha sido un gran apoyo para mí.
(My family has always been a great support for me.)
El profesor siempre ofrece apoyo extra a sus estudiantes.
(The teacher always offers extra support to his students.)
El apoyo mutuo es fundamental en cualquier equipo de trabajo.
(Mutual support is fundamental in any work team.)
Respaldo
'Respaldo' generally refers more to the backing or endorsement, often in a more formal or financial context. It also implies a strong level of support often from an institution or group.
El proyecto cuenta con el respaldo de varias organizaciones internacionales.
(The project has the backing of several international organizations.)
El candidato obtuvo el respaldo de la mayoría del partido para las elecciones.
(The candidate obtained the majority of the party's backing for the elections.)
Nuestro estudio ha tenido mucho respaldo financiero.
(Our study has had a lot of financial backing.)
Summary
While both 'apoyo' and 'respaldo' mean 'support', 'apoyo' is often used to indicate emotional, moral, or assistance-based support while 'respaldo', although can also be used in similar situations, it has a stronger implication towards more formal, institutional, or financial support.