20+ Easy Spanish Slang Words And Phrases [Guide]

You can spend hours memorizing every English to Spanish words from your textbook but let's be real... when someone in Barcelona tells you something is "la leche" or a friend in Mexico says "¡No manches!" you'll realize that textbook Spanish only gets you so far.

Spanish slang is how people actually talk. It's the difference between sounding like a textbook and connecting with real people. They are important to learn since these expressions reveal culture, humor, and personality in ways formal Spanish never could.

So in this post, let's explore all these major Spanish slang to help you communicate and express yourself better. As a Spanish speaker myself, I'll add the real meanings and how you can actually use each. Let's begin!

Why Learn Spanish Slang?

Spanish slang is the difference between understanding words and understanding people. While textbook Spanish gets you basic communication, slang helps you understand the jokes, cultural references, and casual banter of the locals. Having a clear understanding of these will also help you gain confidence in using them in actual conversations to build rapport and show your familiarity with the language and the locals.

Whether you’re watching a Spanish TV show, listening to music, or talking on the street, slang appears everywhere. Recognizing common phrases lets you follow dialogues, understand jokes, and avoid misunderstandings in real life. In short, mastering Spanish slang transforms basic language skills into genuine connections with native speakers.

Spanish Slang Words And Phrases

Whether you're looking for useful and interesting Spanish slang phrases from Spain, Mexico, or other Spanish-speaking countries, we've got you.

European Spanish Slang

Tío/tía ¿qué pasa?

Tío and tía are Spanish slang for "dude" and "girl", while ¿qué pasa? is an informal way to ask "what's up?", so the phrase is "dude, what's up? Use this greeting with friends in a casual setting.

Note that tío and tía actually mean "uncle" and "aunt" in Spanish, but in Spain, they are more often used as a colloquial way to say "guy", "dude", "girl", "chick" and so on.

¿Cómo te va?

This is another way to ask "what's up?" or "how's it going?" colloquially.

Estar como una cabra

This Spanish slang expression literally means "to be like a goat", but it is used colloquially to mean "to be crazy". It is similar to the English expression "to be nuts".

Pijo/a

This slang word is used to describe people as snobby, stuck up, or spoiled.

See una fresa in "Mexican Slang Words" for the equivalent Mexican slang term.

Ir a su bola

When someone is minding their own business or doing their own thing, you can say él va a su bola, or "he's doing his thing".

Es una mierda

You cannot learn Spanish slang without learning at least one curse word! Mierda means sh*t, and this saying can be translated as "it's a piece of sh*t", "it's crap" or "it sucks".

A native Spanish speaker might use es una mierda to refer to a situation that is rubbish or an item or food that is of low quality. La comida es una mierda is "food is bad quality/ crap".

¡Qué mala pata!

If something unfortunate happens, you can say "what a bad paw", meaning "what bad luck". This comes from the Spanish superstition that carrying a rabbit's leg, or pata, brings good luck.

Ser la leche

If something es la leche, it is "cool" or "great". This phrase can also be used to say él piensa que es la leche, "he thinks he's all that", which in this context would be a negative attribute.

Me cago en la leche

Unlike ser la leche, when native speakers say "I sh*t in the milk", this is definitely not a good thing! This unusual phrase means "f*cking sh*t", "bloody hell" or "motherf*cker". It is used to express extreme disappointment or shock at a negative situation.

La mala leche

This phrase literally translates as "to have bad milk", but figuratively, it is used in Spain and different Latin American countries to mean various things, depending on where you are and how you use it.

In Spain, if you say tener mala leche, it means that someone acts in bad faith, while if you say estar de mala leche, this means that a person is in a bad mood.

See la mala leche in "Other Latin American Slang" for different definitions.

Mexican Slang Words

Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, so it is only fair to dedicate a section to slang specific to this culture-rich country.

Mexican Spanish has distinct accents, dialects, and commonly used phrases. Let's have a look at some of the most useful Mexican Spanish sayings.

Oye güey

This Mexican Spanish slang greeting means "hey dude". Güey, meaning "buddy", "mate" etc., is often used as a filler word in conversations in Mexico.

¡No manches!/ ¡No mames!

To express shock or disbelief, you can use either of these colloquial expressions the same way. They can both be positive or negative depending on the context and tone of voice.

The literal translation of no manches is "do not stain", however, it is used as "no way" or "holy cow" in colloquial Mexican.

No mames is a little cruder, as it literally means "do not suck". You will hear güey, no mames in Mexico when someone wants to say "dude, don't mess with me".

¡Chale!

This is an interjection used in Mexico to express surprise and disappointment. It is rather like the English sayings "give me a break!" or "you're kidding!"

Pendejo

If you watch a lot of Mexican TV, you might have heard someone be referred to as a pendejo. This is a useful Mexican slang term that literally means "pubic hair" but is used commonly in Mexico to mean "dickhead".

Una fresa

Referring to someone as "a strawberry" in Mexico implies that they are snobby, pretentious, and privileged. Nonetheless, this kind of person is looked up to by poorer Mexican young people.

La neta

This slang word means "truth". Saying la neta is like asking "really?" or emphasizing something. La neta te amo is "the truth is I love you".

¡Qué padre!

There are a few ways to express delight about a situation switch your Mexican friends, and this is one of them. This Mexican Spanish slang phrase means "how cool!", "that's great!" or "nice!" Its literal translation is "what father", but obviously this is not how it is used.

¡Qué onda!

This phrase means "what a wave" when translated literally, but in Mexico, it is a very common way to greet someone and it is used as "what's up?" This phrase might have a Mexican origin, but you can also use ¡qué onda! in Argentina and Chile.

Buena onda/ Mala onda

In Mexican slang, onda, which means "wave" is also used to describe someone's personality. If someone is buena onda, they are cool or nice, and on the flip side, if ella es mala onda, "she is not cool".

Spanish speakers from other Spanish-speaking countries will understand if you use onda in this way, but it is not common outside of Mexico.

¡Qué buena onda!/ ¡Qué mala onda!: Mexicans also use "what a good wave/ what a bad wave" to express their feelings about a situation. While qué buena onda is used to express "how cool!" or "so cool!", qué mala onda means "too bad", "how bad" or "uncool".

Other Latin American Slang

Across other Latin American countries, there is a range of extremely helpful slang. We will briefly touch on some notable examples.

Mae, pura vida

This is slang from Costa Rica that means "mate, how's it going?". You can reply with pura vida to mean "it's going good".

Pura vida is a super general term that can also be used to express thanks, good vibes, and any other positive greeting or farewell. This saying is very specific to Costa Rica and it can be used all over the country.

Estar asado

In Peru, you can express your anger by saying you are "roasted". No me hables, estoy asado means "don't talk to me, I'm angry." In other dialects across Latin America, you can say estoy enojado/a, while in Spain, you would say estoy enfadado/a.

Estar prendido

Prendido is a super useful slang word. This phrase means "to be lit" or "to be buzzed". Used in Colombia, Panamá, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, you can say estoy prendido/a if you are drunk, but in a positive way. It implies you are full of energy and good vibes.

La mala leche

We have seen that in Spain, this saying is used to describe someone with a bad temper or attitude. However, in Venezuela and Panamá, it is used to express mala suerte, or bad luck.

In Chile and Argentina, if someone has la mala leche, they have acted maliciously toward another person.

Ready to Master Spanish Slang the Natural Way?

The best way to absorb Spanish slang isn't through memorization. Studies show that learning Slang is best done through complete immersion. Learn Spanish with Lingopie by watching real Spanish TV shows, movies, and content where you'll hear these expressions used naturally.

Learn with Lingopie and transform your Spanish from functional to fluent. With interactive subtitles and authentic content from across the Spanish-speaking world, you'll pick up regional slang, cultural nuances, and natural speech patterns while actually enjoying what you're watching. Ready to sound like a local instead of a language learner? Start your journey today.

FAQs: Learning Spanish Slang

Which Spanish slang words are the most useful to learn?

If you are planning a trip to Spain and want to learn some quick and useful slang, start with two commonly used words for cool: guay and chulo. Moreover, me flipa can be used like me gusta/ me encanta but it is a more colloquial way to say "I'm crazy about..." These simple words will have you sounding like an enthusiastic local!

Do I need to learn slang to visit a Spanish-Speaking country?

No, you do not absolutely need to learn Spanish slang to visit a country that uses Spanish, however, it is recommended. This will help you to understand social situations. It will also impress the locals when you use their own slang as it indicates that you appreciate their culture and language.

What does the slang word joder mean in Spain?

Joder is a swear word in Spain that can be translated as "sh*t" or "f*ck" depending on the context. It is commonly used in Spanish TV shows like La Casa de Papel and Elite. You can use joder in a light-hearted way with friends, or in anger in a serious situation.

Whether or not you intend to use Spanish curse words in day-to-day life, you will hear them if you visit Spain or Latin America, or watch Spanish TV and movies, so it is a good idea to understand the words and when to use them.