Introduction
Learning Spanish is fun, but if you want to sound like a native speaker, you need to know Spanish slang! Whether you’re traveling to Spain, Mexico, or Latin America, using slang will help you blend in and understand locals better.
In this guide, we’ll cover popular Spanish slang words and expressions from different Spanish-speaking countries so you can sound more natural in conversations.
Common Spanish Slang Words & Expressions
🇪🇸 Spain
- Guay – Cool / Awesome
Ese lugar es muy guay. (That place is really cool.) - Tío/Tía – Dude / Guy / Girl
Oye, tío, ¿qué tal? (Hey dude, how’s it going?) - Vale – Okay / Alright
Vale, nos vemos mañana. (Okay, see you tomorrow.) - Majo/Maja – Nice / Friendly
Ella es muy maja. (She’s very nice.) - Flipar – To freak out (in a good or bad way)
Estoy flipando con esta película. (I’m freaking out over this movie.)
🇲🇽 Mexico
- Órale – Wow! / Let’s go! / Hurry up!
¡Órale! ¡Qué increíble! (Wow! That’s amazing!) - Chido – Cool / Awesome
Esa canción está bien chida. (That song is really cool.) - Güey (Wey) – Dude / Bro (Casual)
Oye, güey, ven aquí. (Hey dude, come here.) - No manches – No way! / Are you kidding?
¡No manches! ¿En serio? (No way! Are you serious?) - Fresa – A snobby or preppy person
Ella es muy fresa. (She’s very preppy.)
🇦🇷 Argentina
- Che – Hey / Dude
Che, ¿qué hacés? (Hey, what are you doing?) - Boludo/Boluda – Dude / Idiot (friendly or offensive, depending on tone)
¡Dale, boludo! (Come on, dude!) - Laburo – Work / Job
Tengo mucho laburo hoy. (I have a lot of work today.) - Quilombo – A mess / Chaos
Mi casa es un quilombo. (My house is a mess.) - Fiaca – Laziness
Hoy tengo mucha fiaca. (Today I feel really lazy.)
🇨🇴 Colombia
- Parcero/Parcera (Parche) – Bro / Friend
¿Qué más, parcero? (What’s up, bro?) - Bacano – Cool / Awesome
Ese lugar está bacano. (That place is cool.) - Rumba – Party
Vamos de rumba esta noche. (Let’s party tonight.) - Camello – Job / Work
Ese camello es difícil. (That job is hard.) - Chévere – Cool / Nice
Ese plan suena chévere. (That plan sounds nice.)
How to Learn Spanish Slang Faster
- 🎧 Listen to Spanish Music & Podcasts – Reggaeton, Latin pop, and podcasts use a lot of slang.
- 📺 Watch TV Shows & Movies – Netflix’s Spanish-language content is great for learning slang.
- 💬 Practice with Native Speakers – Join language exchange apps like Tandem or HelloTalk.
- 📖 Follow Social Media in Spanish – Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have tons of slang-filled content.
- ✍ Keep a Slang Journal – Write down new slang words and their meanings.
Conclusion
Spanish slang makes conversations more fun, engaging, and natural. By learning these cool slang words and expressions, you’ll sound more like a native and connect better with Spanish speakers.
🚀 What’s your favorite Spanish word? Drop it in the comments below!