So, you’ve got to grips with the basics of Spanish, and you’re ready to move it on to the next level. In this article, we go over some mild colloquialisms as well as some of the more vulgar slang words that you’ll hear on the streets of Spain.
WARNING: This article contains EXPLICIT language, including that of a sexual nature. Please don’t read on if you are a minor.Positives
To rock/to be awesome
¡Madrid mola! | Madrid rocks! |
To be amazing (literally: to be the milk)
Nuestro nuevo profesor es la leche. | Our new teacher is the best. |
To get your act together/get hyped (literally: to put your batteries in)
Ponte las pilas. ¡Vamos a bailar! | Get ready. We’re gonna dance! |
Awesome (literally: of whore mother)
Be careful with this one. As you’ll see later, calling someone ‘puto/a’ or ‘hijo de puta’ is rude. But if you say someone is ‘de puta madre,’ you’re saying that they’re pretty awesome.
Esta comida es de puta madre. | This food is awesome. |
Star (To be a star, as in very talented)
¿Ya terminaste la tarea? ¡Eres un crack! | You finished the task already? You’re a star! |
Yep
—¿Estás seguro? —Sip. | “Are you sure?” “Yep.” |
Cool
Be careful, ’cos ‘chulo’ also means ‘pimp.’
Me encanta tu nuevo reloj. ¡Qué guay/chulo! | I love your new watch. How cool! |
Negatives/Insults in Spanish
Party pooper (literally: party waterer)
No invites a Juan. Es aguafiestas. | Don’t invite Juan. He’s a party pooper. |
Four-eyes
¡Oye, cuatrojos! | Oi, four-eyes! |
US: jerk
UK: dickhead/twat
No entiendo por qué sigues saliendo con ese gilipollas. | I don’t understand why you’re still going out with that jerk. |
Bastard
Me engañaste, Gregor. ¡Eres cabrón! | You cheated on me, Gregor. You’re a bastard! |
Whore
Be careful if you use this one around a Chilean native, as they may take it to mean ‘c*nt.’
—Esa chica es una zorra. —No la juzgues. | “That girl is a whore.” “Don’t judge her.” |
Whore
Tu hermana es puta. | Your sister’s a whore. |
Faggot
My observation from having lived in Spain is that political correctness still has a way to go. Because they use this kind of language more frequently than us, it means that it may not have quite as strong an offensive connotation as it does in English.
¿Por qué llevas una camisa rosa? ¡Maricón! | Why are you wearing a pink shirt? Faggot! |
Junkie
No te metas con él. Es un yonqui que necesita ayuda profesional. | Don’t get involved with him. He’s a junkie who needs professional help. |
Son of a bitch
You can use ‘hijo’ or ‘hija’ depending on whether you’re insulting a male or female.
Ben me robó el móvil. ¡Hijo de puta! | Ben stole my cell. Son of a bitch! |
Foreigner/foreign tourist
En lugares como Magaluf e Ibiza, los guiris suelen faltar respeto para las normas culturales. | In places like Magaluf and Ibiza, foreign tourists often lack respect for cultural norms. |
To hell with … (literally: to shit on)
Me cago en la leche. | To hell with it. (Literally: I shit in the milk.) |
Me cago en tus muertos. | Fuck off/I don’t respect or like you. (Literally: I shit on your dead relatives.) |
—Tienes que estudiar para el examen. —Me cago en el puto examen. | “You have to study for the exam.” “To hell with the fucking exam.” (Literally: “I shit on the fucking exam.”) |
Fuck off (literally: go and take it up the ass)
Another bit of homophobia entrenched in the Spanish language.
—Creo que eres mala persona. —Vete a tomar por culo, hijo de puta. | “I think you’re a bad person.” “Fuck off, you son of a bitch.” |
Le eché un piropo y me mandó a tomar por culo. | I catcalled her and she told me to piss off. |
Screw you/fuck off/up yours (literally: may they give it to you [up the ass]/may they fuck you)
—Si no me mandas las fotos que te pido, revelo tu secreto. —Que te jodan, cabrón. | “If you don’t send me the photos I ask for, I’ll reveal your secret.” “Fuck off, bastard.” |
Dirty
This can mean dirty in the physical sense, e.g. when your car gets dirty, but also in the dirty-minded sense.
Qué hombre más guarro. | What a filthy man. |
Fucked
Mi coche está jodido. | My car is fucked. |
To pester (literally: to give the beating)
Deja de darme la paliza, por favor. | Stop pestering me, please. |
To hit (literally: to give)
Luché con Lidia y me dio en las costillas. | I fought with Lidia and she hit me in the ribs. |
Not a bloody clue
—¿A qué hora empieza la peli? —No tengo ni puta idea. | “What time does the movie start?” “I don’t have a bloody clue.” |
Nope
—¿Quieres más alcohol? —Nop. | “Do you want more alcohol?” “Nope.” |
No fucking way
—Hermana, ¿me prestas tu nuevo coche? —¡Ni de coña! | “Sis, can you lend me your new car?” “No fucking way!” |
Body parts, bodily functions, sex
Balls
These can both be used in the literal sense, meaning testicles, or the more figurative sense, denoting bravery.
Me dio una patada en los huevos/cojones. | She kicked me in the balls. |
No tienes los huevos/cojones para invitarle una bebida. | You don’t have the balls to offer to buy her a drink. |
Dick/cock
This refers to the actual body part. If you wanted to call someone a dick as an insult, you’d go for one of the insults above, like ‘gilipollas,’ which you’ll notice does contain the word ‘polla’!
Mi novio fue a ver al médico porque tiene un problemilla con su polla. | My boyfriend went to see the doctor because he has a little problem with his dick. |
Tits
—Enséñame las tetas, rubia. —Vete a tomar por culo. | “Show me your tits, blondie.” “Fuck off.” |
To pee
This isn’t vulgar slang, this is kinda cute, and can be used with kids.
Cariño, ¿tienes que hacer pipí antes de que nos vayamos? | Sweetie, do you need to have a wee wee before we go? |
To poop
Another cutesy way to talk about toilet business.
Mamá, tengo que hacer caca. | Mommy, I have to poop. |
To piss
Tengo que mear. | I have to take a piss. |
To piss oneself
Deja de hacerme reír, ¡que me meo! | Stop making me laugh, I’m gonna piss myself! |
To shit
Aquí los perros cagan donde sea, y los dueños no hacen nada. | Here the dogs shit wherever, and the owners do nothing. |
Fuck buddy
A cruder version of friends with benefits. The word ‘follamigo/a’ comes from mixing ‘follar’ (to fuck) with ‘amigo/a’ (friend).
—¿Te acuerdas de Carlos, mi follamigo? —Sip. —Creo que me estoy enamorando de él. | “Do you remember Carlos, my fuck buddy?” “Yep.” “I think I’m falling in love with him.” |
To fuck
Fui a la casa de mi ex para recoger mi ropa pero acabamos follando. | I went to my ex’s house to pick up my clothes but we ended up fucking. |
To get laid
Estoy muy cachonda, tengo que echar un polvo ya. | I’m so horny, I need to get laid already. |
To hook up/to flirt
Quiero ligar con alguien esta noche. | I want to get with someone tonight. |
To grind (dance)
Mira como perrea ese tío. | Look at that guy grinding. |
Six pack (body)
Voy a entrenar duro en el gimnasio para tener tableta de chocolate para la playa. | I’m going to train hard at the gym to get a six pack for the beach. |
To cheat on someone
Estoy triste porque mi novia me puso los cuernos. | I’m feeling sad because my girlfriend cheated on me. |
Going out
To have a drink
¿Quieres echar un trago después de currar? | Do you want to grab a drink after work? |
Drink (alcoholic)
¿Quieres una copa? | Do you want a drink? |
To go out partying
Tengo que comprar una nueva falda, que mañana las chicas y yo nos vamos de juerga. | I have to buy a new skirt cause tomorrow the girls and I are going out. |
To go out binge drinking
La familia entera se va de borrachera. | The whole family is gonna get wasted. |
A quick browse of the club to see if there’s anyone you’re attracted to
Espera aquí. Voy a dar una putivuelta. | Wait here. I’m gonna check out the talent. |
To be drunk/high
No puedo conducir ahora. Estoy pedo. | I can’t drive now. I’m drunk. |
To go for tapas
—¿Qué quieres de comer? —Tengo ganas de tapear. | “What do you want to eat?” “I feel like getting tapas.” |
Chilled
Short for ‘tranquilo/a’ (calm).
No voy a beber mucho hoy. Salimos de tranquis. | I’m not gonna drink much today. We’re going out for a quiet one. |
—Estoy nerviosa. —¡Tranqui! | “I’m nervous.” “Relax!” |
Miscellaneous colloquialisms
And what about …?/and where is …?
[Al entrar en casa]: ¿Y Papá? | [On entering the house]: Is Dad not here? |
Listen/Hey
This can be used in Spain like a colloquial ‘excuse me.’
Oye, ¿qué coño haces? | Hey, what the fuck are you doing? |
Pretty please
A cute version of ‘por favor.’
Mamá, ¿me compras este juguete, porfis? | Mommy, will you buy me this toy, pretty please? |
Dude/Guy
Mira a ese tipo. | Look at that guy. |
Some guy/girl/so-and-so
Vino un fulano buscándote. | Some guy came looking for you. |
Guy/girl/buddy
‘Tío’ and ‘tía’ also mean uncle and aunt.
¿Qué tal, tío? | How’s it going, buddy? |
Friend/buddy
This is an alternate meaning to the standard translation of ‘colleague.’
Voy a la fiesta con mi colega. | I’m going to the party with my buddy. |
Kid
Los chavales del cole están acosando a mi hijo. | The kids from the school are bullying my son. |
Geek, nerd
Este es mi cómic favorito. ¡Soy bastante friki! | This is my favorite comic. I’m quite a nerd! |
Other half/soulmate
Literally, this means ‘half orange.’
No te preocupes, ya encontrarás tu media naranja. | Don’t worry, you’ll find your soulmate. |
Cops
Short for ‘policía’ (‘police’).
¡Corre! ¡Viene la poli! | Run! The cops are coming! |
To flip out, to go mental
Tengo algo gracioso que contarte. Vas a flipar. | I have something funny to tell you. You’re gonna flip out. |
A lot
Use with a verb.
María me gusta mazo. | I like María a lot. |
Heaps
Mi padrastro compró un mogollón de cerveza. | My stepdad bought a shitload of beer. |
Fillers and Exclamations
You’ll hear lots of fillers, e.g. ‘ehhhh’ (pronounced like a nasal version of the vowel in ‘aaaanyway’) on the Spanish streets.
There are also loads of swear words used as interjections and exclamations. A list of Spanish exclamations can be found on our blog.
Text talk
To finish off, don’t forget that language is adapting for the modern age. Click here to find out how to use text slang in Spanish!
¡Guay!
This article has hopefully given you some fun bits of slang to throw into your Spanish speaking, to make you sound more like a native. Just be careful where and when you use it (don’t go swearing around your boss!)