There are so many cool things about Spanish.
It is useful and widely spoken.
It is relatively easy to learn.
It has that sexy and romantic vibe.
It varies slightly from country to country, showing their unique historical heritage.
Itโs rich in cool words that allow you to express lots of useful ideas.
My goal today is to show you some of these cool Spanish words. Buckle up!
TOP 20 Really Cool Spanish Words and Phrases
- ๐ช๐ธ mala leche – ๐ฌ๐ง mean, malicious (literally โbad milkโ)
- ๐ช๐ธ cachar – ๐ฌ๐ง to understand, to see, to know (commonly used in Chile)
- ๐ช๐ธ por si las moscas – ๐ฌ๐ง just in case
- ๐ช๐ธ ยกsale! – ๐ฌ๐ง ยกNo way!
- ๐ช๐ธ porfa / porfis – an abbreviated form of โpor favorโ: ๐ฌ๐ง please
- ๐ช๐ธ gringo/a – a caucasian looking ๐ฌ๐ง foreigner, normally an American or European
- ๐ช๐ธ pololear – (in Chile) to ๐ฌ๐ง date someone
- ๐ช๐ธ carretear / rumbear – ๐ฌ๐ง to party
- ๐ช๐ธ guagua: ๐ฌ๐ง a baby (in Chile) or a bus (in the Caribbean)
- ๐ช๐ธ aguinaldo – ๐ฌ๐ง an extra Christmas (or Independence Day) pay
- ๐ช๐ธ ยกUna barbaridad! – ๐ฌ๐ง outrageous
- ๐ช๐ธ guรกcala – ๐ฌ๐ง awful / disgusting
- ๐ช๐ธ al tiro – ๐ฌ๐ง right away / immediately
- ๐ช๐ธ voy y vuelvo – ๐ฌ๐ง Iโll be right back
- ๐ช๐ธ tomar el pelo – ๐ฌ๐ง to pull someoneโs leg
- ๐ช๐ธ ensimismado – ๐ฌ๐ง self-absorbed (comes from the expression: โpensando en sรญ mismoโ – thinking about oneself)
- ๐ช๐ธ ยกquรฉ lata! – ๐ฌ๐ง how boring! What a nuisance!
- ๐ช๐ธ una vaina – ๐ฌ๐ง a thing, stuff (used in Venezuela)
I have written about Spanish idioms and slang words before. If you are familiar with those posts, you know that โthe street languageโ you can hear in any Spanish speaking country varies significantly from its proper version approved and certified by the Real Academia de Espaรฑol (RAE).
There are many cool words and expressions that can hardly be found in coursebooks and dictionaries and will allow you to move from โclassroom Spanishโ to โreal-life Spanishโ.
Not sure how to use these words and what the right context for them is? Check out the examples I have prepared:
๐ช๐ธ Solo te hice una pregunta. No tienes porque ser tan mala leche conmigo.
Iโve only asked you a question. There is no need for you to be so mean to me.
๐ช๐ธ ยฟCachaste lo que dijo la profe? Este aรฑo tendremos cinco horas de clases a la semana.
๐ฌ๐ง Have you heard what the professor said? This year we are going to have five classes a week.
๐ช๐ธ Sรฉ que vas a manejar tรบ, pero traje mi permiso de conducir por si las moscas.
๐ฌ๐ง I know itโs you who will drive, but Iโve brought my driverโs license just in case.
๐ช๐ธ Jefe, voy y vuelvo. Tengo que hacer un trรกmite corto en el banco.
๐ฌ๐ง Boss, Iโll be right back. I just need to run a quick errand at the bank.
๐ช๐ธ El aรฑo pasado la empresa donde trabajo nos pagรณ 200 dรณlares de aguinaldo.
๐ฌ๐ง Last year, the company I work for paid each of us a 200-dollar Christmas bonus.
๐ช๐ธ Llevamos 5 aรฑos pololeando y en marzo nos vamos a casar.
๐ฌ๐ง Weโve been dating for five years and are getting married in March.
๐ช๐ธ ยฟQuรฉ es esta vaina y quiรฉn la dejรณ en mi cama?
๐ฌ๐ง What is this stuff, and who left it on my bed?
๐ช๐ธ Tengo que escribir un ensayo de dos mil palabras. ยกQuรฉ lata!
๐ฌ๐ง I have to write a two-thousand-word essay. What a nuisance!
๐ช๐ธ ยฟViste cuรกnto subiรณ la gasolina? Es una barbaridad lo que cobran!
๐ฌ๐ง Did you see how much gas has gone up? What they charge is outrageous!
๐ช๐ธ ยกQuรฉ hermosa tu guagua! ยฟCรณmo se llama?
๐ฌ๐ง What a pretty baby! Whatโs her name?
๐ช๐ธ Andas muy ensimismado รบltimamente. ยฟHa pasado algo?
๐ฌ๐ง Youโve been so self-absorbed lately. Has anything happened?
๐ช๐ธ A: Mi abuela estรก tomando clases de yoga.
๐ช๐ธ B: ยกSale! Pero si tiene como cien aรฑos!
๐ฌ๐ง A: My grandma is taking yoga classes.
๐ฌ๐ง B: No way! Isnโt she like a hundred years old?
What an admirable thing to see a rather elderly lady doing yoga poses, isnโt it? By the way, if you are still struggling with numbers in Spanish, one of my older posts might come in handy.
18 Untranslatable Spanish Words with a Cool Meaning
As you might have already realized, Spanish and English canโt always be translated literally. One of the most common mistakes English speakers make when learning Spanish is, in fact, translating ideas word by word.
๐ช๐ธ Test Your Spanish Knowledge ๐ช๐ธ
It is not advisable to do so, as ideas that sound entirely correct in one language often lose their meaning when trying to find a translation for every element.
On the other hand, there are quite a few Spanish words that simply donโt have a straightforward equivalent in English.
Letโs have a look at some of the untranslatable Spanish words then:
- ๐ช๐ธ sobremesa – ๐ฌ๐ง a period of relaxation and socializing at a table after a meal
- ๐ช๐ธ desvelarse – ๐ฌ๐ง to wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to go back to sleep
- ๐ช๐ธ madrugar – ๐ฌ๐ง to get up very early in the morning
- ๐ช๐ธ trasnochar – ๐ฌ๐ง to stay up until late at night
- ๐ช๐ธ vergรผenza ajena – s๐ฌ๐ง hame or embarrassment for something another person has done or said
- ๐ช๐ธ estrenar – ๐ฌ๐ง to use or to wear for the first time
- ๐ช๐ธ tutear – ๐ฌ๐ง to address someone with the โtรบโ form instead of โustedโ
- ๐ช๐ธ friolero / friolento – ๐ฌ๐ง to always feel cold
- ๐ช๐ธ acalorado – ๐ฌ๐ง to always feel hot
- ๐ช๐ธ quincena – ๐ฌ๐ง half a month, 15 days
- ๐ช๐ธ lampiรฑo – ๐ฌ๐ง a smooth-skinned, hairless man
- ๐ช๐ธ consuegro/a – ๐ฌ๐ง your sonโs or daughterโs parent-in-law
- ๐ช๐ธ pavonearse – ๐ฌ๐ง to show off like a male peacock (โpavo realโ)
- ๐ช๐ธ tocayo – ๐ฌ๐ง a person with the same first name as yours
- ๐ช๐ธ dar jugo – ๐ฌ๐ง to speak nonsense, literally โ to give juice.โ
- ๐ช๐ธ peinar la muรฑeca / rallar la papa – ๐ฌ๐ง to be crazy (literally to comb the doll / to grate the potato)
Cool, isnโt it? Who would have thought there is a word that describes family relation between parents in law, right?
Since the best strategy to learn new vocabulary is through examples, I gladly offer you some:
๐ช๐ธ Despuรฉs del almuerzo nos quedamos como tres horas mรกs haciendo sobremesa.
๐ฌ๐ง After lunch, we stayed at the table for three more hours socializing.
๐ช๐ธ Soy super friolenta. ยกIncluso en verano duermo con los calcetines puestos!
๐ฌ๐ง Iโm always cold. Even in summer, I sleep with my socks on!
๐ช๐ธ Mi consuegra es enfermera. Ella te puede vacunar.
๐ฌ๐ง My sonโs mother-in-law is a nurse. She can give you the vaccine jab.
๐ช๐ธ Hoy conocรญ al hermano de Juana. Resulta que somos tocayos. รl tambiรฉn se llama Pedro.
๐ฌ๐ง Today I met Juanaโs brother. As it turns out, his name is the same as mine: Pedro.
๐ช๐ธ Maรฑana me toca madrugar. Tengo que estar en el aeropuerto a las 5!
๐ฌ๐ง I need to get up very early tomorrow. I have to be at the airport at 5 AM!
๐ช๐ธ Cuando Jacinta se puso a cantar sentรญ vergรผenza ajena. ยกCanta tan desafinado!
๐ฌ๐ง When Jacinta started singing, I felt embarrassed for her. She sings so out of tune!
๐ช๐ธ Vamos a salir de vacaciones en la segunda quincena de enero.
๐ฌ๐ง Weโre going on vacation in the second half of January.
๐ช๐ธ Anoche me desvelรฉ y ahora estoy muerta de sueรฑo.
๐ฌ๐ง I woke up last night and couldnโt settle back to sleep. Now I canยดt keep my eyes open.
๐ช๐ธ Quรฉ bueno que te eligieron el Trabajador del Mes, pero no tienes por que pavonearte tanto.
๐ฌ๐ง Itโs great youโve been elected the Employee of the Month, but it is no reason for you to show off like this.
Me he comprado un bikini nuevo. Lo voy a estrenar en mis vacaciones en Cancรบn.
๐ฌ๐ง Iโve got myself a new bikini. Iโm going to wear it for the first time during my vacations in Cancun.
๐ช๐ธ No me digas โustedโ. En esta empresa todos nos tuteamos.
๐ฌ๐ง Donโt call me โusted.โ We all use the informal โtรบโ in this company.
๐ช๐ธ Ayer tuve un examen oral de economรญa. No estudiรฉ nada, asรญ que supongo que dรญ mucho jugo.
๐ฌ๐ง I had an oral exam in economics yesterday. I didnโt study, so I guess I said a lot of nonsense.
16 Spanish Words That Mean โCoolโ:
Another impressive thing about Spanish is the number of synonyms it has. Especially considering that each country where this language is spoken adds its own creative results to the list.
Still not convinced? Look how many synonyms the simple word โCOOLโ has:
- bacรกn/ bacano
- perfecto
- sรบper
- bรกrbaro
- chรฉvere
- descueve
- guay
- nรญtido
- molar
- piola
- top / topรญsimo
- pulento/a
- chulo
- (todo) cachete
- choy
- buena onda
Be careful, though, when using those words. Even though some of them are widely understood both in Spain and Latin America, others – like choy, guay, pulento are tied to a specific country.
The examples below will help you understand how to use the words from the list:
๐ช๐ธ La fiesta de anoche estuvo muy bacรกn.
๐ฌ๐ง The party last night was really cool.
๐ช๐ธ Mi vecino se comprรณ un descapotable a todo cachete.
๐ฌ๐ง My neighbor has bought an awesome convertible.
๐ช๐ธ Pablo me mostrรณ una aplicaciรณn chรฉvere para aprender los verbos irregulares.
๐ฌ๐ง Pablo showed me a cool app to learn irregular verbs.
๐ช๐ธ La casa de Carlos es muy pulenta! Tiene siete dormitorios y una piscina enorme.
๐ฌ๐ง Carlosโs house is so cool! It has seven bedrooms and a huge swimming pool.
๐ช๐ธ ยฟHas escuchado el nuevo disco de U2? ยกMe mola!
๐ฌ๐ง Have you heard the new U2 album? It is so cool!
๐ช๐ธ ยกQuรฉ bรกrbaro! Lorena se casa el mes que viene y nos ha invitado a todas a la boda.
๐ฌ๐ง How cool! Lorena is getting married next month, and we are all invited to the wedding party!
๐ช๐ธ El viernes cenamos con Jorge en ese restaurante nuevo en la esquina. Es topรญsimo! Tienes que ir con Pedro.
๐ฌ๐ง Last Friday Jorge and I had dinner in that new restaurant around the corner. It is so cool! You must go there with Pedro.
๐ช๐ธ La maestra fue muy buena onda con nosotros y dijo que nuestro proyecto era el mejor.
๐ฌ๐ง The teacher was really cool (friendly) and said our project was the best.
๐ช๐ธ A: ยฟQuรฉ tal tu nuevo jefe?
๐ช๐ธ B: Bastante piola. Exigente pero justo.
๐ฌ๐ง A: Whatโs your new boss like?
๐ฌ๐ง B: Pretty cool. Demanding but fair.
๐ช๐ธ A: ยฟQuรฉ te parece maรฑana a las 8?
๐ช๐ธ B: Perfecto. Te espero en mi casa.
๐ฌ๐ง A: How about tomorrow, 8 PM?
๐ฌ๐ง B: Cool. Iโll be waiting for you at home.
17 Cool Spanish Words That Will Twist Your Tongue
In spite of its many similarities to English, the Spanish language has its challenges too.
One of them is undoubtedly pronunciation.
Oh, these throaty Js and mute Hs and vibrating RR!
Or those changing sound Gs!
I know! Some Spanish words do make for real tongue twisters.
But hey, isnโt it fun to be finally able to master them?
- ๐ช๐ธ Ojalรก! – ๐ฌ๐ง I wish! / I hope so!
- ๐ช๐ธ juguetรณn – ๐ฌ๐ง playful
- ๐ช๐ธ un ajรญ – ๐ฌ๐ง a chili pepper
- ๐ช๐ธ aburrido – ๐ฌ๐ง bored
- ๐ช๐ธ un perro – ๐ฌ๐ง a dog
- ๐ช๐ธ ahorrar – ๐ฌ๐ง to save (money, time, etc.)
- ๐ช๐ธ ferreterรญa – ๐ฌ๐ง hardware store
- ๐ช๐ธ vergฯenza – ๐ฌ๐ง shame, embarrassment
- ๐ช๐ธ ronronear – ๐ฌ๐ง to purr
- ๐ช๐ธ una prรณrroga – ๐ฌ๐ง an extension
- ๐ช๐ธ un pingฯino – ๐ฌ๐ง a penguin
- ๐ช๐ธ ferrocarril – ๐ฌ๐ง railroad
- ๐ช๐ธ un espantapรกjaros – ๐ฌ๐ง a scarecrow
- ๐ช๐ธ desarrollar – ๐ฌ๐ง to develop
- ๐ช๐ธ alrededor – ๐ฌ๐ง around
- ๐ช๐ธ sonrojar – ๐ฌ๐ง to blush
- ๐ช๐ธ la jerarquรญa – ๐ฌ๐ง hierarchy
- ๐ช๐ธ un otorrinolaringรณlogo – ๐ฌ๐ง a nose and throat doctor
- ๐ช๐ธ una hamburguesa – ๐ฌ๐ง a burger
Do you feel like practicing your pronunciation?
The sentences below are packed with those challenging words. Why donโt you try and say them out loud?
๐ช๐ธ Ojalรก hubiera alguna ferreterรญa cerca de mi casa.
๐ฌ๐ง I wish there were a hardware store near my house.
๐ช๐ธ El gato aburrido se quedรณ dormido y ahora estรก ronroneando.
๐ฌ๐ง The bored cat fell asleep, and it is purring now.
๐ช๐ธ Un pingรผino juguetรณn estรก corriendo alrededor de los turistas.
๐ฌ๐ง A playful penguin is running around the tourists.
๐ช๐ธ El espantapรกjaros que pusiste en el campo es una vergรผenza. No asusta a nadie.
๐ฌ๐ง The scarecrow youโve placed in the field is an embarrassment. It doesnโt scare anyone.
๐ช๐ธ La nueva lรญnea de ferrocarril alrededor de la ciudad permitirรก a la gente ahorrar mucho tiempo de viaje.
๐ฌ๐ง The new railway around the city will allow people to save a lot of commute time.
๐ช๐ธ Me duele mucho la garganta. Tengo que pedir hora con un otorrinolaringรณlogo.
๐ฌ๐ง I have such a sore throat. I need to get an appointment with a nose and throat doctor.
๐ช๐ธ El perro de Joaquรญn se ha comido mi hamburguesa.
๐ฌ๐ง Joaquinโs dog has eaten my burger.
Remember, practice makes perfect. And reaching a native-like level of pronunciation is all about persistence and practice.
