Slang words in Spanish: which are the main ones?

To the Slang (slangs, in Spanish)they are characteristic words of a certain sociocultural group, either in general use or as a way of highlighting a particularity. They can be used specifically by certain groups or generally in a society, becoming commonplace. Therefore, we can talk about slang specific to certain regions, countries and also small groups that identify themselves in some way — whether by age or cultural affinity.

In all languages ​​there are slang words, and Spanish is no different. In this article, you'll learn some slang words from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and others that are more widely used in Hispanic Latin America. ¡Continue reading!

Read too: the alphabet — the alphabet in spanish

Topics of this article

• 1 - What are slang?
• 2 - List with Spanish slang
• 3 - List of Mexican slang words
• 4 - List of Argentinian slang words
• 5 - List of Chilean slang
• 6 - List with Latin American slang

What are slangs?

slang is language expressions that identify a group. They can be born in certain groups and be characteristic of them, but they can also be incorporated into the vocabulary of a population if the usage becomes common and current. Due to this fact, slang terms come and go very easily. In the following lists, we try to cover the most current slang; however, keep in mind that, as the language is alive, many are lost in time and become outdated.

Spanish slang list

Below are some of the main slangs from Spain:

Español de España	Portuguese
Guay	Cool
How strong!	Expression of surprise, either negatively or positively
Pimp	handsome, nice
Cutter	Of poor quality (people, places and objects)
Currar	To work
Botellón	Group of teenagers drinking in public spaces
flip	travel, hallucinate
be flipping in colors	Being under strong emotion or amazement at what you see/hear
Allah with him/her	It's his/her problem
Joder!	Expression that expresses annoyance, annoyance or that something is very good. It can be equivalent to “Wow!”, “Wow!”, “No kidding!”
Uncle	man, girl

• Examples:

This month Manu Chao comes to play in my city, I'm flipping in colors.
(This month Manu Chao comes to play in my city, I'm hallucinating.)

Why did they finally grant you the gown? What's up!
(Did they finally give you the bag? Cool!)

Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)

Now let's pay special attention to a word that appears in many Spanish expressions: milk (milk).

Español de España	Portuguese
I shit myself in milk	What the hell!
be la milk	be something very good
mala leche	Bad mood
Estar con la milk en los labios	Being too young and inexperienced. The famous "Didn't even get out of diapers"
Ask for milk a las cabrillas	ask for something impossible

List of Mexican Slangs

Below are some of the main slangs from Mexico:

Spanish from Mexico	Portuguese
priest/chevere/chido	Cool
Guey/wey/we	Dude, so-and-so
chingón/a	Something very good or person very skilled at something
Chafa	Something of poor quality. In relation to a person, it means that he does nothing right
No manches/mames	Damn! / Do not play! / Serious? / Lie! It is a slang that depends a lot on the context. The form “No manches” is considered less vulgar, so it is used in contexts where profanity would not be accepted.
apapacho / apapachar	hug / embrace
cuate	friend
Send?	Used when not listening well to the other person
Menso	silly, silly
it's worth me mother	I do not care
lying mothers	swear
Bear in mind that…	This expression is used to introduce something you want to tell. In Portuguese, it would be equivalent to “Imagine que…”
milling cutter	Messy person, patricinha/preppy

• Examples:

Güey, what are we going to the party for?
(Dude, are we going to party or nah?)

Did Camila go away? No manches, si ni siquiera le hablé.
(Did Camila leave already? No kidding, I haven't even talked to her.)

List of Argentinian Slangs

Below are some of the main slangs from Argentina:

Argentine Spanish	Portuguese
boludo	This word became popular in Brazil due to the large number of young Brazilians and Argentines who interact in online games. It can mean “idiot” or “imbecile”, but it is also used between people who are very close.
Thick	Someone who has done something great or very good
Che	Face
pipe	boy/girl, tomboy/tomboy
tomatoes	Go away
Chamuyar / Chamuyo	flirt/flirt
Twine	Money
a luca	One thousand pesos (Argentine currency)
torturous	Shameless, Messy, Mischievous
break the balls	To disturb
Yuta	Police
joya	Cool cool
Cheto	Messy person, patricinha/preppy
coso	Thing, unspecified object

• Examples:

You helped me a lot, just a gross!
(You helped me a lot, you are wonderful!)

Break me up with the balls that make me strong.
(I hate / It bothers me when people yell at me.)

Chilean slang list

Below are some of the main slangs from Chile:

Chilean Spanish	Portuguese
Bacán	Very good cool
al shot	Right now
¿Cachay?	Did you understand?
reel	Party
pellet	Pay attention
Hunger	boring, bland
guagua	Baby
polo	Boyfriend
the once	Afternoon snack
walk duck	Not having money
remove the crest	hit someone, hit someone
Tata	Grandmother

• Examples:

I don't like this skin, I'm very hungry.
(I don't like this movie, it's too dull.)

Andrés, come take it once.
(Andrés, come and have lunch.)

See too: Usual expressions — the most common expressions in the Spanish language

Latin American slang list

Below you will find slang that can be found in more than one Hispanic country From Latin America. As far as possible, we will indicate, in parentheses, the acronym of the country where the slang is used.

Spanish	Portuguese
Cool (CO, CU, DO, CL)	Very good cool
Hi	Listen here
hey bro	Hey bro/dude/bro
Mine (AR, CL, UY)	Girl (we also use this word in Portuguese)
Yapa (BO, CL)	Gift that comes with a purchase
be a can	be boring, boring
Chocho/a (AR, UY)	happy, happy
Believed	Messy person, who thinks he is
pendant	Idiot, stupid. In Argentina it means teenager
Chimba (CO)	Cool
Mi chino/a (VE, CO)	Expression used to name someone, most of the time, in an affectionate way. Equivalent to "my love", for example.
Please	Please
find	Weekend
vaina	Thing, unspecified object
good wave	Cool
Dale	OK
Too bad (CO, VE)	What a shame / I'm sorry
Toad (CL, HN)	gossip

Just like the word milk in Spain the word ask — that's right, fart — deserves special attention.

Spanish	Portuguese
ask	binge drinking
What do I ask?	How are you?, How are you?
Al pedo (MX)	be attentive
Ni en pedo	No way
On foot (AR)	Fortunately
be al pedo	Being around, doing nothing
go on feet	go very fast

Ven a mi casa, estoy al pedo.
(Come to my house, I'm for nothing.)

This bus goes a los pedos.
(This bus is going very fast.)

Sources

CANDELARIO, M. The 30 most used words and expressions of the popular Spanish slang of Spain. pepply, 2021. Available in: https://preply.com/es/blog/jerga-espanola/.

JUAREZ, C. 80 Argentinian expressions (and their meaning). Psychology and mind, 2022. Available in: https://psicologiaymente.com/reflexiones/expresiones-argentinas.

LOPEZ, I. MEXpresiones; 125 Mexican expressions to pass unnoticed in Mexico. Backpackers TV, c2023. Available in: https://mochilerostv.com/mexpresiones-vol-2-52-palabras-mas-para-pasar-inadvertido-en-mexico/.

BRAND CHILE. Chilean fads… from A to Z. Brand Chile, 2017. Available in: https://marcachile.cl/vida-cultura/modismos-chilenos-de-la-a-a-la-z/.

By Renata Martins Gornattes
Spanish teacher

Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:

GORNATTES, Renata Martins. "Slang in Spanish"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/espanhol/girias-em-espanhol.htm. Accessed on June 18, 2023.

How about expanding your vocabulary and knowing the main names of animals (los animales) in Spanish?

Find out what the names of the months of the year are in Spanish, “los months del año”, and what their origin is. Also learn about some of the main parties in the Hispanic world.

Learn the vocabulary of professions in Spanish, accompanied by translations, as well as its use in idioms, and read a dialogue focused on this topic.

Slangs, in the English language, are slang words used by a specific group at a particular time.

Do you want to know which are the most demanded Spanish subjects in Enem? Read this article and check out what else falls!

Cringe

The slang adapted from English is used to designate someone who is seen as tacky, shameful, outdated and out of fashion.