Cool Spanish

This is just a skim across the surface of the great wealth of Spanish slang. Although some may apply in Latin America, the expressions featured are mostly from Spain. Swear words tend to be more generally accepted in Spain than many other countries - we've divided up the expressions so you know what to say and what not to say.

(* = familiar, ** = very familiar, *** = vulgar, R = plain rude, Lit. = Literally)

ARGUMENT

This is the area in which you're most likely to hear a huge variety of expressions ranging from simple sarcasm to crude insults and creative metaphors. When things get a bit out of hand, verbal sparks can fly.

You're getting on my nerves

Dar la paliza (*) Lit. To give (someone) the thrashing. To bug/hassle (someone). Se pasa el día dándome la paliza en el trabajo (*) She spends the day bugging me at work. Un tío/Una tía paliza, pesado/a, pelma (**) An annoying man/woman. Ser un plomo/plomazo (*) Lit. To be (as heavy as) lead. To be very dull and boring. Applies to both people and things. Su última novela es un auténtico plomazo (*) His latest novel is an absolute yawn. Ser un muermo (*) Something or someone so quiet and/or boring that you fall asleep. La discoteca fue un muermo total (*) The nightclub was dead. Me importa un pimiento/pepino/comino/pito/tres cojones (*/**) Lit. I care as much as a pepper/cucumber/cumin seed/a whistle/three testicles. In other words, I don't give a damn. Nuestra opinión le importa un pepino (*) He doesn't care what we think.

Get lost

Cabrearse (*) To get pissed off. Estar cabreado (**) To be pissed off. Me estás cabreando (*) You're getting on my nerves. Estoy cabreado (*) I'm pissed off. Tocar los huevos/las narices (**/*) Lit. To touch (someone's) testicles/noses (yes, in plural to add more drama!). To piss (someone) off. Lleva todo el día tocándome las narices y se va a arrepentir (*) She's been getting on my nerves all day and she's going to regret it. Dar la lata/ser una lata (*) Lit. To give the tin/ be a tin. To be a pain. Deja ya de dar la lata y vete a dormir (*) Lit. Stop giving the tin and go to sleep. Stop being such a pain and go to sleep. El horno no está para bollos (*) Lit. The oven is not ready for buns. It means you're not in the mood for any nonsense. ¡Pírate! ¡Lárgate! ¡Piérdete! (**) Ways of saying: Get lost! ¡Déjame en paz! (*) Lit. Leave me in peace! Leave me alone. ¡Vete a freír espárragos! (*) Lit. Go off and fry asparagus. Basically disappear and do whatever you want as long as it is out of my sight! ¡Vete a hacer puñetas! (**) Lit. Go off and make lace cuffs! Las puñetas were very fashionable in the olden days, with very intricate designs requiring meticulous and patient job. Hence a way of telling someone to get lost. ¡Vete a la mierda! (R) Lit. Go off to the shit! Obviously the rudest expression of the lot.

Looking for trouble

Borde (*) Lit. Edge. Used when someone has a bad attitude. Es una tía super borde (*) She's a girl with really bad attitude. Tener mala sangre/leche/uva (*) Lit. To have bad blood/milk/grapes. To be a bad-tempered, nasty person. Hay que tener mala uva para echarla así de casa (*) You need to be quite nasty to kick her out of home like that. Un animal, un/una bestia, un/una bruto/a (*) Lit. An animal, a brute. Used to describe someone when they use unnecessary force. ¡Tío, eres un bestia, lo has vuelto a romper! (*) Mate, you're too much, you've broken it again! Cabrón/Cabrona (**) Lit. Cuckold. Based on the word cabra "goat" with the intensifier, it means "bastard/bitch". La muy cabrona le robó el dinero (**) The bitch stole his money. Poner los cuernos (**) Lit. To put horns (on somebody). To cuckold somebody. Hence the connection with una cabra, a goat (see above).

EATING & DRINKING

Eating

Picar (*) To nibble. ¿Hay algo para picar? Is there anything to nibble? Papear (*) To nosh. El papeo is "nosh" or "grub". From the word papo/papada, the bit of flesh under the chin. Ya es hora de papear algo (*) It's about time we ate something. Ir de tapeo (*) To go for tapas. ¿Por qué no nos vamos esta noche de tapeo? Why don't we go out for tapas tonight?

Drinking

Una birra (*) Slang for beer, borrowing the Italian word for it. Empinar el codo (*) Lit. To straighten up one's elbow like a pine. To have quite a few drinks, referring to your arm's position when drinking. A estas horas ya estará en el bar empinando el codo (*) At this time he'll already be at the bar having a few pints. Beber como una esponja (*) Lit. To drink like a sponge. To drink a lot. Tener un pedo, peo (*) Lit. To have a fart. To be in a state of drunkenness. Not to be confused with tirarse un pedo, peo (**) to fart. Manolo tiene un pedo de mucho cuidado (**) Lit. Manolo has a very well cared for fart. Manolo's really drunk. Estar pedo, peo (**) To be drunk. Estar mamado/a (*) Lit. To be breast-fed. Another way to refer to drunkenness. Echar la pota/la pastilla/la papilla (**) Lit. To throw out the pan/the tablet/the baby's puree. To be sick. Ya echó la pota dos veces (**) He's already been sick twice. Una resaca (*) A hangover. ¡Joder! ¡Menuda resaca tengo! Fue el puto vino de ayer (**) Bloody hell! I am so hungover! It was that crap wine yesterday.