Some Slang words in Spanish
Spanish isn’t all complicated vocabulary and words you only find in textbooks, it’s also full of street slang and terms that are used in everyday conversation. Here are some Spanish words you can use on a school trip to sound awesome!
Chulo (adjective)
If something is ‘chulo’, it’s cool or neat. You might see a nice jacket for sale and say, ‘¡Qué chaqueta más chulo!’, or just say ‘¡Qué chulo!’ in conversation to approval of something.
Rollo (noun)
This word can mean a roll of paper or material, but it also means something that’s boring. If someone asks you to do the dishes, you can pull a face and say, ‘¡Qué rollo!’
Chivato (noun)
This means different things in different Spanish speaking countries. In Latin America, it just means a child; in the Andes it means a rascal or an apprentice; and in the Southern Cone it means cheap liquor. But in Spain it means a person who tells secrets.
Vaya (interjection)
A general word used to express satisfaction, surprise, disgust or disappointment — any strong emotion. If you bumped into an old friend unexpectedly, or realised you’d forgotten your keys, you might say, ‘¡Vaya!’ It’s also used in the chorus of ‘Aquí No Hay Playa”, a 1989 song by The Refrescos that’s worth a listen.
Chorizo (noun)
Primarily this means a spicy sausage, but it’s also a slang word for a thief. So next time you catch someone trying to eat one of your crisps, you can say, ‘¡Eres un chorizo!’
Peli (noun)
This is just a shortened form of “película”, a film. So if you go out to the cinema in Spain you can say, ‘Voy a ver una peli’ and sound very Spanish indeed.
Chupado (adjective)
‘Chupar’ is to suck, and so ‘chupado’ means sucked, but you can also use it to mean that something is really easy. For instance, if someone gives you a simple job to do, you can just smile and say, ‘Está chupado.’
Please don’t hesitate to consider our school group tours to Spain. Lessons in our school trips can be catered exactly to your group’s needs. Customise your own tour here.
