Spanish
10 Spanish swear words you'll actually hear
A traveller's shortlist of Spanish expletives, insults and exclamations — what they mean, and how strong they are.
Every language swears differently. This guide collects 10 Spanish expressions you're genuinely likely to hear — from mild exclamations to properly strong stuff — and explains what each one actually means, not just its dictionary translation.
Burn Ratings are an approximate, cross-language heuristic. Context, region, tone and who's speaking all change how a word lands. Treat these as a guide, not gospel.
- 1putada 3/5 · Vulgar
A dirty trick or an unfortunate situation. Especially Spain; usually not a sexual accusation.
Full entry → - 2cabrón 4/5 · Strong
Literally “male goat”. Strong insult roughly like bastard; sometimes admiring or friendly. Use and force vary across countries; familiarity matters.
Full entry → - 3caca 1/5 · Mild
Literally “poo”. Childlike or mild word for excrement. Usually far milder than mierda.
Full entry → - 4pedo 1/5 · Mild
Literally “fart”. Coarse body word with regional slang senses. In Mexico it can also refer to drunkenness or a problem in phrases.
Full entry → - 5tonto 1/5 · Mild
Literally “fool”. Mild insult meaning silly or stupid. Tone can make it affectionate or hostile.
Full entry → - 6cabrito 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “young goat”. Milder teasing or insulting substitute for cabrón. Ordinary animal/food sense is neutral.
Full entry → - 7cagallón 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “turd”. Coarse term for a piece of excrement. Especially Spain; regional alternatives vary.
Full entry → - 8cochino 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “pig”. Insult meaning filthy or dirty-minded. Ordinary pig reference is neutral.
Full entry → - 9culicagado 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “shit-bottomed”. Insult for a brat or immature youngster. Especially Colombia and nearby varieties.
Full entry → - 10culo 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “buttocks”. Vulgar or coarse term for the backside. Also appears in non-insulting descriptions.
Full entry →