The trickiest part about learning Spanish slang is that it is hyper-regional. Something innocuous in one dialect can mean something entirely different in another. Or it may just come across as complete gibberish. We’ve broken out this list of Spanish slang words by region, so you can sort by the geography that most interests you.

What are some Spanish slang words?

We have compiled a list of some of the most common Spanish slang words for your easy reference. Try to incorporate a few of these words into your daily speech until you feel 100% comfortable with how to use them appropriately.

Spanish slang word	Literal translation	What it means	Where it's said
¡Qué copado!		Cool	Argentina
¿Cómo andás?	How are you walking?	How's it going?	Argentina
Chabón		Dude	Argentina
Che boludo		Hey!	Argentina
Cheto		Snob	Argentina
Laburo		Work	Argentina
Me da fiaca		Feeling lazy	Argentina
Piola		Cool	Argentina
Quilombo		Disaster	Argentina
Re		Great (used as a prefix)	Argentina
tipo		Dude	Argentina
Chilero		Cool!	Central America
Púchica		Oh my gosh! Wow!	Central America
Vaya pues	Go for it	Sounds good	Central America
¿Cómo estay?	How are you?	How's it going?	Chile
¿Qué más?	What else?	What's up?	Chile
Al tiro	A shot	Immediately	Chile
Chido		Cool	Chile
Fome		Boring	Chile
Pega	Job	Work	Chile
Po	Short for pues (well/then)	Exclamation	Chile
Vaina	Sheath	Stuff	Chile
Wea		Stuff	Chile
¡Hágale pues!		Just go ahead	Colombia
Arrecha		Horny	Colombia
Chabolo	Shack	House	Colombia
Comiendo moscas	Eating flies	Daydreaming	Colombia
Ful		Bad	Colombia
Parce		Dude	Colombia
Parcera		Chick	Colombia
Parcero		Bro	Colombia
Parche	Patch	Hangout group	Colombia
¿Qué bola?	What ball?	What's up?	Cuba
Asere		Bro	Cuba
chavos		Money	Cuba
Pinchar		Work	Cuba
Yuma		American (ie., gringos)	Cuba
¿Qué lo qué?	What what?	What's up?	Dominican Republic
Carajito		Little kid	Dominican Republic
Tato		Okay	Dominican Republic
Caleta	Safehouse	House	Ecuador
Chuchaqui		Hangover	Ecuador
Ñeque	Strength	Effort / Try your best	Ecuador
¡Qué chilero!	What I chilero!	Cool	Guatemala
Burra	Female donkey	Bus	Guatemala
Calidá		Cool	Guatemala
Cerote		Loser	Guatemala
chavo		Dude	Guatemala
Chontes		Cops	Guatemala
Gúirito		Little Kid	Guatemala
Wirito		Little Kid	Guatemala
¡A huevo!	Eggs!	Heck yeah	Mexico
¡Aguas!		Look out	Mexico
¡No manches!		For real?	Mexico
¡Qué chido!		Cool	Mexico
¡Qué padre!	That Father!	Cool	Mexico
¿Qué huele?	What smells?	What's up?	Mexico
Chamaco		Little Kid	Mexico
cuate		Dude	Mexico
Estar pedo	To be a fart	Drunk	Mexico
Gacho	Droopy	Not cool	Mexico
Güey		Dude	Mexico
Mande		Say that again?	Mexico
Ser fresa	To be a strawberry	spoiled and stuck up	Mexico
Chamba	Work	Work	Peru
Huasca		Drunk	Peru
Jato		House	Peru
pata	Paw	Dude	Peru
Al garete	Adrift	Out of hand	Puerto Rico
Janguear		Hang out	Puerto Rico
Nena		Chick	Puerto Rico
Nene	Baby	Dude	Puerto Rico
No mames	Don't suck	Are you kidding me?	Puerto Rico
¿Qué hubo?	What was it?	What's up?	South America
¿Qué onda?		What's up?	South America
Barbaro	Barbarian	Cool	South America
Boluda		chick	South America
Boludo		Dude	South America
Buena onda		Cool	South America
Chévere		cool	South America
Estar en el horno	To be in the oven	in trouble	South America
Pibe		Little Kid	South America
¡Cómo mola!		Cool	Spain
¡Ojo!	Eye!	Watch out	Spain
¡Qué fuerte!	How strong!	Oh my gosh! Wow!	Spain
¿Qué pasa?	What happens?	What's up?	Spain
a duras penas	Hardly	With difficulty	Spain
alegre	Cheerful	drunk	Spain
anda a bañarte	Go take a shower	take a hike / get lost	Spain
antigualla	Antique	piece of junk	Spain
aventura	Adventure	fling	Spain
Buen rollo	Good vibes	Cool	Spain
Chaval		Little Kid	Spain
Chulo		Cool	Spain
Colega	Colleague	Pal	Spain
Comerse el coco	Eating coconut	Overthink	Spain
Curro		Work	Spain
Dar calabazas	To give pumpkins	Giving unrequited love	Spain
Dar en el blanco	Hit the mark	On the nose	Spain
Duro		Money	Spain
Es la caña	It is the cane	Cool	Spain
Estar en la luna	To be on the moon	Daydreaming	Spain
Guay		Cool	Spain
Hacer castillos en el aire	To make castles in the air	Making unrealistic plans	Spain
Irse por las ramas	Beat around the bush	Goes off on a tangent	Spain
Los Viejos	The elderly	Parents	Spain
Molar		To like	Spain
Mono	Monkey	Cute	Spain
Pijo	Preppy	Snob	Spain
Ser cuatro gatos	To be four cats	Too few people	Spain
Ser pija		spoiled and stuck up	Spain
Tajo	Block	Work	Spain
Tener mala leche	To have bad milk	In a bad temper	Spain
Tener pájaros en la cabeza	To have birds in the head	Daydreaming	Spain
Tía	Aunt	chick	Spain
Tío	Uncle	Dude	Spain
Tomar el pelo		Pull the leg	Spain
Vale	Worth it	Let's do it!	Spain
¡Arrechisimo!		Awesome!	Venezuela
Arrecha		Angry	Venezuela
Candela	Candle	Cool	Venezuela
Chama		Chick	Venezuela
Chamo		Dude	Venezuela
Ladilla	Female crab	Boring	Venezuela
sifrino		Snob	Venezuela

Spanish slang words

What is slang

Slang is words or phrases that are used informally (more frequently in speech than writing) within a particular context or group of people. Spanish cultures have rich and colorful slang, which can take some getting used to for an outsider.

Why is slang used?

Slang is often used to build rapport with a group of people by using a subset of language that is unique to that group. It identifies you as a part of that group, and may also (sometimes) be used at the expense of outsiders. Learning Spanish vocabulary is imperative, but it’s just the first step. If you speak “textbook” Spanish out in the real world, you may come across as overly stiff or formal to a native Spanish speaker. Gradually incorporating Spanish slang words and phrases into your conversational Spanish may make you appear more approachable and down-to-earth. You do have to be careful though, because if you overdo it, you may not be taken seriously. Some of the terms may even be offensive if used incorrectly, directed towards the wrong person, or too frequently in your speech. Learn the slang, how to use it (and how not to use it), and gradually sprinkle it in. A little will go a long way!

Why is it important to learn Spanish slang?

Slang can be used to express a wide variety of emotions, including affection, exasperation, anger, excitement, and countless others. If you do not learn the Spanish slang of the region you are visiting, you are only limiting the range of your expression! It also makes you sound more “natural” when speaking Spanish in an informal setting, which will probably make you seem more down to earth and likable.

Where does Spanish slang come from?

Some slang words have their origin in old stories or fables, while others are references to more modern pop culture. Sometimes they come from other languages, such as the Ecuadorian slang word “chuchaqui”, or “hangover”, which is derived from the old Quechua word “chaqui”, or the pain that you feel after you chew on cocoa leaves. Sometimes they are portmanteaus, or a linguistic blend of words where different words or sounds are melded into a new word. Sometimes they are shortened versions or abbreviations of existing words, such as the Chilean slang word “po”, which is the shortened version of “pues” (“well” or “then”). Sometimes they seem to have just spontaneously emerged into the lexicon with no discernible origin story!

If you are going to be traveling to one of these countries, spend a little extra time focusing on learning the words that are used in that culture. Some of the phrases may cross boundaries, however. Test them out with some trusted friends before using them in the presence of strangers, just in case!

Other resources:
Spanish curse words.
Funny Spanish phrases.
How to say the color orange in Spanish.
How to say goodnight in Spanish.