Incorporating funny Spanish words into your vocabulary is a great way to make learning Spanish more enjoyable. Words with amusing pronunciations and humorous translations can make the language-learning process more engaging and memorable, ultimately helping you build a more robust vocabulary.
Some of the most useful and important Spanish words, like patata (potato), are also fun to pronounce. Others, such as cachilupi (cool) and ofi (ok), are fun to pronounce but less common since they’re region-specific. Regardless, funny Spanish words will help you perfect your pronunciation and provide plenty of laughter as you expand your vocabulary.
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How do you say ‘funny’ in Spanish?
There are a variety of adjectives in Spanish that describe something or someone as “funny.” When using adjectives, it’s important to remember the Spanish gender rules in grammar, which require adjectives to agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe.
1. Gracioso
As the most common way to say “funny” in Spanish, the adjective gracioso can describe people, situations, and objects. For example:
- La película que vi anoche fue graciosa. = The movie I watched last night was funny.
- Tu hermano debería hacer stand up. Es gracioso. = Your brother should do stand-up. He is funny.
2. Divertido
The primary translation of divertido is “fun,” but it also translates as “funny” when referring to something humorous. It’s not used to describe people.
- Sus chistes no me parecen divertidos. = His jokes don’t seem funny to me.
- Su nueva comedia es muy divertida. Deberías verla. = His new comedy is really funny. You should watch it.
3. Cómico
Like gracioso, cómico is used to describe people, situations, and objects that make you laugh.
- Era cómico escucharlos pelearse por un lugar de estacionamiento. = It was funny hearing them fight over a parking spot.
- ¡Qué cómica es esta escena! = How funny is this scene!
4. Chistoso
Chistoso is used to describe a funny person or a humorous situation.
- ¿Piensas que los payasos son chistosos? = Do you think clowns are funny?
- No fue chistoso que olvidaras mi cumpleaños. = It wasn’t funny that you forgot my birthday.
Create engaging sentences with funny Spanish words
Spanish nouns are essential components of the language, from beautiful Spanish words like la paz (peace) to funny Spanish words like la alcachofa (artichoke). Learn how to use funny Spanish words in everyday conversation to discuss food, animals, and other Spanish nouns.
Funny-sounding Spanish words related to food
Spanish is full of quirky-sounding words, particularly when it comes to food. Here’s a list of foods in Spanish that sound silly to say.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
| la albóndiga | ahl-bohn-dee-gah | the meatball |
| la alcachofa | ahl-kah-choh-fah | the artichoke |
| el atascaburras | ah-tahs-kah-boo-rahs | Spanish cod and potato dish |
| el cacahuate | kah-kah-wah-teh | the peanut |
| el mondongo | mohn-dohn-goh | the tripe (Latin America) |
| el osobuco | oh-soh-boo-koh | the ossobuco |
| la patata | pah-tah-tah | the potato |
| el pica pica | pee-kah pee-kah | the small snacks/the light bites |
| el poporopos | poh-poh-roh-pohs | the popcorn |
These words make ordering food in Spanish a little more fun.
- ¿Tiene alcachofas rellenas? = Do you have stuffed artichokes?
- Quisiera espaguetis con albóndigas. = I would like spaghetti with meatballs.
Funny Spanish words related to animals
Learning animals in Spanish is a fun way to improve your vocabulary, especially when they are amusing to say out loud.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
| la chucha | choo-chah | the opossum |
| la cucaracha | koo-kah-rah-chah | the cockroach |
| el cuy | kooee | the guinea pig |
| el guisano | gee-sah-noh | the worm |
| el gluglú | gloo-gloo | the gobble (sound made by a turkey) |
| el hipopótamo | ee-poh-poh-tah-moh | the hippopotamus |
| el pulpo | pool-poh | the octopus |
These animal names can be used in creative sentences.
- ¡Esa cucaracha tiene más vida que un gato! = That cockroach has more lives than a cat!
- El pulpo es un maestro del camuflaje. = The octopus is a master of camouflage.
While some Spanish animal names are fun to say, others have funny translations. For example, pavo real (peacock) translates literally as “royal turkey.”
Other funny Spanish words to pronounce
Here’s a list of more fun Spanish words that are amusing to pronounce:
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
| la burbuja | boor-boo-hah | the bubble |
| la cháchara | chah-chah-rah | the chitchat |
| el chirimbolo | chee-rreem-boh-loh | the gadget |
| el otorrinolaringólogo/ la otorrinolaringóloga |
oh-toh-rree-noh-lah-reeng-goh-loh-goh | the otolaryngologist |
| la pantufla | pahn-too-flah | the slipper |
| el patatús | pah-tah-toos | the fit/the tantrum |
| la purpurina | poor-poo-ree-nah | the glitter |
| los ringorrangos | reen-goh-rran-gohs | the frills/the useless adornments |
| el tiquismiquis | tee-keez-mee-kees | the fussbudget |
| el yuyu | yoo-yoo | the heebie-jeebies |
You can use these nouns to create funny sentences in Spanish that can help you perfect your pronunciation.
- La burbuja burbujeaba bajo el agua. = The bubble was bubbling under water.
- El otorrinolaringólogo charló mucho sobre otorrinolaringología. = The otolaryngologist talked a lot about otolaryngology.
Use fun regional slang words to communicate with locals
Slang is essential for navigating social situations in Spanish-speaking countries. To start, focus on the Spanish slang words that are the most fun to pronounce for a more enjoyable learning experience.
| Region | Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
| Chile | cachilupi | kah-chee-loo-pee | cool |
| Colombia, Venezuela | los chécheres | cheh-cheh-res | the stuff |
| Ecuador | el chuchaqui | choo-chah-kee | hangover |
| Andes | la guagua | gwah-gwah | the baby |
| Puerto Rico | el jurutungo | hoo-roo-toon-goh | middle of nowhere |
| Spain | mi chiquitín | mee chee-kee-teen | my little one |
| Panama | ofi | oh-fee | okay/let’s do it |
| Andes, Chile | la pichanga | pee-chahn-gah | the kickabout |
| Chile | el pololo/ la polola |
poh-loh-loh/poh-loh-lah | boyfriend, girlfriend |
Spanish slang varies greatly by region. For example, while guagua refers to a baby in the Andes, it means “bus” in the Caribbean. To ensure correct usage, consult a Spanish dictionary.
Improve your conjugation skills with funny Spanish verbs
To make learning the 18 verb tenses in Spanish more enjoyable, practice conjugating these fun-to-pronounce verbs:
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
| achuchar | ah-choo-char | to cuddle |
| farfullar | fahr-foo-yahr | to mumble |
| flipar | flee-pahr | to flip out, to freak out |
| maullar | mow-yahr | to meow |
| refunfuñar | rreh-foon-foo-nyahr | to grumble |
| ronronear | rrohn-rroh-neh-ahr | to purr |
| zigzaguear | seeg-zah-geh-ahr | to zigzag |
The soft, rolling sound of the verbs maullar and ronronear mimic the sounds of a cat, making them amusing to pronounce.
- El gatito está maullando. = The kitten is meowing.
- El gato ronroneaba mientras jugaba con una bola de hilo. = The cat was purring while it played with a ball of yarn.
Gain cultural insight through funny Spanish sayings and idioms
Many learners find Spanish idioms challenging because they don’t always translate directly. Attempting to translate them word-for-word results in illogical interpretations, which can be humorous but also frustrating for learners. For example, consultar con la almohada translates as “to consult the pillow,” but it means “to sleep on it.”
Mastering these culturally unique idioms deepens your understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. The best way to master these expressions is through effective immersion experiences that expose you to the nuances of culture and how native speakers truly communicate.
Funny Spanish idioms with tener (to have)
Tener, one of the most common verbs in Spanish, has many irregular conjugations. Learning funny Spanish idioms that use tener is an engaging way to practice these conjugations in context.
| Idiom | Literal Translation | Meaning |
| no tener pelos en la lengua | to not have hairs on the tongue | to speak one’s mind without hesitation/to be direct |
| no tener pies ni cabeza | to have neither feet nor head | to make no sense at all |
| tener la cola sucia | to have a dirty tail | to be guilty of something |
| tener memoria de pez | to have a fish’s memory | to have a bad memory |
| tener malas pulgas | to have bad fleas | to be short-tempered |
| tener mala leche | to have bad milk | to be short-tempered |
Here’s how to use idiomatic expressions with tener in context:
- Tengo memoria de pez. Siempre olvido los nombres de mis estudiantes. = I have a terrible memory. I always forget my students’ names.
- Estoy confundido. Estas instrucciones no tienen pies ni cabeza. = I’m confused. These instructions don’t make any sense whatsoever.
Spanish idioms with estar (to be) that have funny translations
Here are some common Spanish idioms with estar to add a playful twist to your conversations in Spanish:
| Idiom | Literal Translation | Meaning |
| estar hasta en la sopa | to be even in the soup | to be everywhere/to be excessively present |
| estar como una cabra | to be like a goat | to be a nutcase/to be completely crazy |
| estar en la edad del pavo | to be in the age of the turkey | to be a teenager/to be going through adolescence |
| estar en las nubes | to be in the clouds | to be daydreaming/to be lost in thought |
Spanish idioms with estar are useful when describing someone’s mental state. For example:
- No escuches a la vecina. Está como una cabra. = Don’t listen to the neighbor. She is a nutcase.
- Lola siempre está en las nubes. No presta atención en clase. = Lola is always daydreaming. She doesn’t pay attention in class.
Spanish idioms with ser (to be)
Funny Spanish idioms with ser make you sound more fluent when you’re describing people and things in Spanish.
| Idiom | Literal Translation | Meaning |
| ser uña y mugre | to be nail and dirt | to be inseparable |
| ser un gallina | to be a hen | to be afraid or cowardly |
| ser la leche | to be the milk | to be awesome (Spain) |
| ser pan comido | to be eaten bread | to be very easy/to be a piece of cake |
| ser una mosquita muerta | to be a dead little fly | to be two-faced |
| ser la pera limonera | oo be the lemon pear | to be exceptional/to be the best thing |
For example:
- El examen final de química va a ser pan comido. No pienso estudiar. = The chemistry final is going to be a piece of cake. I don’t plan on studying.
- Este videojuego es la leche. = This video game is awesome.
Funny Spanish idioms with dar (to give)
Dar adds a figurative flair to everyday speech in these idioms:
| Idiom | Literal Translation | Meaning |
| darle la vuelta a la tortilla | to turn the tortilla | to turn the tables/to change things completely |
| dar gato por liebre | to give a cat for a hare | to rip off |
| dar calabazas | to give pumpkins | to blow off/to shoot down |
| dar la lata | to give the tin can | to pester |
For example:
- Mae, ese reloj es falso. Te dieron gato por libre. = Dude, that watch is fake. You were ripped off.
- No es una sorpresa que Elena te diera calabazas. Está en otro nivel. = It’s no surprise that Elena blew you off. She’s out of your league.
Spice up your Spanish with funny expressions
Here are some expressions with funny translations that can add a little flair to your Spanish. Many can be used to replace common words and phrases you may already know how to say. For example, instead of saying tengo hambre when you’re hungry, say me pica el bagre. Native speakers will know that you’re not actually talking about a catfish biting you!
| Expression | Literal Translation | Meaning |
| media naranja | half orange | soulmate |
| cero patatero | zero potato | zilch/diddly squat (Spain) |
| feliz como una lombriz | happy as a worm | extremely happy |
| papando moscas | catching flies | daydreaming |
| no me importa un pimiento | I don’t care a pepper | I don’t care at all/I couldn’t care less |
| no me importa un pepino | I don’t care a cucumber | I don’t care at all/I couldn’t care less |
| la última Coca-Cola del desierto | the last Coca-Cola in the desert | all that (someone who thinks very highly of themselves) |
| con dinero baila el perro | with money the dog dances | money talks |
| a toda leche | at full milk | at full speed/all out |
| por si las moscas | for if the flies | just in case |
| me pica el bagre | the catfish is biting me | I’m hungry |
| otro gallo cantaría | another rooster would sing | things could have been different |
Here are a few examples of how native speakers use these colorful expressions in context:
- Un día encontrarás a tu media naranja. = One day you’ll find your soulmate.
- No puedo aguantar a Mario. Se cree la última Coca-Cola del desierto. = I can’t stand Mario. He thinks he’s all that.
You can also use these funny words, phrases, and sayings in funny Spanish jokes!
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