How Do You Say My Friends And I Put On Makeup In Spanish

By Terminal updated: April 5, 2022

Guay! forty Popular Spanish Slang Phrases That Aren't Bull

If you learned Spanish from an educational textbook similar I did, y'all're probably blissfully unaware of all the slang words that native speakers use every day.

In fact, you might even experience similar you're learning a new language!

Fear not, lucky readers.

Because I love yous, I've put together a list of Spanish slang words I wish I had known before my plane touched down in chula España (lovely Espana). With these forty popular Spanish slang words, y'all'll be speaking similar a native in no fourth dimension.

Contents

• 40 Spanish Slang Phrases That Will Aid You Fit Right In
• • 1. Colega
  • 2. Tío(a)
  • iii. Chaval(a)
  • 4. Los Viejos
  • 5. Ser majo(a)
  • 6. Estar como una cabra
  • 7. Estar en pelotas
  • eight. Vale
  • 9. Okay
  • ten. Guay
  • 11. Molar
  • 12. Chulo
  • thirteen. Comerse el coco
  • 14. Mucha mierda
  • 15. En chinga
  • 16. Wey
  • 17. Mula
  • 18. ¡Qué chido!
  • 19. ¡Que chilero!
  • twenty. ¡Qué pasada!
  • 21. Güera
  • 22. Galla
  • 23. Nena
  • 24. Buey
  • 25. Lecherous
  • 26. Cuatro gatos
  • 27. Alcornoque
  • 28. Papa frita
  • 29. Mosca
  • 30. Cotilla
  • 31. Ese
  • 32. Mano
  • 33. ¿Qué hubo?
  • 34. ¡Tra!
  • 35. Plata
  • 36. Sope
  • 37. Caramba
  • 38. Caray
  • 39. Pasar el mono a pelo
  • xl. Vamo

Download: This blog post is available as a user-friendly and portable PDF that y'all can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

40 Spanish Slang Phrases That Will Aid You lot Fit Right In

1. Colega

Literal meaning: Colleague

Slang meaning: Friend, pal

Explanation: One of the first Castilian words I ever learned was probably amigo (friend). While you can certainly use amigo in Espana, yous'll discover that the younger Spaniards commonly employ colega when they're referring to a friend.

Tip: keep the a at the end regardless of if your friend is male or female person.

Examples:

Ayer fui a la fiesta con mis colegas. (Yesterday, I went to the party with my friends.)

¡Eh, colega! (Hey, friend!)

2. Tío(a)

Literal meaning: Uncle (Aunt)

Slang meaning: Friend, guy, pal

Explanation: One of my young Castilian friends was e'er talking well-nigh this tío (uncle) and that tía (aunt) and I was convinced he had a huge family. Wrong! Here, tío and tía can as well be used to refer to a friend or fifty-fifty a stranger.

Examples: If you're sitting on a demote in Retiro park watching the globe become past and your colega (friend) says:

¡Mira a esta tía con el sombrero loco! (Look at this daughter with the crazy chapeau!) Whiplash!

If you see a friend on the street, you might say:

¡Eh, tía! ¿Qué tal? (Hey girl! How are you?)

And don't forget, you tin can still employ tío to talk about real family:

Siempre vamos a la casa de mis tíos para cenar. (Nosotros always go to my aunt and uncle's firm for dinner.)

iii. Chaval(a)

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: Child, youngster

Explanation: I like to retrieve of chaval and chavala as the younger versions of tío and tía. While y'all're in Spain, you lot'll likely come beyond gaggles of teens loitering in the street… yes, those are chavales (young people).

Examples: An older Spaniard might say:

Los chavales hoy no tienen buenos modales. (The young people today don't accept proficient manners.)

A teen might greet a friend with:

¡Ey, chaval! (Hey, buddy!)

4. Los Viejos

Literal pregnant: The elderly

Slang significant: Parents

Caption: This one comes with a warning. Young people in Spain sometimes refer to their parents as los viejos (the elderly) in the presence of friends and, depending on their relationship with their parents, a daring few might also use it to straight address their parents. Ouch! In these cases, information technology's more like saying "my old human being" in an affectionate and playful way.

If you desire to take the risk, this can be used as a exchange for the Spanish 101 classic padres (parents). Hint: If they're your parents, you can also use mis (my) instead of los (the).

Example: You want to get out but your parents have other ideas. Tough luck for y'all! This is something you might comment to your friend:

Quiero salir pero mis viejos me obligan a quedarme y cuidar a mi sobrino. (I desire to go out but my parents told me I have to stay and look later on my nephew.)

5. Ser majo(a)

Literal meaning: The name for a Madrid resident from a popular neighborhood known for its colorful dress and big-headed attitudes (18th and 19th centuries).

Slang significant: To exist nice

Explanation: If a Spaniard says that you lot're majo, they mean that you lot're simpático (nice). Smile and graciously accept the compliment, you nice person, you.

Case: When y'all're talking about a colega (friend):

María siempre ayuda a sus amigas cuando están tristes. Ella es tan maja. (Maria always helps her friends when they're pitiful. She'south so nice.)

6. Estar como una cabra

Literal meaning: To exist like a goat

Slang meaning: To exist crazy

Explanation: If you have a batty nifty aunt who hoards tinfoil, you lot might refer to her (lovingly, of grade!) with estar como una cabra (to exist crazy or to be like a goat). Could exist worse, I suppose. Hint: Proceed una and the final a on cabra despite the sexual practice of the crazy person, okay? This word volition ever be feminine.

Case:

Mi abuelo está como una cabra. Piensa que los extraterrestres visitan su casa cada domingo. (My gramps is crazy. He thinks that aliens visit his house every Lord's day.)

7. Estar en pelotas

Literal meaning: To be "in balls"

Slang significant: To be naked

Explanation: Hopefully you won't need this term to describe your Christmas holiday break with family unit because nobody likes to see their parents (siblings, grandparents, etc.) naked or literally "in balls." Or mayhap y'all live at a nudist colony, in which case, no biggie. And you're welcome for this helpful phrase.

Example:

Estaba en pelotas cuando mi padre entró a mi habitación para buscar algo. ¡Qué horror! (I was naked when my dad entered my room to await for something. How horrible!)

Truly a moment you volition never forget. And now you know how to share it with Spanish friends over cañas (beers)!

8. Vale

Literal meaning: "Information technology'southward worth it" or a ticket or coupon

Slang meaning: Okay, yes or "allow'due south do it!"

Explanation: This i'due south extremely popular. If someone tells you something and you want to ostend that yous've heard, say vale (okay). You tin can also use information technology in place of the word "yes" when someone asks you a question.

Example: Imagine you're cooking at a friend's business firm and can't notice the salt. Your friend says while pointing: "La sal está allí." (The salt is there.) You say: "¡Vale!" (Okay!)

¿Quieres ir al cine a las nueve? (Do y'all want to go to the movies at ix?) Yeah, I'chiliad speaking to you, reader. Of course you lot practise! Y'all know what to say: ¡Vale! (Yeah!)

nine. Okay

Literal meaning: Okay

Slang significant: Okay

Caption: You've been working hard on all of this Castilian slang, then I thought I'd throw you a meatball. Believe it or not, it's common to say okay in Castilian. No translation needed. Perhaps just try to say it with a little bit of an accent to sound local, okay?

Example:

¿Puedas lavar los platos? (Can yous wash the dishes?) Okay. (Okay.)

10. Guay

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: Cool/great

Explanation: Yous'll definitely want to incorporate this in your repertoire when you're in Kingdom of spain. If you lot like something considering it's absurd, crawly or you get the motion-picture show… you tin say that information technology's guay (cool). Y'all tin can also use information technology as a more excited "okay" or "great."

Examples: If you're showing off your fancy new iPhone, your friends might say:

¡Qué guay! (How cool!)

¿Quedamos a las diez? (Want to come across up at x?) your colega (friend) asks. ¡Guay! (absurd/okay) you lot say.

11. Molar

Literal meaning: Molar (tooth)

Slang meaning: To like

Explanation: Something that's mola is something cool. If yous know the verb gustar (to like) then yous're on your way to using molar (to like). Like gustar, this verb is conjugated to reflect the thing you similar and doesn't refer to yous (although you might like yourself a lot too… simply I digress).

Examples: So if you lot want to say that you fancy something (or someone), yous'd say, for case:

" Maria me mola." (I like Maria.)

And if you show your brother a funny YouTube video, he might exclaim:

¡Mola! or ¡Me mola! (I like it!)

12. Chulo

Literal meaning: Nifty

Slang pregnant: Neat, lovely, cool (referring to a thing)

Explanation: In beginner Castilian, I learned and frequently relied on the word bonito (pretty) to describe nice looking things. In Spain, it's mutual to use the word chulo (neat, lovely) in the place of bonito (pretty). It tin can likewise be used to say that something'due south "absurd," as in "¡Qué chulo!" (How cool!)

On the other hand, if you use chulo to refer to a person in Espana, it can have a negative connotation, that the person's conceited.

Example: So if y'all requite your friend a birthday gift and she exclaims ¡Qué chulo! (How cool/lovely!) and so y'all've probably done a adept task on the gift.

xiii. Comerse el coco

Literal pregnant: Eat your coconut

Slang meaning: Think too much and drive yourself crazy

Explanation: When you have something on your mind and yous call up constantly most it, this is the term that'll apply to that situation. It basically ways to overthink something, which is ofttimes not necessary—or a practiced thought!

If yous call up about how hard information technology is to eat a coconut, you can see that this phrase is making the point that in that location are things that are wise not to attempt. You could bulldoze yourself crazy trying to consume a coconut!

Example:

Se está comiendo el coco y se está volviendo loco. (He's overthinking and driving himself crazy.)

14. Mucha mierda

Literal meaning: A lot of crap

Slang meaning: Break a leg

Explanation: The origin of this way of wishing someone adept luck in an endeavour is a bit of a mystery, but the slang is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries.

Example:

¿Tienes un nuevo trabajo? ¡Mucha mierda! (Y'all have a new job? Break a leg!)

15. En chinga

Literal meaning: In excrement

Slang meaning: To be in a rush to cease something

Explanation: There's no definitive way to determine exactly how rushing to do something equates to beingness in excrement, simply be enlightened that this is a pretty pop term, so don't be offended if you hear that someone is en chinga (hurrying to do something).

Example:

Estoy comiendo en chinga. (I'm eating in a rush.)

sixteen. Wey

Literal pregnant: None

Slang meaning: Dude

Explanation: Wey is a slang way to phone call someone a dude, merely beware: It's too sometimes used to refer to someone as an idiot. So this is one of those times when you'll have to decide on the significant based on conversational cues with this common slang term.

Example:

¿Wey, quieres ir al cine? (Dude, want to get to the movies?)

17. Mula

Literal significant: Mule

Slang meaning: Dumb or stupid

Explanation: This term is used in Guatemala to reference someone's lack of intelligence. It isn't a very dainty slang discussion that would exist used to make new friends. Notwithstanding, amid friends, it'south one of those terms that can be tossed well-nigh. So, cull your conversational partners carefully if you're planning to use this one!

Case: When someone says something ridiculous, they might hear ¡Mula! (Stupid!).

18. ¡Qué chido!

Literal meaning: How cool!

Slang meaning: Very adept

Caption: In United mexican states, saying something is very good is simple. ¡Qué chido! (How absurd!) works nearly every time! And, it's an easy phrase to remember, and so add this one to your conversational skillset and print your local friends with this tidbit!

Example:

¿Le gusta la comida? ¡Qué chido! (He likes the food? Very good!)

nineteen. ¡Que chilero!

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: Cool or very good

Explanation: Are yous planning on spending some time in Republic of guatemala? If you are, yous'll desire to grab this sweet little phrase that pretty much covers anything that'south amusing. Use it to show appreciation for nutrient, shopping, events or whatsoever else comes your way!

Example: If your friends say, "Vamos a nadar" ("We're going swimming"), your reply might be"¡Que chilero!" ("Cool!").

20. ¡Qué pasada!

Literal meaning: That final!

Slang meaning: Cool or very good

Explanation: If you travel to Spain, you may hear this snappy expression a lot. This basically means that something is absurd or that it's very proficient. Then y'all can run into how it applies across the board to then many situations and events. Catch this expression and sound like a local when you pepper your conversations with it!

Example:

¿Compraste zapatos nuevos a la venta? ¡Qué pasada! (You bought new shoes on auction? Very practiced!)

21. Güera

Literal pregnant: White daughter

Slang pregnant: Lite-haired girl

Explanation: If you lot're a blonde female person traveling in Mexico, you may encounter the term güera. It references the fact that your pilus color is light.

Example:

Pregúntale a la güera. (Inquire the light-haired girl.)

22. Galla

Literal meaning: Gallo means rooster

Slang meaning: Daughter

Explanation: Gallo (rooster) has been turned into a feminine form to refer to a daughter. Information technology's a bit of slang that'southward used in Chile. Some have it so far equally to say information technology means "chick," but that's not something anybody I've asked cites every bit accurate. Information technology's, I suppose, open up to interpretation! Simply if you utilize this discussion to hateful "daughter," you might but sound like a local in Chile!

Example:

Ella es una linda galla. (She'south a cute daughter.)

23. Nena

Literal pregnant: Baby

Slang meaning: Daughter

Caption: Puerto Rican slang is bright and often descriptive, but one of its simplest words is nena (daughter)—and it'southward one of the most frequently used! The interesting affair about this slang give-and-take is that information technology can reference near any female, from toddler age up into machismo. Withal, calling someone who is of advanced years, similar someone'south mother or grandmother, this would be disrespectful. So, be mindful of showing respect, but have fun with this one!

Example:

¡Te ves hermosa hoy, nena! (You lot look beautiful today, girl!)

24. Buey

Literal meaning: Ox

Slang meaning: Male person friend, a buddy or pal

Caption: Mexican slang for buddy or pal, this ane is used often, then if you're spending any time in Mexico yous're sure to hear it! This is 1 of those terms that permit an onlooker to judge the closeness of a friendship. Existent tight amigos (friends) use this in conversational exchanges a lot!

Case:

Esa fue una excelente comida, buey. (That was some fantabulous food, friend.)

25. Carnal

Literal pregnant: None

Slang meaning: Male person friend, dude

Explanation: This term for a male friend is unremarkably heard in United mexican states.

Example:

Estábamos en la playa, carnal. (We were at the beach, dude.)

26. Cuatro gatos

Literal meaning: Four cats

Slang significant: Small gathering

Explanation: This Spanish slang term about doesn't need whatsoever caption, does it? A small gathering is like 4 cats meeting in one place. This one is like shooting fish in a barrel to call back and can boost conversational skills a ton because information technology's so versatile. Use it ofttimes—and impress your Spanish-speaking friends with this cute phrase.

Example:

¿La fiesta? Eran cuatro gatos. (The political party? Information technology was a small gathering.)

27. Alcornoque

Literal pregnant: Cork oak

Slang pregnant: A foolish or light-headed person

Explanation: In that location are times when one needs a give-and-take or phrase to reference a foolish person or even just someone behaving in a foolish way. This is the Castilian word that takes care of that need!

Example:

No seas un alcornoque. ¡Ve a la fiesta y diviértete! (Don't exist silly! Go to the political party and have fun!)

28. Papa frita

Literal pregnant: French fry

Slang pregnant: Dumb person

Caption: Information technology's almost impossible not to smiling when you larn this slang expression, isn't it? I know that I personally use this a lot in a very joking manner amongst shut family and friends. I don't intentionally degrade someone'due south intelligence—I don't think this phrase does that at all. Information technology's useful for moments when either yous or someone you lot know makes a silly mistake. It teases, lightens a situation and generally makes people smiling.

Example:

Papa frita, vas por el camino equivocado. (French fry, you're going the incorrect way.)

By the fashion, I heard this just a few days ago—and I'grand still smiling. And yes, I was going the wrong way!

29. Mosca

Literal meaning: Fly

Slang meaning: An annoying person

Explanation: We've all had the experience of beingness buzzed by a circumvoluted fly. We've swatted them abroad and hoped they'd just exit u.s. alone because they're definitely annoying.

Mosca likens an abrasive person to a fly because both can be bothersome!

Case:

No le hagas caso. ¡Es una mosca! (Don't listen to him. He's annoying!)

xxx. Cotilla

Literal meaning: Gossip

Slang significant: A busybody or person who gossips

Explanation: If y'all're fortunate enough to exist in Espana, there'due south a good take chances you'll hear the word cotilla—but used to mean more just the gossip itself. In its slang usage, information technology actually ways the person who's gossiping. It too references someone who needs to know everyone's business organisation and is proficient at poking into things that aren't any of their concern.

Case:

Esa mujer es una cotilla. Ella siempre está escuchando secretos. (That woman is a busybody. She's ever listening to secrets.)

31. Ese

Literal meaning: That

Slang meaning: Homie

Explanation: I'm non sure there's any logical caption for this one!

Example:

Ese, nos vemos en el lodge. (Homie, I'll run across yous at the club.)

32. Mano

Literal meaning: Hand

Slang pregnant: Homie

Caption: We're familiar with the phrase "right-manus human being" when it'south used to bear witness closeness, a bond or friendship with a person. This Spanish slang brings that into play, referencing the manus to prove the relationship between close friends.

Example:

Vamos al partido de baloncesto esta noche, mano. (We'll go to the basketball game tonight, homie.)

33. ¿Qué hubo?

Literal meaning: What was there?

Slang meaning: What'south up?

Explanation: In Colombia, as in many other parts of the world, it's common for people to greet each other with the expression "What's upward?" This Colombian slang is merely an offbeat twist on the mutual phrase.

Example: If you're traveling in Colombia and meet up with someone yous know, endeavour maxim "¿Qué hubo?" to sound similar a local!

34. ¡Tra!

Literal meaning: None

Slang pregnant: Bye

Explanation: In some Spanish-speaking countries, this sound is offered as a good day. It's an easy-to-call up bit of conversational lingo that could make you feel either awkward or absurd, depending on your vibe!

Example:

Me voy. ¡Tra! (I'm leaving. Bye!)

35. Plata

Literal meaning: Argent

Slang meaning: Coin

Explanation: This one is pretty straightforward. Utilise the word for silver to stand in equally a term for money. It's not as well large a stretch, is it?

Example:

¿Que necesitas? (What practise you need?) Necesito plata. (I need money.)

36. Sope

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: Peso

Explanation: If you're traveling in Mexico, y'all may hear this slang term for a peso, which is a course of Mexican currency. No i really seems to know how this featherbrained bit of slang began—or if they do, they're non sharing information technology! The mutual belief is that the four letters that make up the word peso just got shifted effectually and formed this new slang term for the same amount of greenbacks.

Instance:

¿Cuánto cuesta el refresco? Diez sopes. (How much is the soda? Ten sopes.)

37. Caramba

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: You know

Explanation: Caramba has been ane of those all-purpose expressions used by Spanish speakers to express surprise or pain. Now, it's also used to testify that y'all believe someone already knows the answer to something—so when they enquire a question, you might only reply ¡Caramba! (You lot know!)

Example:

¿A qué hora es la fiesta? (What time is the political party?) ¡Caramba! (You know!)

38. Caray

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: Damn or jeez

Explanation: This is a small word that tin say a lot! It's shortened from the word caramba and is used to express badgerer, dismay or even disgust over something.

Example: If you lot'd employ the word "damn" in English, y'all could use the word caray in Spanish. It's a pretty basic swap that'll be readily understood in many Spanish-speaking countries! Just be sure to say it with enthusiasm, then you use the assertion points. "¡Caray!"

39. Pasar el mono a pelo

Literal meaning: Pass the monkey bareback

Slang significant: Go common cold turkey

Explanation: This is a prime example of a slang term that may non have an explanation. Information technology references stopping something suddenly, like a bad habit or even a luxury that may be eating away at a upkeep.

Example:

Él no está bebiendo cerveza hoy. Él esta tratando de pasar el mono a pelo. (He'south non drinking beer today. He's trying to go cold turkey.)

forty. Vamo

Literal meaning: Permit'due south go

Slang meaning: Let's go

Explanation: This is the shortened version of vamos (we go) or vámonos (permit's go). It's just a quicker manner to get the crowd moving!

Case: Desire to get the group going without sounding too harsh? Endeavour ¡Vamo! (Let's go!) as a friendly, slang way to start everyone moving!

Now it'south time to practice your new slang repertoire! What resource tin help you out?

Slang is pretty easy to find in authentic Spanish media, specially in movies, TV shows and web videos, which are all widely attainable online. At that place's also the authentic video library on the language learning programme FluentU, in which you can search for words and observe clips that contain them. Each video has interactive captions that explain words in context, including slang and colloquialisms.

Some other benefit of authentic media is that you can see Spanish slang as it'south truly used in modern conversations. You don't want to use the wrong slang at the wrong time–that certainly won't make you seem hip and trendy!

So get some practice in earlier you lot outset using these phrases. Perchance you can crack open up a Rioja and consume some tapas while yous're at it (do cheesy poofs count?).

Source: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/spanish/spanish-slang/

Posted by: stevensbrombon.blogspot.com

Share this post