Spanish Curse Words: Bad Words & Insults in Spanish

Cursing in Spanish

When you’re out in the real world, it can be important to know curse words in case someone ends up using them against you or you need to use them on someone else. Some people also like to sprinkle their conversations with curse words to add or subtract personality to what they’re saying. Whatever your motivation may be, we’re here now to learn these words!

There’s a lot more that goes into cursing than you think: frequency, severity, regional differences, etc. And on top of cursing, there is overlap with insults and other bad words. In this article, we’ll break down the most common curse words, bad words, and insults along with their meaning and just how bad they are to use. That way, you understand what’s going on or you can use them when you need to.

The Most Common Curse Words in Spanish

To start out, you need to know the curse words you’ll hear most often, so you know what’s going on around you. In the list below we’ll cover the 20 most common curse words in Spanish.

Joder

• Translation: To f**k
• English Equivalent: Damn / To Bother
• Commonly Used In: Spain, South America
• Severity: Mild

Joder is a very common word used often as an exclamation, “¡Joder!” or used as a verb to replace being annoyed, “¡Deja de joder!” — “Stop bothering me!“, or messing something up, “Jodiste todo.” — “You screwed everything up.” While this is a curse word, it’s also very common, especially in Spain.

Mierda

• Translation: Shit
• English Equivalent: Shit
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Mild

Mierda literally means “shit” and is used frequently in informal Spanish to express frustration, anger, surprise, or contempt. It can describe something of poor quality “Esta película es una mierda” – “This movie is crap“, react to bad news “¡Mierda!” – “Shit!“, or insult someone “Eres una mierda de persona” — “You’re a shitty person“. It can also be used jokingly among friends, depending on tone. It’s common and versatile in everyday speech, especially in Spain and Latin America, but still considered vulgar, so it’s best avoided in polite or formal contexts.

Cojones

• Translation: Testicles
• English Equivalent: Balls / Courage
• Commonly Used In: Spain
• Severity: Medium

Cojones literally means testicles, but it’s widely used as a colloquial word. It can show bravery in a similar way we would say in English: “Tiene cojones” — “He’s got some balls.” While common, it’s best kept to informal settings and not used around strangers, elders, or in professional environments.

Gilipollas

• Translation: Dumbass
• English Equivalent: Idiot / Dumbass / Moron
• Commonly Used In: Spain
• Severity: Medium

Gilipollas is a very common Spanish insult, especially in Spain, and roughly translates to “idiot,” “dumbass,” or “moron.” It’s used to insult someone who’s being stupid, arrogant, or just generally unpleasant. For example: “No seas gilipollas” — “Don’t be an idiot.” It can be used seriously to insult someone or jokingly among friends, depending on tone and familiarity. While not the strongest swear word, it’s still offensive in formal situations or when said with anger, so it’s best kept to casual, familiar contexts.

Pinche + (noun)

• Translation: Freaking
• English Equivalent: Freaking (as an intensifier)
• Commonly Used In: Mexico
• Severity: Medium

Pinche is a versatile word in Spanish, most commonly used in Mexico, as a moderately offensive adjective to express anger, frustration, or disdain. It’s used to insult or emphasize something negatively, especially when annoyed: “¡Pinche idiota!” — “Freaking idiot!” Though widely used in casual speech, it’s considered rude, so it’s best avoided in formal settings. In other countries, like Spain, “pinche” means a kitchen assistant, so as always, context and region makes a difference!

Capullo

• Translation: Flower Bud
• English Equivalent: Jerk / Asshole
• Commonly Used In: Spain
• Severity: Medium

Capullo is a popular curse word in Spain, and is used to describe someone who’s being stupid, selfish, or generally unpleasant. For example: “No seas capullo” — “Don’t be a jerk.” Capullo literally means a flower bud, but as slang it’s derogatory and can be offensive if said seriously to someone you don’t know well.

Maldito + (noun)

• Translation: Damned
• English Equivalent: Damned / Cursed (as an intensifier)
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Medium

Maldito literally means “damned” and is used both as an adjective and an intensifier to express anger, frustration, or contempt. It can describe a person, thing, or situation negatively, like “Ese maldito problema” — “That damn problem,” or “Maldito seas” — “Damn you.” It’s a common word in everyday speech throughout the Spanish-speaking world, often to emphasize annoyance, but depending on tone, it can be strong or even harsh.

Coño

• Translation: Pussy
• English Equivalent: Damn
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Venezuela, Caribbean
• Severity: Medium

Coño is a very common and versatile expletive literally meaning “pussy”, but is used mainly as an interjection to express surprise, annoyance, or emphasis. For example: “¡Coño, qué calor hace!” — “Damn, it’s hot!”, or, “¿Pero qué coño haces?” — “What the hell are you doing?” Depending on tone and context, it can be friendly, shocked, or aggressive. In Latin America and the Caribbean, its use is less common and can be more offensive.

Puta

• Translation: Whore
• English Equivalent: Whore / Bitch
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Latin America
• Severity: Strong

Puta literally means “whore” or “prostitute” and is a strong, vulgar insult in Spanish. It’s used to insult someone, usually a woman, by saying it to them directly. Puta can also be part of expressions to show frustration or anger, like “¡Estoy hasta la puta madre!” —“I’m f**king fed up!” Because of its harshness, it should only be used among very close friends who understand the tone, or when you want to be very provocative.

Hijo de puta

• Translation: Son of a whore
• English Equivalent: Son of a bitch
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Latin America
• Severity: Strong

Hijo de puta literally means “son of a whore” and is used to call someone extremely nasty, dishonest, or cruel. For example: “¡Eres un hijo de puta!” — “You’re a son of a b**h!”* Despite its harshness, it’s very common in Spain and parts of Latin America, often expressing intense anger or frustration and can escalate conflicts if said seriously. Sometimes friends use it jokingly, but context and tone are crucial.

Pendejo

• Translation: Asshole
• English Equivalent: Idiot / Asshole
• Commonly Used In: Mexico, Latin America
• Severity: Strong

Pendejo is a common insult in many Spanish-speaking countries, especially in Mexico and Latin America. It’s used to describe someone who is acting stupid or careless. For example: “No seas pendejo” — “Don’t be an idiot.” The word can range from playful teasing among friends to a serious insult, depending on tone and context.

Cabrón

• Translation: Asshole
• English Equivalent: Bastard / Asshole
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Mexico
• Severity: Strong

Cabrón is a very common and versatile insult in Spain and Mexico. It can mean “bastard,” “asshole,” or even “tough guy,” depending on context. For example, “Eres un cabrón” can be an insult meaning “You’re a jerk,” but among friends, it can also be used playfully like “You’re a badass/tough guy.” It’s a strong word, sometimes affectionate, sometimes offensive, so tone and relationship matter a lot.

Zorra

• Translation: Female fox
• English Equivalent: Slut / Bitch
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Latin America
• Severity: Strong

Zorra literally means “female fox,” but it’s most commonly used as a strong insult directed at women, meaning “slut” or “bitch.” It implies deceitfulness, promiscuity, or malice. For example, “Esa zorra no es de fiar” — “That bitch is not trustworthy.” It’s a very offensive term and should be used with extreme caution, as it can cause serious offense. Because of its harshness, it’s mostly heard in informal or heated contexts.

Chingar

• Translation: To f**k / To screw
• English Equivalent: To f**k / To screw
• Commonly Used In: Mexico
• Severity: Strong

Chingar is a highly versatile and very vulgar verb mainly used in Mexico. Its literal meaning is “to f**k”, but it’s used in countless expressions to convey annoyance, frustration, surprise, or to describe messing something up. For example, “¡No me chingues!” — “Don’t f**k with me!” or “Don’t mess with me!” Because of its intensity, use this word with caution.

Pelotudo

• Translation: Dumbass
• English Equivalent: Dumbass / Douchebag
• Commonly Used In: Argentina, Uruguay
• Severity: Strong

Pelotudo is a popular insult mainly used in Argentina and Uruguay, meaning something like “dumbass,” or “douchebag.” It’s used to call someone stupid or foolish in an annoyed or frustrated way. For example, “No seas pelotudo” — “Don’t be a dumbass.” While it can be friendly among close friends, it can also be offensive if said seriously or said to strangers.

Puto + (noun)

• Translation: Male Prostitute / Faggot
• English Equivalent: Coward / Faggot / F**king (as an intensifier)
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Latin America
• Severity: Strong

Puto is a very strong and vulgar insult in Spanish, traditionally meaning “male prostitute” but commonly used as a derogatory term towards men. It’s often used to insult someone’s bravery or character. In some contexts, it’s also been used as a “faggot” so it’s considered highly offensive. And lastly it’s used to intensify sentences, like in “Eres un puto cobarde” — “You’re a f**ing coward.” While it appears frequently in informal speech in Spain and Latin America, it’s best avoided in polite or formal settings due to its harshness.

Que te jodan

• Translation: May they f**k you
• English Equivalent: F**k you
• Commonly Used In: Spain
• Severity: Strong

Que te jodan is a very vulgar and aggressive expression in Spanish, roughly equivalent to “F** you” in English. It literally means “may they f** you,” and it’s used to express anger, rejection, or total contempt toward someone. For example: “¿No me vas a ayudar? ¡Pues que te jodan!” — “You’re not going to help me? Then screw you!” It’s most common in Spain, and should be used with extreme caution, as it can easily provoke a strong reaction. This phrase is never appropriate in formal or polite settings, and is generally reserved for moments of serious conflict.

Vete a tomar por culo

• Translation: Go get it up the ass
• English Equivalent: Go f**k yourself
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Strong

Vete a tomar por culo is a very vulgar Spanish expression that roughly translates to “go f**k yourself”. It literally translates to “go get it up the ass,” as a strong way to tell someone to go away or to express anger and dismissal. It’s highly offensive and should only be used in heated arguments.

Maricón

• Translation: Faggot
• English Equivalent: Faggot
• Commonly Used In: Spain, Latin America
• Severity: Very Strong

Maricón is a deeply offensive and homophobic slur in Spanish, traditionally used to insult or mock someone, usually a man, by questioning their masculinity or sexual orientation. It roughly translates to “faggot” in English and is considered highly derogatory. While it is still heard in some informal circles or older media, sometimes even among close friends in a joking way, it carries a long history of discrimination and should not be used. In modern contexts it’s seen as harmful and unacceptable. Using it casually can cause serious offense and perpetuate stigma.

La concha de tu madre

• Translation: Your mother’s pussy
• English Equivalent: Motherf**ker
• Commonly Used In: Argentina, Uruguay
• Severity: Very Strong

La concha de tu madre is an extremely vulgar and aggressive insult used mostly in Argentina and Uruguay. Literally meaning “your mother’s pussy,” it’s used to express intense anger, frustration, or to insult someone harshly like saying “motherf**ker.” It’s highly offensive and very personal, so it should be avoided in most situations, especially formal or respectful ones. While common in some regions’ street slang, it can easily escalate conflict and cause serious offense.

The Most Common Insults in Spanish

While we’re on the topic of bad words, we figured we share some of the most common insults in Spanish as well. Just like with curse words, these could just be for fun or they could be important to know when you hear them. Depending on the culture, some of these may be more offensive than others which is why culture is so important when learning a language.

So if you’re looking to spice up your vocabulary without explicitly using curse words, here are 10 insults you can use in Spanish. Just like with the curse words, we’ve included a translation, where you can hear or use this word, and the severity of the word.

Idiota

• Translation: Idiot
• English Equivalent: Idiot
• Commonly Used In: Most Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Mild

Idiota means idiot and is used as a basic insult. It’s gender-neutral, though you’ll often hear “un idiota” for males and “una idiota” for females. It can be used on its own or in a sentence, like “¡Eres un idiota!” — “You’re an idiot!“. This is a light insult and is often used jokingly with friends, but can still be interpreted as an insult based on the situation.

Boludo

• Translation: Fool / Idiot
• English Equivalent: Fool / Idiot
• Commonly Used In: Argentina, Uruguay
• Severity: Mild-Medium

Boludo is a slang term commonly used in Argentina and parts of Uruguay. It can mean “idiot” or “fool,” but its tone depends heavily on context. Among friends, it’s often used playfully or affectionately, like saying “dude” or “man,” as in “Che, boludo, ¿viste eso?” — “Hey, dude, did you see that?” However, in a serious or angry tone, it can be offensive, implying someone is stupid or acting foolishly. Because of its regional nature, it’s best understood and used within Argentine culture or with people familiar with the term.

Imbécil

• Translation: Imbecile
• English Equivalent: Imbecile / Moron
• Commonly Used In: Most Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Medium

Imbécil is a Spanish insult that means “imbecile” or “moron.” It’s an insult usually said in anger or frustration, as in “¡Eres un imbécil!” — “You’re an imbecile!” Unlike some other insults, imbécil is rarely used jokingly and is typically meant to offend. It’s gender-neutral and can refer to anyone acting foolishly, but should be used with caution, as it can hurt someone’s feelings.

Estúpido

• Translation: Stupid
• English Equivalent: Stupid
• Commonly Used In: Most Spanish-speaking countries
• Severity: Medium

Estúpido means stupid in Spanish and is used to insult someone’s intelligence or behavior. It’s a strong word, typically said in anger or frustration, as in “¡No seas estúpido!” — “Don’t be stupid!“, or, “Eres un estúpido.” — “You’re a stupid person.” The word has gendered forms: estúpido for males and estúpida for females. This insult is generally not used jokingly, unlike milder insults in casual conversation.

Huevón

• Translation: Lazy
• English Equivalent: Lazy / Dumbass
• Commonly Used In: Latin America
• Severity: Mild–Strong (context-dependent)

Huevón is a slang term widely used in Latin American countries like Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, and especially in everyday speech in Chile. Its meaning varies by country and context. It can mean “lazy,” “dumb,” or even just “dude” or “guy.” Among friends, it’s often used casually or even affectionately, as in “Oye, huevón, ¿cómo estás?” — “Hey, man, how are you?” However, it can also be insulting, implying someone is slow, careless, or stupid, depending on tone and delivery. Because it’s very informal and region-specific, it’s best used only when you’re familiar with the local culture and setting.

Mediocre

• Translation: Mediocre
• English Equivalent: Mediocre
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking Countries
• Severity: Medium

Mediocre in Spanish is used to insult someone by calling them average or below average, especially in terms of ability, effort, or character. Unlike more aggressive insults, it carries a tone of condescension or disappointment, suggesting that someone is unremarkable or lacking ambition. For example, “Eres un mediocre” — “You’re mediocre” and implies the person is not living up to their potential. It’s not a vulgar word, but it can be cutting and offensive, especially in professional or academic settings where competence is expected.

Títere

• Translation: Puppet
• English Equivalent: Puppet
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking Countries
• Severity: Medium

Títere literally means “puppet” in Spanish, and as an insult, it’s used to describe someone who is easily controlled or manipulated by others, lacking independence or critical thinking. Calling someone un títere implies they don’t make their own decisions and are just doing what someone else tells them, often in politics or personal relationships. For example, “Ese político es un títere del gobierno” — “That politician is a puppet of the government.” It’s not a vulgar insult, but it’s a strong way to criticize someone’s lack of backbone.

Perra

• Translation: Female dog
• English Equivalent: Bitch
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking Countries
• Severity: Strong

Perra literally means “female dog,” but as an insult in Spanish, it’s often used in a highly offensive and derogatory way, especially toward women. It can imply that someone is mean, aggressive, promiscuous, or manipulative, depending on the context. For example, “Esa perra me traicionó.” — “That b*tch betrayed me.” In some settings, particularly in music or slang, it may be reclaimed or used playfully, but generally, perra is a vulgar and disrespectful term that should be used with extreme caution, as it can be deeply hurtful and provoke strong reactions.

Inútil

• Translation: Useless
• English Equivalent: Good-for-nothing
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking Countries
• Severity: Strong

Inútil means “useless” or “good-for-nothing” and is used to insult someone by saying they are incapable, ineffective, or fail to do what’s expected of them. For example, “Eres un inútil” — “You’re useless” criticizes someone’s skills, effort, or value. It’s a strong insult that’s a blunt and harsh way to attack a person’s ability or contribution, often causing offense.

Fracasado

• Translation: Failure
• English Equivalent: Failure
• Commonly Used In: All Spanish-speaking Countries
• Severity: Strong

Fracasado means “failure” and is used as an insult to describe someone who is seen as unsuccessful, whether in their career, personal life, or efforts in general. Saying “Eres un fracasado” — “You’re a failure” implies that the person has not achieved their goals or lives without purpose or accomplishment. Because of its strong negative meaning, it’s usually said in moments of anger or disappointment and should be used with caution.

Consider This Before Cursing in Spanish

Cursing in another language can be complicated because there can be a lot of factors that influence what is and is not acceptable. In general, cursing is relatively common in Spanish. That being said, there’s a lot to consider before diving head first into spicing up your vocabulary with these words. We broke our suggested considerations into groups below, some of which you likely already consider in your native language and some of which are specific to Spanish.

Degrees of Severity

As we listed above, different curse words hold different levels of severity. In English we have fewer curse words and fewer levels of how bad things can get. So really do pay attention to the severity of the words marked above when you’re considering adding them to your own speech. Or gauge your response to these words based on the severity.

Because if someone calls you an “idiota,” they’re likely just picking on you but if someone calls you a “huevón” then the conversation might be much different.

Regional Differences

There are 21 different countries in the world that have Spanish at their first language, and so many others where Spanish plays a large role. Depending on your target country or region, curse words and insults may pack more of a punch. For example, the word “pendejo” is much more offensive in Mexico than in Argentina.

So before testing out your new favorite curse word in the Spanish-speaking country you’ll be traveling to, test the waters with a friend from that area or try to take in different media from that area to see what curse words are the most common. This could be YouTube, TV, Netflix, whatever you can find to make sure you don’t accidentally offend a native (or start a fight).

Context

Cursing isn’t allowed in every situation, just like in English. Most people don’t go into work throwing curse words around while speaking with their boss. The same applies to Spanish. There’s no problem with cursing while you’re hanging out with friends, and there may be some families that don’t mind cursing either. Cursing is a lot more common in Spanish media than English. And if you’re a football or soccer fan, then you’ll have a great place to practice your new words.

Just like in your native language, keep in mind who you’re with and where you are when you put these words to use.

Gender and Social Norms

There may be some curse words that are used more often against one gender than the other. Even though English is less gendered than Spanish, we can still see a gender difference in curse words like “bitch” (typically female) versus curse words like “dick” (typically male). And with these two examples, if we leverage them against the opposite gender, it can hold a whole other level of insult.

Keep that same thing in mind in Spanish as well. Words like “puta” are typically used on females while “maricón” is typically used on males. Small applications like this can really change how a curse word is received by the other person.

Your Purposes

Reflect on your own reasons for learning and/or using curse words as well. Are you doing it to spice up your sentences? Or to sound like a local? Are you planning to joke with friends? Or do you need it to yell at someone you’re upset with?

Whatever your reasons may be, keep in mind that there are other factors that can convey how you’re using these words as well. Things like tone and body language can make a huge difference between poking fun at a friend or starting a fight with a friend. All of this can make a huge impact on your experience, so keep your intention in mind as you continue on in your Spanish journey.