Let’s get to know the insults in Spanish, shall we?
Swear words in Spanish are a great way to express emotions and feelings when we can’t find the right words. Although they may be considered inappropriate or offensive (and are generally used with bad intentions), swear words are also part of the culture and everyday life of many Spanish speakers. Who hasn’t uttered that word you’re thinking of right now, right? 🤣
If you’re learning Spanish, it’s important to understand bad words in Spanish so that you can comprehend spontaneous and natural conversations in the language. You can also use some swear words to enrich your vocabulary and make your speech more fluent and closer to the type of conversation each Spanish-speaking country engages in.
This is very much a cultural thing in each country. In Spain, for example, we often say that out of every 10 words, 11 are some swear word. Even Coca-Cola has joined in and created a brilliant advertisement that jokes about this Spanish custom of using swear words.
In Latin America, it’s common for songs to be filled with swear words in Spanish. Listen to this song by Maluma and see for yourself!
Disclaimer: From this point on, we will be using profanity. Consider yourselves warned! 😝
Swear Words in Spanish by Category
General Vulgarities
“General Vulgarities” are swear words used to express anger, frustration, and disappointment, similar to Portuguese expressions like “puta que pariu” and “Porra.” These swear words typically refer to things considered outside the standard of social behavior, so you should use them with caution unless the situation warrants anger (jajaja).
Some commonly used Spanish insults in this category include “carajo” (fuck), “coño” (literally means ‘vagina,’ but is often used as a strong expression similar to “fuck” or “shit”), “mierda” (shit), and “joder” (literally means ‘to fuck,’ but is closer in meaning to “damn” or “shit”). These are particularly popular in Spain but are also heard in other Spanish-speaking countries. There’s also “Huevon” (idiot), commonly used in Colombia.
Examples of how these swear words function in sentences:
- Ay carajo, ¿Donde está mi hermano?
- Oh fuck, where is my brother?
- Eso ya lo sé, carajo.
- I already know that, damn it.
- No sabía qué coño estaban haciendo.
- I didn’t know what the hell they were doing.
- Dije que necesitábamos apoyo, joder.
- I said we needed support, damn it.
- Joder a estos jugadores.
- Screw these players (could also be interpreted as “fuck these players”).
- Dos días seguidos con esta mierda.
- Two days in a row with this shit.
- El tipo es medio huevón pero puede que te guste.
- The guy is kinda dumb, but you might like him.
Religious Swear Words
Using religious terms may be considered a sin, but these are not necessarily swear words. They are expressions of frustration related to religious contexts. While most people avoid involving God in inappropriate language due to being pejorative or blasphemous, these words are still used in everyday Spanish conversations to express disgust, anger, or frustration. Examples include “Dios mío” (my God), “Jesús” (Jesus), “Satanás” (Satan), and “maldito” (cursed).
Examples of these mild religious swear words:
- Oh, dios mio, he olvidado traer un bolígrafo.
- My God, I forgot to bring a pen.
- Andale! termine tu tarea, Jesús!
- Come on! finish your homework, Jesus!
Body-related Swear Words
These swear words are used to describe parts of the human body or to refer to sex or other acts considered shameful or improper. Common ones include “cabrón” (used similarly to “son of a bitch” but with a broader meaning), “culo” (ass), and the classic Argentinean soccer stadium insult, “concha de tu madre” (literally means ‘your mother’s pussy,’ but is understood as a strong insult like “son of a bitch”).
Before providing examples with “cabrón,” it’s worth noting that this word can mean many things, sometimes not even a swear word. It depends a lot on the context of the sentence. “Cabrón” can mean bastard, shit, son of a bitch, idiot, scoundrel, cuckold, imbecile, jerk, or simply “guy.”
Examples:
- Cabrón, suéltalo o te mato ahora mismo, carajo.
- Bastard, let it go or I’ll kill you right now, damn it.
- Elle es un cabrón, sale con una mujer diferente cada dia de La semana.
- He’s a bastard, goes out with a different woman every day of the week.
- ¿Viste a ese cabrón en la mesa de dados con el sombrero vaquero?
- Did you see that guy at the craps table with the cowboy hat?
- Pepe es un cabrón para los negocios.
- Pepe is ‘the man’ in business (or something like ‘Pepe is really good in business’).
- Saque su culo gordo del sofá.
- Get your fat ass off the couch.
- ¡Vete a tomar por culo!
- Go fuck yourself!
- ¡Bajá la cabeza, la concha de tu madre!
- Lower your head, son of a bitch!
- La conha de tu madre.
- Son of a bitch. Note that it’s more about offending the person than talking about the mother.
Media-related Swear Words
You’ll also hear many swear words related to pop culture, such as movies, TV shows, and songs, often used as interjections. Some examples include “chingón” (badass), “puto” (damn or ‘shitty’), and “hostia” (shit, damn, or fuck).
It’s important to note that some of these swear words may be offensive in Spanish culture, while others may be used informally among friends. Therefore, it’s crucial to research regional swear words before using them in a conversation. Examples:
- Así que sabemos que Clayton era un chingón para las cartas.
- So, we know Clayton was a badass at cards.
- El jefe contrató a un chingón en finanzas.
- The boss hired a badass in finance.
- El viaje estuvo chingón, disfruté como nunca.
- The trip was awesome; I enjoyed it like never before (or “the trip was fucking amazing…”).
- Todo porque contrataste al puto chico para empezar.
- All because you hired that damn kid in the first place.
- En 5 minutos echo abajo ese puto edificio.
- In 5 minutes, I’ll bring down that shitty building.
- Hace un tiempo de la hostia.
- It’s fucking lousy weather.
- ¡Me cago en la hostia! Damn it!
- Estoy de mala hostia hoy.
- I’m in a bad mood today (note: “mala hostia” is an expression for bad mood, not necessarily a swear word).
Main Swear Words in Spanish by Country
Regional Swear Words
Every region has its own swear words and slang, so when you travel from one Spanish-speaking country to another, it’s always a good idea to research some of the most popular local swear words. Here are the top 3 swear words in Spanish used in some countries, highlighting how each region has its particular insults. It’s interesting to observe this because, depending on the media you consume (whether it’s a Mexican soap opera, a Spanish movie, or a Latin American song), you’ll notice the use of these words by each region.
Top 3 Swear Words in Spain:
- Cabrón (idiot, shithead, son of a bitch, etc.)
- Puto (damn, ‘shitty’)
- Coño (shit, fuck)
Top 3 swear words in Mexico:
- Cabrón (idiot, shit, wretched, son of a bitch, etc…) similar to Spain
- Pendejo (idiot, stupid)
- Marrano (pig, filthy, idiot)
We have two updates here. Let’s see some examples with the swear words Pendejo and Marrano:
- Sigues siendo un pendejo para mí. For me, you continue to be an idiot.
- Me quedo sentado aquí como un pendejo. I’m sitting here like an idiot.
- Ese tipo tiene tan poca educación, es un marrano. That guy is so poorly educated, he’s a pig.
Top 3 swear words in Argentina:
- Boludo (idiot, imbecile, or jerk)
- Culo (anus)
- Concha de tu madre (son of a bitch)
The only novelty here is “boludo,” which is a simple but commonly used insult by Argentinians:
- Dale boludo, me estaban jodiendo. Idiot, they were messing with me.
- Bueno, tal vez no soy tan boludo como tú crees que soy. Well, maybe I’m not as stupid as you think I am.
It’s also common in Argentina to use “pelotudo,” which means the same as “boludo” and can be used in the same way.
Learning swear words in Spanish can help you express yourself more naturally in the language. Don’t forget to use them with caution, as they can be considered offensive depending on the situation.
No one wants you to go around saying “carajo” at a checkpoint or calling someone on the street “boludo,” but learning the most commonly used swear words in the language will also help you listen and understand native speakers in natural dialogues. So, let’s start practicing!
Remember that here on the blog, we also have a VERY GOOD article on slang and expressions in Spanish, which complements this learning to some extent.
If there’s any Spanish swear word you know that is not mentioned here, leave it in the comments for us to update the post!
Vete a estudiar cabrona! (Go study, jerk!)
