An expression used to show surprise, disbelief or shock. Equivalent to 'Oh my God!' or 'Wow!' in English. Examples Spanish: '¡Ea rayo! ¿De verdad ganaste la lotería?' English: 'Oh my God! Did you really win the lottery?'
echa pa acá
A colloquial phrase used mainly in Spain, 'echa pa acá' can be loosely translated to 'bring it over here' or 'come over here'. It's used to invite someone to approach or to request something be brought closer. Examples Spanish: Echa pa acá esa botella de agua, por favor. English: Bring that bottle of water over […]
echa pa allá
A colloquial phrase used in Spanish-speaking regions primarily meaning 'go away', 'get out of here', or 'move over'. It can also be used to convey the idea of forgetting about something or leaving something in the past. Examples Spanish: Echa pa allá, no quiero verte más. English: Go away, I don't want to see you […]
echar chispas
A phrase used to describe someone who is very angry or furious. Examples Spanish: Cuando se enteró de la noticia, empezó a echar chispas. English: When he heard the news, he started to spit fire.
echar culo
A colloquial phrase mainly used in Venezuela which means to run away or flee quickly, usually out of fear or to avoid a situation. Examples Spanish: Cuando vieron a la policía, todos empezaron a echar culo. English: When they saw the police, everyone started to run away.
echar fiero
A Mexican slang phrase which means 'to show off' or 'to flaunt'. It is used when someone is displaying their abilities, possessions, or achievements excessively. Examples Spanish: No me gusta cuando los ricos empiezan a echar fiero con sus carros y casas lujosas. English: I don't like it when rich people start showing off their […]
echar flores
Echar flores is a Spanish slang phrase used when someone is giving compliments or praising someone excessively, often with the intent to flatter or win favor. Examples Spanish: No le hagas caso a Juan, siempre está echando flores para conseguir lo que quiere. English: Don't pay attention to Juan, he's always throwing compliments around to […]
echar maíz
A Spanish slang term that literally translates to 'throw corn'. It is commonly used to suggest that someone is instigating or stirring up trouble, similar to the English phrase 'stir the pot'. Examples Spanish: No te metas en problemas, no vayas a echar maíz. English: Don't get into trouble, don't go stirring the pot.
echar p’alante
A colloquial term, primarily used in Latin America, meaning to keep moving forward, to persevere, or to continue in spite of difficulties. Examples Spanish: A pesar de todos los problemas, siempre tienes que echar p’alante. English: Despite all the problems, you always have to keep moving forward.
echar un fufú
This term is used in Spain and it is a euphemistic way to refer to having sex. Examples Spanish: Mi novia y yo vamos a echar un fufú esta noche. English: My girlfriend and I are going to have sex tonight.
echar un pie
A colloquial phrase primarily used in the Caribbean, especially in the Dominican Republic, meaning to dance or to go dancing. Examples Spanish: ¿Quieres echar un pie esta noche en la discoteca? English: Do you want to go dancing tonight at the disco?
echar una criolla
This is a slang term commonly used in Venezuela, which literally translates to 'throw a creole'. However, in its colloquial usage it means to take a nap or sleep. Examples Spanish: Estoy muy cansado, voy a echar una criolla. English: I'm very tired, I'm going to take a nap.
echarle el ojo
A Spanish slang phrase that literally means 'to throw the eye', but is used to express showing interest in someone or something, similar to 'keep an eye on' in English. Examples Spanish: Desde que vi esa chaqueta en la tienda, no he podido dejar de echarle el ojo. English: Since I saw that jacket in […]
echarle fli
A colloquial phrase from Spain, primarily used in the southern region of Andalusia, meaning to show off or to do something with ease and style. Examples Spanish: Ese chico siempre le echa fli cuando juega al fútbol. English: That guy always shows off when he plays football.
echarle las cacas a alguien
A colloquial phrase in Spanish that means to blame someone for something, to point the finger at someone, or to put the responsibility on someone. Examples Spanish: No es justo que siempre me eches las cacas cuando algo sale mal. English: It's not fair that you always blame me when something goes wrong.
echarse fresco
A phrase used to describe the act of relaxing or taking it easy. Often used when someone is going to rest or take a nap. Examples Spanish: Estoy muy cansado, creo que voy a echarme fresco un rato. English: I'm very tired, I think I'm going to take it easy for a while.
echarse para atrás
To back out or withdraw from something, usually a commitment or plan Examples Spanish: Dijo que vendría a la fiesta, pero al final se echó para atrás. English: He said he would come to the party, but in the end he backed out.
echársela
A Mexican slang term that means to feel confident or to show off. It can also mean taking a risk or a challenge. Examples Spanish: Juan se la echó al decirle a su jefe lo que realmente pensaba de la compañía. English: Juan took a risk by telling his boss what he really thought about […]
echón
A term used in Puerto Rico slang, 'echón' refers to a person who is bold, daring or sometimes reckless. It can be used both positively and negatively. Examples Spanish: Mi hermano es muy echón, siempre se lanza a hacer cosas sin pensar en las consecuencias. English: My brother is very daring, he always rushes to […]
Eeejeee!
An interjection used in Venezuela to express surprise, admiration, or agreement. It can also be used as a casual greeting. Examples Spanish: ¡Eeejeee! ¿Viste el nuevo episodio de la serie anoche? English: Eeejeee! Did you see the new episode of the series last night?
el bofe ahoga
A phrase used to express that someone or something is suffocating or overwhelming. Examples Spanish: Tengo tanto trabajo que el bofe ahoga. English: I have so much work that it's suffocating me.
el burro alante…pa que no se espante!
A humorous Spanish phrase which literally means 'the donkey in front… so it doesn't get scared.' This phrase is mainly used in the context of telling someone to lead the way or go first, often because they're considered more knowledgeable or experienced. Examples Spanish: Vamos a la nueva tienda de electrónica. Tú sabes más de […]
el che-che de la pelicula
This Spanish slang term is used to refer to the person who ruins everything, the one who spoils the fun or the situation. It's derived from the word 'cheche' which is used to describe a spoil-sport or a killjoy, and 'pelicula' which means movie. Examples Spanish: No invites a Juan a la fiesta, siempre es […]
el cuento del pescaíto
A Spanish slang term literally translated as 'the little fish's tale'. It is used to refer to a lie or a tall tale that is told to deceive or mislead someone. Examples Spanish: No me vengas con el cuento del pescaíto, sé que no has hecho la tarea. English: Don't come at me with the […]
él es una dama
The phrase 'él es una dama' is not exactly slang, but it literally translates to 'he is a lady.' This could be used to describe a man who is very refined, polite, or gentle in his manners. But it could also be used in a derogatory way to suggest that a man is not masculine […]
el gordo
A term of endearment used towards overweight people or simply as a nickname, not necessarily related to their physical appearance. Also, it is used to reference the Spanish Christmas Lottery, which is the biggest lottery draw in Spain. Examples Spanish: 1) Mi tío siempre ha sido el gordo de la familia. 2) Este año, espero […]
el ombligo de la semana
This phrase translates literally to 'the belly button of the week', and it is used to refer to Wednesday, being the middle of the week. Examples Spanish: Hoy es el ombligo de la semana, solo quedan dos días para el fin de semana. English: Today is the belly button of the week, only two days […]
embarazada
Literally translates to 'pregnant'. It is a common false cognate for English speakers who might confuse it with 'embarrassed', but in Spanish it specifically means 'pregnant'. Examples Spanish: Mi hermana está embarazada y espera un bebé en junio. English: My sister is pregnant and expecting a baby in June.
embeleco
A term used in Caribbean Spanish, particularly in Puerto Rico, that describes nonsense or foolishness. It can also refer to a trinket or a small, often useless object. Examples Spanish: No entiendo por qué tienes tantos embelecos en tu escritorio. English: I don't understand why you have so many trinkets on your desk.
embollado
A Colombian slang term which means being infatuated or deeply in love with someone. It can also mean being utterly absorbed or engrossed in something. Examples Spanish: Estoy tan embollado con esa chica que no puedo pensar en nada más. English: I'm so infatuated with that girl that I can't think of anything else.