Common Spanish swears
These are heard almost daily in casual conversation in Spain and Latin America.
- Mierda — Shit
- Joder — Fuck (much milder in Spain than in English)
- Coño — Damn / what the hell (Spain)
- Carajo — Damn it (Latin America)
- Hostia — Damn / wow (very Spanish)
Stronger insults — handle with care
These cross from venting into real insult territory. Don't use them at strangers.
- Pendejo — Idiot (Mexico, strong)
- Cabrón — Bastard / dude (varies wildly by country)
- Hijo de puta — Son of a bitch (heavy everywhere)
- Gilipollas — Idiot (Spain)
- Boludo — Idiot / dude (Argentina, often friendly)
What's mild vs heavy by country
Spain: joder, coño, and hostia are normal everyday venting. They aren't seen as harsh.
Mexico: pendejo and chinga are heavy. Use with serious caution.
Argentina: boludo can be a friendly 'dude' between close friends, but a real insult to a stranger.