Spanish Slang Jerga en español

Words for Friends Adjectives

There are tons of words for referring to friends and relationships in Spanish. bacán (CU,AND,CH)
(bah-KAHN)
c ool, awesome

Some can be heard all over the Spanish-speaking world, while others are bestia (AND)
(BEHS-tyah)
amazing

strictly regional.
brutal (SAM)
(broo-TAHL)
incredible, awesome

General cabezón
(kah-beh-SOHN)
stubborn

amigo/a friend tipo/a guy, chick hermano/a bro, sis muchacho/a guy, chick cañón (MX)
(kah-NYOHN)
really hard

chico/a guy, chick compadre/comadre friend viejo/a mate, friend nene/a kid
caradura
(kah-rah-DOO-rah)
shameless, sassy

chévere (LAM)
(CHEH-beh-reh)
cool, awesome

jefe chief maestro mate colega dude, mate

chido (MX)
(CHEE-doh)
cool

Regional chiflado
(chee-FLAH-doh)
crazy

Spain copado (RP)

(coh-PAH-doh)
cool, awesome

Mexico
crack - genius, whiz

fenómeno
(feh-NOH-meh-noh)
fantastic

carnal - friend

majo/a - buddy, guy

ganso
(GAHN-soh)
foolish, lazy

cuate/a - guy, girl

monumento/a - stunner, looker

güey - dude, mate

guácala (LAM)
(GWAH-kah-lah)
gross, yuck

tío/a - mate, buddy

vato - dude, mate guay (SP)
(gwahee)
cool, awesome

Caribbean majo (SP)

(MAH-hoh)
nice, attractive

asere (CU) - dude, mate

monstruo
(MOHNS-trwoh)
fantastic

Central America corillo (PR) - group of friends

padre (MX)
(PAH-dreh)
cool, awesome

jevo/a - boyfriend/girlfriend
pelado
(peh-LAH-doh)
broke

mae - dude, mate

mano/a - dude, mate

maje - dude, mate

pana - friend quedado (SAM)

(keh-DAH-doh)
slow

man - pal

serrano (SP)
(seh-RRAH-noh)
attractive, shapely

Southern Cone tremendo

(treh-MEHN-doh)
terrible

Andes boludo/a (AR) - dude, mate

wepa (CAR) (WEH-pah) cool, awesome
che - mate, buddy

cumpa - dude, mate

huevón/a (CH) - dude, mate

parce - buddy
pololo/a (CH)- boyfriend/girlfriend
pata - dude, mate
Nouns and Verbs
agüitar
(ah-gwee-TAHR)
to bum out

al garete (PR)
(ahl gah-REH-teh)
disaster, mess

Greetings and Phrases arroz con mango (CAR)

(ah-RROHS kohn MAHNG-goh)
mess

chamba (AND,CAM,MX)
(CHAHM-bah)
work

Q: ¿Qué tal? What’s up? Q: ¿Qué onda? What’s up? colado (LAM)
(koh-LAH-doh)
party crasher

A: Todo bien. All good. A: Nada nuevo. Nothing new. cole

(KOH-leh)
school

flipar (SP)
(flee-PAHR)
to be crazy about

¿Cómo te va?
How’s it going?
chau (LAM)
bye

guateque (CU,MX,SP)
(gwah-TEH-keh)
party

¿Qué pasa?
How’s it going?
en plan (SP)
I mean, basically

janguear (PR)
(hahn-geh-AHR)
to hang out

¿Quiubo? (CAM,MX)
What’s up?
ni modo (LAM)
too bad

lío
(LEE-oh)
mess, trouble

¿Todo bien?
All good?
no manches (MX)
no way

mamey (PR)
(mah-MEY)
piece of cake

así como
a little, kind of
nos vemos
see you later

molar (SP)
(moh-LAHR)
to be cool

chao bye órale (CAM, MX) alright, okay

pachanga (LAM)
(pah-CHAHNG-gah)
party

pari (CAM,CAR,MX)
(PAH-ree)
party

parrandear
(pah-rrahn-deh-AHR)
to party

Examples
pasar el rato
(pah-SAHR ehl RRAH-toh)
to hang out

Tenía plan de irme a la playa con mis cuates hoy, pero se me pompearse (PR)
(pohm-peh-AHR-seh)
to get excited

descompuso el carro. - Ni modo. rumba (LAM) (RROOM-bah) party

I was going to go to the beach with my buddies today, but my car broke
down. - Too bad.

Mariela me llamó en plan, "Ya no te amo. Hasta nunca."

Regional Abbreviations Key
Mariela called me basically being like, "I don't love you anymore. See you AND:
Andes
CH:
Chile
RP:
i er Plate

R v

never." CU:
Cuba
PR:
Puerto Rico
SAM:
South America

CAM:
Central America
LAM:
Latin America
SC:
Southern Cone

Te veo así como agüitado. ¿Qué onda?

CAR: Caribbean MX: Mexico SP: Spain
You seem a little down in the dumps. What's up?
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