Are you looking to learn some bad words in Spanish?
Look no further!
Let’s be real; bad words are a vital part of what it means to master a second language. We can’t live without them even if we can’t say them in front of grandma, and that’s a fact.
Table of Contents
Bad Words in Spanish
That’s why today you’re going to learn 18 bad words in Spanish so you can add them to your vocabulary and use them when appropriate.
They could be used in a basic Spanish conversation if you wanted.
With fair warning, though! Some of these bad words will seem a bit odd and even funny, which is a big part of their beauty…
However, they’ll be super useful and will help you sound like a native.
We will go through their meaning, where they’re from, and how you can use them in a sentence.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Pelotudo
Country: Argentina. It’s also used in Uruguay and Paraguay.
Meaning in English: : Dumbass. It can be used to refer to someone who’s not very bright, but it can also mean “buddy” among friends. It all depends on the context! It’s a mild one so it’s used very frequently, especially among friends.
In Conversation:
- ¿Qué te pasa, pelotudo? (What’s wrong with you, dumbass?)
- ¿Cómo estás, pelotudo? ¡Tanto tiempo! (How are you, dumbass? It’s been a while!
Pendejo
Country: Colombia. It’s used all over Latin America because it’s very common.
Meaning in English: Dumbass or idiot. While we’re at it, here’s another word for “dumbass”. It’s used when someone’s being either naive or stupid.
It’s not super derogatory and people use it freely, just don’t call your boss that.
In Conversation:
- ¿Estás pendejo o qué? (Are you serious, dumbass?)
- ¡No seas pendejo! (Don’t be a dumbass!)
Mierda
Country: Any Spanish-speaking country makes us of this one!
Meaning in English: Meaning in English: Shit is the literal translation. It can also mean “bullshit”.
It’s used very commonly whenever something unexpected and annoying or infuriating happens. Such as dropping your food or stubbing your little toe.
In Conversation:
- ¡Mierda! Se me cayó la arepa. Shit! I dropped my arepa.
Cagón
Country: Argentina. It’s used everywhere in Latin America
Meaning in English: Meaning in English: Wimp, coward, pussy. This bad word refers to someone who has no courage. It literally means “shitter”, which an observation on babies who are always dirtying their diapers. A popular word with Latin American Spanish speakers from all over.
In Conversation:
- “No seas cagón y háblale a esa chica.” (Don’t be a wimp and talk to that girl.)
Becerro
Country: Venezuela, but it’s also used in Colombia.
Meaning in English: Meaning in English: It literally translates to calf and a similar word in English would be “dickhead”.
It’s a derogatory term that refers to someone who likes fellatio. It makes reference to calves, which are breastfed by their mothers.
People use it to refer to someone they don’t like at all, so it’s often an insult, but it can also be used playfully among friends.
In Conversation:
- Ese becerro me cae muy mal.” (I don’t like that dickhead at all.)
- “Jajaja te caíste, becerro.” (Hahaha you fell, dickhead.)
Mamagüevo
Country: Venezuela. Also used in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries.
Meaning in English: It literally translates to cocksucker. It’s derogatory and it’s often used as an insult to speak of someone who’s unbearable, but it can also be used playfully and even as a salutation among friends.
In Conversation:
- A mí no me hables así, mamagüevo.” (Don’t talk to me like that, cocksucker.
- Hey mamagüevo! ¿Cómo estás?” (Hi cocksucher, what are you up to?
Pija
Country: It’s used all over Central America.
Meaning in English: Dick or prick. It’s a vulgar slang that refers to male genitals and it’s used to refer to someone who’s being a dick or an asshole.
In Conversation:
- ¡Eres un pija! You’re a dick!
Marica
Country: Colombia. Also used in Venezuela as “marico”.
Meaning in English: Sissy. It’s used to refer to someone who’s acting like a sissy or who’s being dumb.
It’s also used among friends the same way we say “dude”. Lastly, it’s used to refer to gay men but it’s derogatory, so keep that in mind.
In Conversation:
- Venga marica, lo invito a una cerveza.” (Come dude, I’ll buy you a beer.
- El hijo de Anita es marica.” (Anita’s son is a sissy. / Anita’s son is gay.
Cornudo
Country: Argentina. Also used in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile.
Meaning in English: Cuckold or cuck, sorry-ass dude, lame. It literally translates to “horned guy” and it refers to a person who gets cheated on and acts like a bitch about it.
Sorry! It also refers to someone who’s lame and is always feeling sorry for themselves.
In Conversation:
- Me hicieron cornudo.” (They made me a cuckold.)
Andá cagá or Anda a cagar
Country: Argentina. Also used in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile.
Meaning in English: Fuck off, fuck you, or go fuck yourself. It literally translates to “go take a shit” and it’s a way of saying “get out of my face”.
It’s often used when someone makes you angry or is wasting your time. It can also be used among friends in a joking manner.
In Conversation:
- ¿Me prestas dinero?” (Can I borrow some money?) – Andá cagá, eres mala paga.” (Fuck off, you never pay back)
Perra
Country: Used by all Spanish-speaking people.
Meaning in English: Bitch, slut. This is a multi-dimensional bad word and it can be used as an insult or jokingly among friends.
In Conversation:
- Andrea es una perra, se metió con mi hermano.” (Andrea is a bitch, she hooked up with my brother.)
Hijo de puta
Country: Used by all Spanish-speaking people.
Meaning in English: Son of a bitch. This one is common and it can be used as an exclamation or as an insult to someone directly. It can also be used playfully among friends.
In Conversation:
- Qué hijo de puta.” (What a son of a bitch.)
- ¡Hijo de puta!” (Son of a bitch!)
Malparido
Country: Costa Rica, also used in Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
Meaning in English: Asshole. It literally translates to “miscarried”. It’s used to refer to someone who is the biggest asshole in the world to you.
It defines the kind of person who doesn’t care about anything or anyone and has no consideration for people’s feelings.
It’s not a nice word and it’s not something people usually say jokingly, though it can happen among friends. Most of the time it’s serious.
In Conversation:
- ¡Ese malparido casi nos choca!” (That asshole almost hits us with his car!)
Puto
Country: It’s used all over Latin American.
Meaning in English: Dick, asshole, bitch, pussy. It’s similar to “motherfucker” because it’s very common and super versatile as a bad word.
Calling someone a puto means you don’t like them at all. It can also be used playfully among friends, but mostly it’s a fighting word.
In Conversation:
- ¿Qué miras, puto?” What are you looking at, bitch?
Culiao
Country: Chile. They say it a lot!
Meaning in English: Jerk. It literally translates to “fucked in the ass” and it’s used when someone is being a jerk.
However, they also use it as “dude” among dear friends. Oh, Spanish bad words… They go by a different set of rules!
In Conversation:
- ¿Qué hubo, culiao?” Whaddup, jerk?
Verga
Country: México. Also used in Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
Meaning in English: Penis, prick, cock. It’s a super versatile word. It can be used to describe something that’s awesome, it can be used to accentuate a question.
Most commonly, the word Verga in Spanish is used when something surprising happens in phrases like “¡A la verga!” meaning “Oh my God!”.
In Conversation:
- ¿Qué es esa verga?” (What the fuck is that?)
- ¡Eso está bien vergas!” (That’s so awesome!)
Gonorrea
Country: México. Also used in Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
Meaning in English: Despicable, gross, asshole. It literally translates to “gonorrhea”, so it’s not a nice word.
It’s used to refer to someone who’s very disliked and it’s used to describe a bad situation as well.
In Conversation:
- ¡Odio a ese gonorrea!” I hate that asshole
- Qué gonorrea esta situación.” What a gross situation
Concha de la lora
Country: Argentina
Meaning in English: Meaning in English: It’s used as a variation of “fuck”. It literally translates to “the parrot’s pussy” and it’s used a ton.
In Conversation:
- Perdí el autobus, la concha de la lora!” (Fuck, I missed the bus!)
I have written these to support my post on tips for learning Spanish faster to give you a head start on your Spanish learning journey.
Bad words are fun, they are colorful, to say the least, and they are a very important part of learning a new language.
They allow us to express so many feelings and they allow us to joke around and be cheeky as well, which is always important.
As such, it’s no wonder people are so interested in learning them and native speakers are never shy about sharing their favorite bad words.
Bad Words in Spanish
Today, I’ve put together a varied list of bad words in Spanish so your knowledge of the Spanish language can be enriched.
Some will be more memorable than others, but I’m sure you’ll find a use for some of them. Just make sure you’re not inappropriate!
There’s a time and place for bad words, so use them wisely.
If you want to learn more Spanish words see some of my favorite books for learning Spanish that you can find online.
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