This is a list of Spanish Slang (jerga) that Iāve picked up during my time in Spain.
If you want to practice these Iāve created a list on Memrise you can learn.
Iāve also created a free Spain Country Guide PDF you can grab for free here.
ā
TĆo / TĆa = friend / mate
[TEE-OH / TEE-AH š£ļø]
Yes, this means āuncleā and āauntā, but itās super common in Spain to use these words to mean āfriendā or āmateā.
e.j Oye, tĆo, ven aquĆ
Hey mate, come here
e.j ĀæQuĆ© pasa tĆa?
Whatās up mate?
Vale = okay / sure
[BAH-LEH š£ļø]
Youāll hear this constantly in Spain.
e.j Vale, perfecto
Okay, perfect
Venga = come on / letās go / alright
[BEN-GAH š£ļø]
e.j Venga, hasta luego
Alright, see you later
Rollo = vibe / situation / thing
[ROH-YOH š£ļø]
e.j No es mi rollo
Itās not my thing
Salir de marcha = to go out partying
[SAH-LEER DEH MAR-CHAH š£ļø]
e.j Salimos de marcha esta noche
Weāre going out tonight
Currar = to work
[KOO-RRAR š£ļø]
El curro = work
[KOO-RRO š£ļø]
e.j Estamos currando mucho
Weāre working a lot
Pasta = money
[PAH-STAH š£ļø]
e.j No tengo pasta
I donāt have money
Pavos = euros
[PAH-BOHS š£ļø]
It also means āturkeysā š¦, but in Spain itās slang for euros.
e.j Cuesta veinte pavos
It costs twenty euros
Una caƱa = a small draft beer
[KAH-NYA š£ļø]
e.j Quiero una caƱa por favor
I want a beer please
Estar a tope = to be flat out / super busy
[ES-TAR AH TO-PEH š£ļø]
e.j Estoy a tope tĆo
Iām super busy mate
Ser un pringado / una pringada = loser / unlucky person
e.j Soy una pringada
Iām such a loser
Ser un pesado = to be annoying
[SEHR OON PEH-SAH-DOH š£ļø]
e.j Eres un pesado, tĆo
Youāre so annoying, man
Ser un pijo / una pija = to be posh
[SEHR OON PEE-HO / OONA PEE-HA š£ļø]
e.j Ese tĆo es un pijo
That guyās a posh boy
Puente = long weekend / public holiday bridge
[PWEHN-TEH š£ļø]
Literally ābridgeā.
In Spain, this refers to when a public holiday falls near the weekend and people ābridgeā the gap to create a longer break.
For example:
Thursday = holiday
Friday = taken off work
Saturday + Sunday = weekend
Result:
š 4-day weekend.
Gentuza = riffraff / scum
[HEN-TOO-THAH š£ļø]
A disrespectful way to refer to rude or vulgar people.
e.j Ā”Vaya gentuza!
What a bunch of scumbags!
El botellĆ³n = outdoor drinking session
[BOH-TEH-YON š£ļø]
Literally ābig bottleā.
Young people in Spain often gather outdoors to drink together before heading to bars or clubs.
Usually:
social
cheap
technically illegal in many places šØ
Hacer un botellĆ³n = to have an outdoor drinking session
Zona de botellĆ³n = designated drinking area
āØ Positive Vibes
Guay = cool / awesome
[GWAI š£ļø]
e.j Ā”QuĆ© guay tu camisa!
Cool shirt!
Molar = to be cool
[MOH-LAHR š£ļø]
e.j Esa canciĆ³n mola mucho
That song rocks
Ser un crack = to be awesome / great at something
[SEHR OON KRAK š£ļø]
e.j Eres un crack, tĆo
Youāre awesome mate
Majo / Maja = nice / kind
[MAH-HOH / MAH-HAH š£ļø]
e.j La camarera es muy maja
The waitress is really kind
Chulo / Chula = cool / cute
[CHUH-LOH / CHUH-LAH š£ļø]
e.j Tu coche es chulo
Your car is cool
š® Reactions Without Swearing
Ā”QuĆ© fuerte! = wow! / unbelievable!
[KEH FWEHR-TEH š£ļø]
e.j Ā”QuĆ© fuerte lo que ha pasado!
Wow, what just happened!
Flipar = to be amazed / shocked
[FLEE-PAHR š£ļø]
e.j Vas a flipar
Youāre going to be shocked
Ā”QuĆ© palo! = what a drag!
[KEH PAH-LOH š£ļø]
e.j Tengo que estudiar todo el fin de semana
Ā”QuĆ© palo!
I have to study all weekend
What a drag!
Cutre = shabby / tacky / cheap
[KOO-TREH š£ļø]
e.j Este bar es cutre
This bar is really crappy
Meter la pata = to mess up / put your foot in it
[MEH-TER LAH PAH-TAH š£ļø]
e.j He vuelto a meter la pata
Iāve messed up again
š¤¬ Mild Swearing
Ā”Mierda! = sh**
[MYEHR-DAH š£ļø]
Ā”Ay, mierda! = Oh crap!
Es una mierda = Itās shit
Ā”Vaya mierda! = What a load of crap!
Ā”Mucha mierda! = good luck
Common in theatre before performances.
Ni de coƱa = no way / not a chance
[NEE DEH KOH-NYAH š£ļø]
e.j ĀæVas a correr? ā Ā”Ni de coƱa!
Are you going running? ā No chance!
Joder = damn / f***
[HO-DEHR š£ļø]
Ā”No jodas! = No way!
Estar jodido = To be screwed
Ā”Que te jodan! = F*** you
Ā”Puta madre! = f****** awesome
[POO-TAH MADH-DREH š£ļø]
De puta madre = Really good / excellent
Ā”QuĆ© putada! = What a pain!
Ā”CoƱo! = damn! / wow!
[KOH-NYOH š£ļø]
Used constantly in Spain as an intensifier.
Examples:
Ā”Ay, coƱo!
ĀæQuĆ© coƱo haces?
ĀæQuĆ© coƱo quieres?
Ā”Hostia! = damn! / wow!
Es la hostia = Itās amazing
Ā”Hostia puta! = Holy sh**!
CabrĆ³n / Cabrona = bastard / jerk
Gilipollas = idiot / moron / jerk
Probably one of the most common insults in Spain.
Estar hasta los cojones = to be fed up / sick of something
e.j Estoy hasta los cojones del trabajo
Iām sick to death of work
š„ La leche
Literally:
milk
But Spain uses this phrase constantly in slang.
Examples:
Ser la leche = To be amazing
Tener mala leche = To be mean/bad-tempered
Tener buena leche = To be kind
A toda leche = At full speed
Ā”La leche! = Damn! / Wow!
š© Cagar
Cagar = to sh**
This is the mother of all Spanish slang formulas.
Structure:
Me cago enā¦ = āI sh** onā¦ā
Used to express:
anger
frustration
shock
Examples:
Ā”Me cago en todo! = Damn it!
Ā”Me cago en la leche! = Bloody hell!
Ā”Me cago en mi vida! = My life sucks!
Ā”Me cago en la puta! = F***ing hell!
Ā”Me cago en Dios! = Extremely offensive
Ā”Me cago en tus muertos! = VERY offensive
ā
Ya estĆ” (thatās it)
Enjoy using these chic@s.
Youāll get some good reactions from the locals Iām sure.
If youāre going to Spain I recommend checking out the Spanish Country Guide.
If you want more support on your Spanish journey, click here.
Un abrazo,
Harrison
Language for living, not just learning
