Are you looking for Spanish curse words to use in your conversations?
Let’s admit it’s not nice to curse in any language, but sometimes we simply need to do it. Especially in Spanish because it sounds so cool.
It helps us vent and allows us to express feelings of anger, excitement.
That’s why knowing a few Spanish curse words will help you form a greater emotional attachment to the language.
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Spanish Curse Words
However, that’s not the only reason. Many Spanish curse words are deeply ingrained in daily speech.
Spanish speakers regularly use them to express feelings, as exclamations, and they’re even used as terms of endearment.
Why Use Curse Words?
It’s no secret that many Spanish speakers use curse words very openly and naturally.
This is why knowing some Spanish curse words will actually elevate your comprehension skills.
Sometimes the same words will have different meanings in different countries.
Whilst doing cultural travel in Latin America I have come across all types of misunderstandings.
Before we get into the list, understand that curse words are regional.
Meaning the ones that are most popular in Venezuela, won’t be understood in, say, Chile, Argentina, or Spain.
Do keep in mind that some of the curse words you’ll find on this list are vulgar and extremely rude.
Don’t get into it if you’re easily offended!
Top 4 Spanish Curse Words that mean the same everywhere
Popular Spanish Curse Words
Before we get into the more regional and specific Spanish curse words, I want you to take a look at some of the most universal ones.
They will offend grandmas everywhere equally, no matter if they’re from Colombia or Peru.
Estúpido/a – Rudeness level: 4/5
“Estúpido/a” means “stupid” in English. The word has Latin origins, and it used to mean someone was paralyzed in the face of a situation, unable to react to it.
It’s quite a harsh word, and Spanish speakers use it when they’re mad at someone for doing something that wasn’t nice or smart.
For example, you got into a fight with someone and you want to tell your friend about it, you’d say: “No te imaginas lo que me hizo ese estúpido.”
This translates to “You can’t even imagine what that stupid person did to me.”
Idiota – Rudeness level: 3/5
“Idiota” means “idiot” in English, and it comes from ancient Greek. Surprising, don’t you think?
It used to refer to someone who didn’t care about public affairs, which was considered idiotic back then.
“Idiota” is less harsh than “estúpido/a”, but you still use it to refer to people you don’t particularly like or who have done something dumb.
How aggressive this word is will depend on different things: your relationship to the person, the context, and the tone. It can be used playfully.
For example, if someone cracks a joke at your expense, you could say “Qué idiota eres” (“You’re such an idiot”) and roll your eyes. Or you could use it very seriously, as an insult to someone who’s not very nice.
Bobo/a – Rudeness level: 2.5/5
“Bobo/a” can translate to “dumb” or “silly”, and it comes from Latin.
It’s used to refer to people with speech impediments, but in modern days it’s used to refer to people who are not very bright.
It’s not as harsh as the previous curse words, and it’s actually a light insult, but it can still be rude, especially if you’re not close to the person.
For example, if someone makes a bad joke or a really silly joke, you could call them “bobo/a”. But it’s also used in a friendly way to let someone know they shouldn’t take something the wrong way.
In that case you could say: “No seas bobo, solo es un chiste” (Don’t be silly, it’s just a joke).
Maldito/a – Rudeness level: 2.5-3/5
“Maldito/a” is also borrowed from Latin and it roughly translates to “cursed” or “damn”, depending on the context.
It’s actually a combination of two Spanish words: “mal” and “dicho”, which means something along the lines of “bad words”.
In a broad sense, “maldito/a” is used to refer to someone who’s evil, but it’s actually used to describe objects or people who annoy us.
So, if your Internet connection is slow, you could say “Maldita Internet, no me deja hacer nada” (“Damn Internet, it doesn’t let me do anything”).
When you use it to speak of objects, it’s not a big deal.
But if you use it to refer to people, it could be a bit rude, depending on the context, the person, and the tone.
Hijo/a de puta – Rudeness level: 5/5
“Hijo/a de puta” is one of the rudest things you could call someone.
It roughly translates to “son of a bitch” or “son of a whore”, so when you call someone that, you mean business.
Spanish speakers often use this insult to refer to someone who’s being a bad person on purpose.
So, let’s say someone was talking badly about you behind your back or maybe they stabbed you in the back.
That person would be a “hijo/a de puta”.
This curse word is often combined with others, so you could say “maldito/a hijo/a de puta” or “maldito/a idiota hijo/a de puta”.
Truly, the sky is the limit when it comes to combining curse words.
Bonus: Mierda – Rudeness level: 3/5
“Mierda” translates to “shit”, and it’s not exactly used to insult people, it’s just an exclamation. But a very vulgar one at that! You could use it in many situations.
For example, if something didn’t go well, you could express your frustration saying “¡Mierda!”.
Maybe you’ve made a mistake; say you were cooking and you burned the chicken, you could say “¡Mierda! Se me quemó el pollo” (“Shit! I burned the chicken”).
Or if your computer is running super slow, you could say “¡Computador de mierda!” (Shitty computer!).
Again, the sky is the limit and it can be combined with other curse words.
Even if it’s not an insult, it’s still rude to say things like these in front of strangers or in the workplace.
Regional Spanish Curse Words
Now that we’ve discovered some of the most common and most universal Spanish curse words, so to speak.
Let’s take a look at some of the most specific ones according to the country.
Venezuela
Learn some popular Spanish curse words from Venezuela:
Becerro – Rudeness level: 3/5
“Becerro” literally translates to “calf”, but in Venezuela, it’s an insult that has different connotations and it can be used in many contexts.
It’s commonly used to refer to someone who’s not very bright, someone who’s constantly making mistakes or is too clumsy.
It’s a vulgar word, and can be used as an insult or simply to make fun of friends.
For example, if you meet someone who’s rude, pedantic or obnoxious, you would call them a “becerro” if you don’t like them at all. It can also be used among friends.
So, say you have a clumsy friend and they have fallen, you’d say: “Chamo si eres becerro, te caíste jajaja” (“Dude you’re such a dumbass, you fell down hahaha”).
Or if you have a particularly awkward friend, you’d say “Luisa te saludó y no le dijiste nada, qué becerro” (“Luisa said hi and you didn’t reply, what a dumbass”).
Coño de tu madre – Rudeness level: 4/5
“Coño de tu madre” literally translates to “your mother’s vagina” or “motherf*cker” depending on the context.
I know, it’s not very nice, but Venezuelans use it quite a bit. It’s a highly vulgar term, and it’s most commonly used to pick fights.
For example: “¡Ven para acá coño de tu madre!” (“Come here, motherf*cker”).
It’s also used as an expression of anger or frustration.
For example, if you asked your brother to do you a favor, and they told you they couldn’t, but they could have, you could say “¿No pudiste? ¡No quisiste coño de tu madre!” (“You couldn’t? You wouldn’t, motherf*cker”).
Colombia
Learn some popular Spanish curse words from Colombia:
Marica – Rudeness level: 3/5
“Marica” could be translated to “faggot” or “fool”, which is a vulgar and insulting term.
In Colombia, it’s used to either talk about a homosexual person or a silly person who’s easy to fool.
Either way, it’s an insult, but sometimes it’s used to mean “dude”, as a term of endearment.
For example, you would say to a friend “Venga marica, lo invito a una cerveza” (“Come on dude, I’ll buy you a beer”).
As an insult, you could say “Tú si eres marica, los dejaste pasar a todos y te quedaste te último” (“You’re such a fool, you let everyone pass and now you’re last”). Read more about the meaning of Marica on this blog.
Gonorrea – Rudeness level: 4/5
“Gonorrea” is the Spanish word for “gonorrhea” and it’s one of the ugliest words you’ll find. Depending on the context, it can mean many things.
In general, it’s used in Colombia to refer to something that’s too gross or disgusting.
If a Colombian goes into a public bathroom, and it’s dirty, they would say “¡Qué gonorrea este baño! Está horrible” (This bathroom is so disgusting! It’s horrible).
It can also be used to refer to someone who’s not a good person.
Say your friend is dating a bad man, you’d say “Ese hombre es una gonorrea, no deberías estar con él” (That man is awful, you shouldn’t be with him.)
As a plot twist, it can actually be used as a compliment, to express someone’s really good at something.
Say you have a friend who cooks really well, you’d say “Andrea es una gonorrea, cocina delicioso” (“Andrea is a genius, she’s a delicious cook”).
Argentina
Learn some popular Spanish curse words from Argentina:
Boludo – Rudeness level: 2/5
“Boludo” is one of the most Argentinian words you’ll ever hear.
They use it all the time, so foreigners don’t immediately recognize it as an insult. But it means “stupid” or “dumb”.
It’s very light, and you could even use it to refer to yourself. Say you’ve added too much salt to your food, your reaction could be “¡Qué boludo! Le eché demasiada sal” (“What a fool! I went too heavy on the salt”).
Argentinians use it as a synonym of “hey”, so you’ll often hear friends calling each other “boludo”. As in, “Boludo, ¿escuchaste la canción que te recomendé?” (“Hey, did you listen to the song I recommended”).
La concha de la lora – Rudeness level: 4.5/5
“La concha de la lora” is very similar to Chile’s “conchetumadre”. “Concha” here refers to female genitals, and lora means “female parrot”.
The literal translation is “the female parrot’s vagina”, which is nonsensical and funny, but very rude.
Argentinians use it as an exclamation, similar to “¡mierda!”, when something annoying or exasperating occurs.
But it can also mean “very far away”.
For example, if you have a friend who lives 1 hour or more away, you could say “Ana vive en la concha de la lora, tengo que manejar una hora” (“Ana lives very far away, I have to drive for an hour”).
You could also send someone to “la concha de la lora” if they’re too annoying or if they’ve pissed you off. “¡Vete a la concha de la lora!” is a common expression.
Chile
Learn some popular Spanish curse words from Chile:
Conchetumadre – Rudeness level: 4/5
“Conchetumadre” is a contraction of “la concha de tu madre”, which is a rude and sexist insult that’s commonly used in Chile.
It literally translates to “your mother’s vagina”, but it means “motherf*cker” when it’s used to refer to someone, similar to “coño de tu madre” from Venezuela.
Needless to say it’s extremely vulgar!
In Chile, when someone keeps bothering and pushing you, you could say “¿Qué te pasa, conchetumadre?” (“What’s up, motherf*cker?!”).
But it can also be used in a friendly manner. You could call a friend “conchetumadre”, but mind the tone because it’s still a curse word.
Weon/a – Rudeness level: 2/5
“Weon/a” is one of the most common Chilean words and they use it quite a lot.
Sometimes it’s used as an insult, meaning someone’s “stupid” or “dumb”, and sometimes it’s used among friends, similar to “dude” or “pal”.
It’s commonly used to mean “hey you”. For example, “Oye weon/a, ¿cómo estás?” (“Hey you, how are you?”).
Spanish Curse Words: Final Thoughs
Curse words are graphic and colorful, to say the least. And yes, they’re also rude and vulgar. But whether it’s pretty or not, it’s all a part of the culture we want to embrace through language.
Avoiding curse words while learning a second language is like eating just half of a Snickers bar; it shouldn’t be done.
If you want your language-learning experience to be full, and if you want to be able to capture and imitate the essence of Spanish speaking, curse words are very much a part of that.
I hope this list helps you understand curse words and their context a little bit more, and we encourage you to do further research!
Need more vulgar words to impress your travel friends? See this list of Colombian slang words for more ideas.
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