This is a list of Spanish Slang (jerga) that I’ve picked up during my time in Spain.
If you want to practice these I’ve created a list on Memrise you can learn.
I’ve also created a free Spain Country Guide PDF you can grab for free here.
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Tío / Tía = friend / mate
[TEE-OH / TEE-AH 🗣️]
Yes, this means “uncle” and “aunt”, but it’s super common in Spain to use these words to mean “friend” or “mate”.
e.j Oye, tío, ven aquí
Hey mate, come here
e.j ¿Qué pasa tía?
What’s up mate?
Vale = okay / sure
[BAH-LEH 🗣️]
You’ll hear this constantly in Spain.
e.j Vale, perfecto
Okay, perfect
Venga = come on / let’s go / alright
[BEN-GAH 🗣️]
e.j Venga, hasta luego
Alright, see you later
Rollo = vibe / situation / thing
[ROH-YOH 🗣️]
e.j No es mi rollo
It’s not my thing
Salir de marcha = to go out partying
[SAH-LEER DEH MAR-CHAH 🗣️]
e.j Salimos de marcha esta noche
We’re going out tonight
Currar = to work
[KOO-RRAR 🗣️]
El curro = work
[KOO-RRO 🗣️]
e.j Estamos currando mucho
We’re working a lot
Pasta = money
[PAH-STAH 🗣️]
e.j No tengo pasta
I don’t have money
Pavos = euros
[PAH-BOHS 🗣️]
It also means “turkeys” 🦃, but in Spain it’s slang for euros.
e.j Cuesta veinte pavos
It costs twenty euros
Una caña = a small draft beer
[KAH-NYA 🗣️]
e.j Quiero una caña por favor
I want a beer please
Estar a tope = to be flat out / super busy
[ES-TAR AH TO-PEH 🗣️]
e.j Estoy a tope tío
I’m super busy mate
Ser un pringado / una pringada = loser / unlucky person
e.j Soy una pringada
I’m such a loser
Ser un pesado = to be annoying
[SEHR OON PEH-SAH-DOH 🗣️]
e.j Eres un pesado, tío
You’re so annoying, man
Ser un pijo / una pija = to be posh
[SEHR OON PEE-HO / OONA PEE-HA 🗣️]
e.j Ese tío es un pijo
That guy’s a posh boy
Puente = long weekend / public holiday bridge
[PWEHN-TEH 🗣️]
Literally “bridge”.
In Spain, this refers to when a public holiday falls near the weekend and people “bridge” the gap to create a longer break.
For example:
Thursday = holiday
Friday = taken off work
Saturday + Sunday = weekend
Result:
👉 4-day weekend.
Gentuza = riffraff / scum
[HEN-TOO-THAH 🗣️]
A disrespectful way to refer to rude or vulgar people.
e.j ¡Vaya gentuza!
What a bunch of scumbags!
El botellón = outdoor drinking session
[BOH-TEH-YON 🗣️]
Literally “big bottle”.
Young people in Spain often gather outdoors to drink together before heading to bars or clubs.
Usually:
social
cheap
technically illegal in many places 🚨
Hacer un botellón = to have an outdoor drinking session
Zona de botellón = designated drinking area
✨ Positive Vibes
Guay = cool / awesome
[GWAI 🗣️]
e.j ¡Qué guay tu camisa!
Cool shirt!
Molar = to be cool
[MOH-LAHR 🗣️]
e.j Esa canción mola mucho
That song rocks
Ser un crack = to be awesome / great at something
[SEHR OON KRAK 🗣️]
e.j Eres un crack, tío
You’re awesome mate
Majo / Maja = nice / kind
[MAH-HOH / MAH-HAH 🗣️]
e.j La camarera es muy maja
The waitress is really kind
Chulo / Chula = cool / cute
[CHUH-LOH / CHUH-LAH 🗣️]
e.j Tu coche es chulo
Your car is cool
😮 Reactions Without Swearing
¡Qué fuerte! = wow! / unbelievable!
[KEH FWEHR-TEH 🗣️]
e.j ¡Qué fuerte lo que ha pasado!
Wow, what just happened!
Flipar = to be amazed / shocked
[FLEE-PAHR 🗣️]
e.j Vas a flipar
You’re going to be shocked
¡Qué palo! = what a drag!
[KEH PAH-LOH 🗣️]
e.j Tengo que estudiar todo el fin de semana
¡Qué palo!
I have to study all weekend
What a drag!
Cutre = shabby / tacky / cheap
[KOO-TREH 🗣️]
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 🗣️]
e.j He vuelto a meter la pata
I’ve messed up again
🤬 Mild Swearing
¡Mierda! = sh**
[MYEHR-DAH 🗣️]
¡Ay, mierda! = Oh crap!
Es una mierda = It’s shit
¡Vaya mierda! = What a load of crap!
¡Mucha mierda! = good luck
Common in theatre before performances.
Ni de coña = no way / not a chance
[NEE DEH KOH-NYAH 🗣️]
e.j ¿Vas a correr? — ¡Ni de coña!
Are you going running? — No chance!
Joder = damn / f***
[HO-DEHR 🗣️]
¡No jodas! = No way!
Estar jodido = To be screwed
¡Que te jodan! = F*** you
¡Puta madre! = f****** awesome
[POO-TAH MADH-DREH 🗣️]
De puta madre = Really good / excellent
¡Qué putada! = What a pain!
¡Coño! = damn! / wow!
[KOH-NYOH 🗣️]
Used constantly in Spain as an intensifier.
Examples:
¡Ay, coño!
¿Qué coño haces?
¿Qué coño quieres?
¡Hostia! = damn! / wow!
Es la hostia = It’s amazing
¡Hostia puta! = Holy sh**!
Cabrón / 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
I’m sick to death of work
🥛 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
¡La leche! = Damn! / Wow!
💩 Cagar
Cagar = to sh**
This is the mother of all Spanish slang formulas.
Structure:
Me cago en… = “I sh** on…”
Used to express:
anger
frustration
shock
Examples:
¡Me cago en todo! = Damn it!
¡Me cago en la leche! = Bloody hell!
¡Me cago en mi vida! = My life sucks!
¡Me cago en la puta! = F***ing hell!
¡Me cago en Dios! = Extremely offensive
¡Me cago en tus muertos! = VERY offensive
—
Ya está (that’s it)
Enjoy using these chic@s.
You’ll get some good reactions from the locals I’m sure.
If you’re 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
