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Last updated:
August 19, 2022
Did you know that there are over 100+ ways to say friend in Spanish?
That’s a whole lot of compadres (good friends)!
Let’s take a quick look at my favorite 45 Spanish slang words to get you started on referring to your amigos (friends), from A to Z.
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1. alero
Where it’s used: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala
Although alero literally means roof eaves, it’s most commonly used in these three countries to refer to a buddy or good friend, depending on the context.
Rodolfo es un buen alero. (Rodolfo is a good friend.)
2. amigazo
Where it’s used: Latin America
Similar to amigo (friend), the word amigazo, is also an informal reference to a buddy, pal or close friend.
However, you wouldn’t want to use this word in Chile, where it normally means bad company.
Antonio, sos un amigazo. (Antonio, you’re a great friend.)
3. acere/asere
Where it’s used: Cuba
Originating from the African-Efik language, this is the most popular word used in Cuba to refer to a friend or buddy. It’s also used by men to refer to other men.
Asere, ¿qué bolá? (What’s up, buddy?)
4. boludo
Where it’s used: Argentina
Even though the word boludo (idiot) or (jerk) and it’s shorter forms, bolú/bolu, can have different meanings, it’s quite often used when you want to get your friend’s attention.
It should also be noted that this word can have negative connotations and should only be used in context with your closest friends.
¡Qué quilombo, boludo! (What a mess, dude!)
5. bro/bróder
Where it’s used: Latin America
American English has had a significant influence on the way people speak Spanish slang in Latin America.
Great examples are the words bro/bróder (bro), which we’ve accepted as our own.
¿Qué pasó, bróder? (What’s up, bro?)
6. cabrón/cabro
Where it’s used: Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador
The word cabrón (bastard), is wildly popular among Spanish learners because it’s harshly used to describe an as*hole or bastard.
Though, in several Spanish-speaking countries, it’s absolutely normal to refer to this word when referencing your buddy.
The short form cabro (goat) is mainly used in Chile and Costa Rica.
¿Qué pasa, cabrón? ¿Cómo te trata la vida? (What’s up, buddy? How’s life treating you?)
7. cachanchán/canchanchán
Where it’s used: The Dominican Republic
The word cachanchán roughly translates to toady or subordinate in Spanish, and that’s exactly how they use it in Cuba.
However, if you go to the Dominican Republic, a cachanchán (or, rather, canchanchán, as they pronounce it) refers to a good friend.
Ahí viene mi canchanchán, Peralta. (Here comes my good friend, Peralta.)
8. camarada
Where it’s used: Latin America and Spain
The word camarada (comrade), can be used practically in every Spanish-speaking country to refer to your friends and pals, informally.
¿Qué hubo, camarada? (What’s up, pal?)
9. carnal
Where it’s used: Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua
Carnal comes from the word carne (meat, flesh), and it’s used to refer to very close friends.
The word carnal can also be used with family members (the expression “flesh of my flesh” comes to mind), so a carnal is someone you’d consider family.
Sos mi carnal, Mario. (You’re family, Mario.)
10. causa
Where it’s used: Peru
There are two main theories as to where the word causa, with the casual meaning of friend or buddy, comes from.
On the one hand, causa formally translates to lawsuit, which would explain why in some parts of Peru this word also refers to thieves.
On the other hand, some people think it comes from the English word cousin.
Whatever the case, causa is very commonly used to refer to your buddy or friend, so make sure you use it if you ever meet a Peruvian!
¡Habla, causa! (Hi there, buddy!)
11. chamo/chamito
Where it’s used: Venezuela
Venezuelans use chamo when talking about children and teenagers, but they also use this word to refer to their buddies.
¿Qué hubo, chamo? (What’s up, buddy?)
12. che
Where it’s used: Argentina
There are very few words more Argentinian than the word che.
You can use it to refer to your closest friends, your buddies and your colleagues.
This multipurpose word is so Argentinian that it means Argentinian person in countries such as Mexico and Chile.
Hey, che. ¿Qué hacés acá? (Hey, buddy. What are you doing here?)
13. chero
Where it’s used: El Salvador and Honduras
Chero comes from the French language word, cher (dear, beloved), and it’s used to refer to your close friends.
Siempre la paso bien con mis cheros. (I always have fun with my friends.)
14. chochera/choche
Where it’s used: Peru
The words Chochera (chauffeur or witchcraft), and its short form choche (car or driver), as you can see, can have two very different meanings.
How that word came to mean friend in Peruvian Spanish is something I can’t understand, but it does.
Pedrito es mi choche desde que teníamos seis años. (Pedrito has been my friend since we were six.)
15. cobio
Where it’s used: Cuba
There’s not much information available about this word, but all sources agree that it means partner/associate and it’s used on the island to refer to your friends.
¿Qué bolá, cobio? (How are you doing, friend?)
16. colega
Where it’s used: Spain
By definition, a colega is a classmate or colleague, but it’s informally used to refer to your buddy.
Vamos a tomarnos una copas con mi colega, Paco. (Let’s go have some drinks with my buddy, Paco.)
17. compadre
Where it’s used: Latin America (very common in Mexico)
Compadre describes the relationship between someone’s father and godfather (a literal translation from Latin could be co-father.)
However, native Mexican speakers use this word to refer to their best mates or good friends.
¿Qué onda, compadre? ¿Por qué tan triste? (What’s up, mate? Why so sad?)
18. compañero/compa/compi
Where it’s used: Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Argentina, Costa Rica and Honduras
Every native Spanish speaker will understand the word compañero or any of its short forms.
It officially translates to (partner or companion), but it can also be used to refer to your pals/buddies, as well.
If you’re in Spain though, avoid using the longer and shorter forms, since they can be taken out of context in some regions.)
Mi cõmpanero Luis está por llegar. (My buddy Luis is about to arrive.)
19. compinche
Where it’s used: Latin America and Spain
The word compinche translates, and is used informally, to refer to your pals or buddies.
¿Qué pasó, compinche? (What’s up, buddy?)
20. cuaderno
Where it’s used: Mexico
If someone from Mexico tells you they’re meeting their cuadernos (notebooks) in the evening, don’t think they’ve gone crazy. Cuaderno is actually a very popular way to refer to a friend in that country.
Juan y Marco son mis cuadernos. (Juan and Marco are my friends.)
21. cuadro
Where it’s used: Colombia
Many people in the world have cuadros (tables), but only Colombians will call their bros, buddies and friends.
¿Quiubo, cuadro? (What’s up, bro?)
22. cuate
Where it’s used: Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Bolivia and Venezuela
Cuate quite literally translates to buddy or dude.
However, it can also be used to refer to people you don’t know or are just acquaintances.
Vendrá con un cuate mañana. (He’ll come with a buddy tomorrow.)
23. cúmbila
Where it’s used: Cuba
Cúmbila is another Cuban word of African origin.
It comes from the term camba (friend), and it’s used to refer to your buddies.
Gracias, cúmbila. (Thanks, buddy.)
24. fren
Where it’s used: Panama
The word fren is almost exclusively used in Panama, and it means—you’ve guessed it—friend.
Es mi fren desde 2015. (She’s been my friend since 2015.)
25. gomía
Where it’s used: Argentina
Gomía is an anagram that results from transposing the word amigo.
Not surprisingly, it’s another word you can use casually to refer to your friends.
¡Ese es mi gomía! (That’s my man!)
26. güey
Where it’s used: Mexico
Thanks to Mexican TV shows and telenovelas, every Spanish speaker knows the word güey, and now you do, too!
It originally comes from the word buey (ox), so it’s no surprise it can also be used with the meaning of (silly or clumsy).
Additionally, it can be used to refer to anyone you don’t know very well (similar to the English word dude) and even to a friend, depending on the context.
¡Órale, güey! (Come on, dude!)
27. huevón
Where it’s used: Chile and Peru (less frequently in Venezuela)
The word huevón and all its different forms—weón/weon/won/güevón/güebón—literally translates to big egg.
Informally, it can be used to describe someone who is lazy, or a moron or stupid, but it can also be used jokingly to refer to your buddies. It also has a meaning very close to the English dude or guy.
Hola, huevón. ¿Cómo estái? (Hey, buddy. How are you?)
28. íntimo
Where it’s used: Latin América and Spain
The word íntimo is an adjective that means intimate/close.
Íntimo normally appears in the collocation amigo íntimo close friend.
This collocation is often reduced to just the adjective, which is used to refer to your closest friends.
Antonio es mi íntimo, mi hermano. (Antonio is my close friend, my brother.)
29. llave
Where it’s used: Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Llave quite literally translates to key in Spanish. Yes, the thing you use to open doors.
It is said, that if someone calls you their llave, they’ve opened themselves to you and accepted you as their friend.
Todo bien, mi llave. (No problem, my friend.)
30. mae
Where it’s used: Costa Rica
The word mae is to Costa Rica as güey is to Mexico.
In other words, you can use mae to refer to both friends and buddies, and people you don’t even know. Context is key!
¿Cómo estás, mae? (How you doin’, bud?)
31. mano/manito
Where it’s used: Latin America
The words mano (hand) and manito (little hand), are the shortened forms of the word, hermano (brother), and are used to casually and informally describe a friend or bro.
Even though you’ll hear these words all throughout Latin America, the forms mano and manito are especially common in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic and Panama.
¿Qué hubo, manito? (What’s up, bro?)
32. ñaño
Where it’s used: Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and some parts of Argentina
By definition, this word means year.
However, it’s also used to define a close friend in some countries, similar to the context and usage of the word bróder (bro).
¿Qué tal, ñaño? (What’s up, bro?)
33. pana
Where it’s used: Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua
There are several theories about the origin of the word pana (corduroy), but the one I like the most is that it comes from the indigenous word panaca (family).
For this reason, the word pana is normally only used with your deepest and closest, soul friends.
Juanito, sos mi pana del alma. (Juanito, you’re my soul mate.)
34. panadería
Where it’s used: Venezuela
In Venezuela, a panadería (bakery) isn’t only a place where you can buy bread and pastries. It’s also a place where you can meet your friends for a coffee or a piece of cake.
Because of this, the term started to associate with the slang term friends/friendship in the ’50s, and it’s kept its meaning until today.
¡Gracias a toda mi panadería! (Thanks to all my friends!)
35. parcero/parce
Where it’s used: Colombia and Ecuador
The words parcero (landlord) and parce come from the Portuguese word parceiro (partner).
It’s normally used to refer to your friends and acquaintances, but it can also be used to talk about people from the same region/country (compatriot/fellow countryman).
¿Quiubo, parce? (What’s up, friend?)
36. pata
Where it’s used: Bolivia, Cuba, Peru and Chile
The definition of a pata oddly translates to leg and paw, but in these four countries, it refers to a close friend or a buddy, depending on the context.
Carola es mi pata del alma. (Carola is my best friend/my soul mate).
37. pez
Where it’s used: Colombia
You probably know pez means fish in Spanish.
However, in Colombia, people use this word to refer to their friends and buddies informally (especially if they don’t know their name).
¿Todo bien, mi pez? (Is everything alright, buddy?)
38. pibe
Where it’s used: Uruguay (less frequently in Argentina and Paraguay)
Even though this word can be used in some countries to refer to kids, people in Uruguay also use it to talk about/to their close friends.
Vamos a festejar con mi pibes. (Let’s celebrate with my friends.)
39. primo
Where it’s used: Mexico, Venezuela (West), the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica
Primo means cousin in Spanish. By calling someone your primo, you’re letting them know they’re your dearest friend, and part of your family.
¿Cómo ‘tá la cosa, primo? (How’s everything going, dear friend?)
40. socio
Where it’s used: Peru and Colombia (less frequently in Cuba, Ecuador and Argentina)
The word socio refers to a partner or business associate, but it’s also used to refer to your close friends in countries like Peru and Colombia.
Hola, socio. ¿Cómo estás? (Hey, friend. How are you?)
41. tío
Where it’s used: Spain
Tío translates to (uncle) in Spanish, but if you go to Spain, you’ll mainly hear this word when people are referring to their mates.
It can also be used to refer to a guy in general, just like Mexico’s güey.
Mi tío no sabe de lo que habla. (My mate doesn’t know what he’s talking about.)
42. tronco/tron
Where it’s used: Spain
A tronco is a tree trunk and tron is a log, but in Spain, it refers to a very good friend.
It’s quite often incorrectly associated with lower-class people, but all youngsters use it.
It can also be used to refer to your boyfriend/girlfriend, but some people may tell you it sounds a bit distasteful, so avoid using it in this context if you can.
Mi tronca está de camino. (My good friend is on her way.)
43. valedor/vale
Where it’s used: Colombia and Venezuela
Simply put, a valedor is a person that is worthy.
It’s possible, that because of this reason, a friend(s) are referred to as a valedor(es) or vale(s) in these two countries.
Mi valedor, ¿cómo estás? (My friend, how are you?)
44. viejo
Where it’s used: Costa Rica, Argentina
The word viejo (old), can also be an informal way to refer to someone’s dad.
It can also mean bro or friend in Costa Rica and some parts of Argentina, although practically every native Spanish speaker will understand you’re referring to a friend or acquaintance if you use this word anywhere else.
Viejo, no hables paja. (Bro, don’t talk nonsense.)
45. yunta
Where it’s used: Argentina, Cuba, Uruguay, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Peru, Chile and Bolivia
The word yunta is translated into English as yoke and/or team, but in South America it’s used to refer to a trusted friend.
Ana es mi yunta. (Ana is my trusted friend.)
So, there you have it, my top list of 45 slang words to call your friends in Spanish.
They may not all be used in every Spanish-speaking country, but now you know how to refer to all your amigos (friends) by using the correct term and context.
Stay curious, cheros (friends), and as always, happy Spanish learning!
amigo
Gender
The gender of amigo is masculine. E.g. el amigo. The feminine form is la amiga.
Plural
The plural of amigo is amigos.
Spanish Definition
Translations for friend and their definitions
| amigo |  |
|
| 1. n-m. friend |
| novio | |
| 1. n-m. boyfriend; romantic partner | |
| 2. n-m. fiancé | |
| 3. n-m. (wedding) groom |
| mijo | |
| 1. n. millet | |
| 2. n-m. (colloquial, Chile) darling | |
| 3. n-m. (colloquial, Mexico) friend, guy |
| conocido | |
| 1. adj. known | |
| 2. n-m. acquaintance, friend, known person | |
| 3. v. masculine singular past participle of conocer |
| aliado | |
| 1. adj. allied | |
| 2. n-m. ally | |
| 3. v. masculine singular past participle of aliar |
| aliada | |
| 1. adj. feminine singular of adjective aliado | |
| 2. n-f. feminine noun of aliado | |
| 3. v. feminine singular past participle of aliar |
| novia | |
| 1. n-f. feminine noun of novio, girlfriend | |
| 2. n-f. feminine noun of novio, fiancée | |
| 3. n-f. (wedding) feminine noun of novio, bride |
| fulano | |
| 1. n-m. (alt case, es, Fulano), what’s-his-name, so-and-so | |
| 2. n-m. (pejorative) guy, dude | |
| 3. n-m. (pejorative) friend, buster, pal, buddy (sarcastic form of address used to warn someone) |
| amiguito | |
| 1. n-m. (diminutive of amigo), little friend |
| compadre | |
| 1. n. Godfather of one’s child. | |
| 2. n. Parent of one’s godchild. | |
| 3. n. Friend, especially a very close and honoured male friend. | |
| 4. n. (colloquial) father of one’s child’s spouse. | |
| 5. n. (Mexico) binge or partying habitual companion. | |
| 6. n. (Argentina) person of the generation whose parents fought in Argentina’s war of independence from Spain. | |
| 7. n. (Nicaragua, colloquial) The relation between a man and his wife’s lover, or in the case of divorce, the relation between the previous and current husband. In general, the relation between two men who |
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My friends are in Spain.
Mis amigos están en España.
We are good friends.
Somos muy amigos.
He has friends in Madrid.
Tiene amigos en Madrid.
Our parents are always our unconditional friends.
Nuestros padres son siempre nuestros amigos incondicionales.
He is so unpleasant that he can’t have any friends.
Es tan antipático que no puede tener amigos.
You do not meet with your friends.
No te encuentras con tus amigos.
Do you do meet with your friends?
¿Te encuentras con tus amigos?
He meets with his friends.
El encuentra con sus amigos.
Does he meet with his friends?
¿Encuentra él con sus amigos?
You have more friends than her.
Tú tienes más amigas que ella.
They are with some friends.
Ellos están con unos amigos.
We welcomed our friends.
Dimos la bienvenida a nuestros amigos.
Yes, they’re her friends.
Sí, son las amigas de ella.
They were hoping that their friends would go to the beach with them.
Ellos esperaban que sus amigos fueran a la playa con ellos.
Where are our friends?
¿Dónde están nuestros amigos?
I have talked to my friends.
Yo he hablado con mis amigos.
I play with my friends.
Yo juego con mis amigos.
The friends with whom we have dined.
Los amigos con los que hemos cenado.
My friends wanted me to go to the movies with them.
Mis amigos querían que yo fuera al cine con ellos.
Have you been at a friends’ house?
¿Has estado en casa de amigos?
I have friends and acquaintances there and have been there.
Allí tengo amigos y conocidos y también he visitado el país.
We are friends of Egypt.
Somos amigos de Egipto.
We are friends of Georgia.
Somos amigos de Georgia.
Friends, my greetings to all of you.
Presidente de la República de la India.
My friends, we do not need it.
Amigos míos, nosotros no lo necesitamos.
That, my friends, is a challenge!
¡Ése es, amigos, el reto!
But this is a Union of friends — friends, equals and partners.
Pero ésta es una Unión de amigos: de amigos, de iguales y de compañeros.
We not only need friends of fishing; but more importantly, we need friends of fish.
No sólo necesitamos amigos de la pesca, sino también, y lo que es más importante, amigos de los peces.
They cannot be our friends when it suits us and not our friends when it does not suit us.
No pueden serlo cuando nos viene bien y no serlo cuando nos viene mal.
in writing. — (PT) ‘Friends, friends, business aside’…
por escrito. — (PT) «Los amigos son los amigos y los negocios son los negocios …»
With friends like that, who needs enemies?
«Padre, líbranos de nuestros amigos, que de nuestros enemigos ya me libro yo».
We are divided from our German friends.
Nos dividimos con nuestros amigos alemanes.
Europe needs friends, not enemies.
Europa necesita amigos, no enemigos.
We should applaud the efforts of our Indian friends.
Todo el respeto para nuestros amigos indios.
That is not the situation at present, my friends.
Hoy no es así, estimados amigos.
Yesterday’s friends are tomorrow’s enemies.
Los amigos de ayer son los enemigos de mañana.
Such friends are valuable at this time.
Este tipo de amistades tienen un gran valor en los tiempos que corren.
We are America’s friends and partners.
Somos amigos y socios de los Estados Unidos.
What, then, did our US friends tell us?
Entonces, ¿qué nos contaron nuestros amigos de los Estados Unidos?
Whether we are friends or not is not the point.
El problema no es que seamos amigos o no.
They are also neighbours and friends.
Son países vecinos y amigos.
Our American friends will have to accept this.
Nuestros amigos americanos tendrán que aceptarlo.
Mr Simitis and his friends are proud of all this.
El Sr. Simitis y sus amigos están orgullosos de todo esto.
That is why we feel such solidarity with our friends in Galicia.
Por eso sentimos tanta solidaridad con nuestros amigos gallegos.
He explained that it was because his friends already agreed with him.
Y respondió que lo hacía porque sus amigos ya estaban de acuerdo con él.
This does not mean that we ought not to criticise our American friends at all.
Esto no significa que no debamos criticar a nuestros amigos norteamericanos en absoluto.
We should tell our American friends so.
Deberíamos decírselo así a nuestros amigos norteamericanos.
Russia has to recognise who her real friends are.
Rusia tiene que reconocer quiénes son sus verdaderos amigos.
Dear friends, we are here together.
Queridos amigos, estamos aquí, juntos.
Dear friends, nothing is guaranteed.
Queridos amigos, nada está garantizado.
Whoever they are, they are no friends of Parliament.
Sean quienes sean, desde luego no son amigos del Parlamento.
As my German friends tell me, it is .
Como me dicen mis amigos alemanes, está .
As friends, we should be allowed to ask questions.
Como amigos, deberíamos poder hacer preguntas.
The enemy is terrorism, and our friends are the Americans.
El enemigo es el terrorismo. Nuestros amigos son los estadounidenses.
They were born people, however, my friends.
Pero, amigos, nacieron personas.
In Russia such friends are valued.
En Rusia esos amigos se valoran.
We are partners and also friends.
Somos socios y también amigos.
Political powers have no friends, but only interests.
Las potencias políticas no tienen amigos, solo intereses.
I wish to share this experience with you, friends.
Quisiera compartir con ustedes, estimados amigos, esta experiencia.
I have called on them emphatically to do the same for their Arab friends.
Les he instado de manera muy enérgica a que hagan lo mismo por sus amigos árabes.
(NL) We are friends of Georgia.
(NL) Somos amigos de Georgia.
Therefore, welcome to our Japanese friends!
Por tanto, ¡sean bienvenidos nuestros amigos japoneses!
Experiences in politics are salutary, my friends.
Amigos míos, las experiencias en política son saludables.
We are their friends and must tell them that we are doing this.
Nosotros somos sus amigos y debemos decirles que lo estamos haciendo.
I see many friends of SMEs here.
Veo muchos amigos de las PYME aquí.
It is here, my friends, that you make your bloomer.
Es aquí, queridos amigos, donde se ha metido la pata.
Many friends are more dangerous than enemies.
Muchos amigos son más peligrosos que nuestros enemigos.
So I say to my Eurosceptic friends: ‘Get over it’.
De modo que les digo a mis amigos euroescépticos «supérenlo».
That is also what our friends in Washington expect.
Eso también es lo que esperan nuestros amigos de Washington.
To my friends there, I am saying that I am committed.
A los amigos que tengo allí, les digo que estoy comprometida.
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As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, Spanish speaking cultures tend to be very friendly and warm towards “gringos,“ making it exceptionally easy to make friends.
They are also friendly and fun-loving, so getting a Latin “bro” will assure you have a great time while in Spain or South America.
As you may already know, “friend” in Spanish is “amigo” (for a man) and “amiga” (for a woman). These two different possibilities have to do with the noun and adjective gender in Spanish grammar.
But how about words like “pal,” “mate,” “buddy,” “dude,” “man,” “bro” that we like to use so much? Does Spanish have any less formal equivalents of “friend”?
Of course, it does! Just like it has slang words for “girl,” “money,” and many other terms.
Most Common Slang for “Friend” in Different Spanish-Speaking Countries:
- 🇪🇸 amigazo – 🇬🇧 a derivate of “amigo” used for a good and old friend across countries.
- 🇪🇸 compadre / comadre – 🇬🇧 these two words may mean godfather / godmother but are also widely used as slang for friend.
- 🇪🇸 gancho – 🇬🇧 “ a hook” also means friend in Argentina
- 🇪🇸 boludo – 🇬🇧 another common Argentinean word that translates as “dude.”
- 🇪🇸 chamo / chama – 🇬🇧 probably THE most popular slang word in Venezuela
- 🇪🇸 hermano / hermana – 🇬🇧 brother / sister (used in almost all Latin America)
- 🇪🇸 chico / chica – 🇬🇧 literally boy / girl, can also mean friend
- 🇪🇸 mano / manito – 🇬🇧 short for “hermano” – common in Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Guatemala
- 🇪🇸 pana / panita – 🇬🇧 can be heard mostly in Central America
- 🇪🇸 güey – 🇬🇧 Mexican staple word for “friend,” but also a popular interjection
- 🇪🇸 cuate – 🇬🇧 apart from Mexico, it is also used in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Paraguay
- 🇪🇸 bróder, brother – 🇬🇧 a clear American influence used in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and Bolivia
- 🇪🇸 fren – 🇬🇧 from the English word “friend” is a part of Panamanian slang
- 🇪🇸 weón, huevón / won – 🇬🇧 in Chile and Peru, they can be used as “friend,” but they are considered offensive in other countries.
- 🇪🇸 compa – 🇬🇧 short for “compañero,” popular in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Costa Rica
- 🇪🇸 ñero / ñera – 🇬🇧 again, short for “compañero,” used in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Colombia
- 🇪🇸 tío / tía – 🇬🇧 literally uncle / aunt, is how they call man / woman and also a friend in Spain
- 🇪🇸 yunta – 🇬🇧 is a word for a really close friend that you can hear in Nicaragua, Cuba, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Peru
- 🇪🇸 primo – 🇬🇧 literally it means “cousin” but is also used as “friend” in countries like Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, and parts of Bolivia
- 🇪🇸 parce – 🇬🇧 a common Colombian synonym of “friend”
- 🇪🇸 llave / llavero – 🇬🇧 can be translated as “key” and “keyring,” but in Colombia, they mean “mate”
- 🇪🇸 gomía – 🇬🇧 the Argentinians have invented this word by changing the order of the letters in “amigo”
- 🇪🇸 gauche – 🇬🇧 means “pal” in Venezuela
Wow, that’s a lot to pick from, isn’t it? Be careful, though; Spanish slang and idiomatic expressions are often closely tight to a particular country. Misusing them might lead to sometimes funny and sometimes embarrassing situations.
Now that we’ve clarified that important point, let’s play a little with the words from the list and see how this Spanish slang for Friend will sound in real sentences.
🇪🇸 ¡Tanto tiempo, amigazo! ¡Hace meses que no te veía! ¿Cómo has estado!
🇬🇧 Long time no see, buddy! I haven’t seen you in months! How’ve you been?
🇪🇸 Si necesitas ayuda le puedo decir a mi compadre Pablo que te eche una mano.
🇬🇧 If you need help, I can ask my pal, Pablo, to give you a hand.
🇪🇸 Oye weón, y si nos tomamos un par de cervezas?
🇬🇧 Listen, dude, why don’t we have a couple of beers?
🇪🇸 Disculpa, compa, ¿me prestas tu engrapadora un segundo, por favor?
🇬🇧 Sorry, (work)mate, will you lend me your stapler for a second, please?
🇪🇸 ¡Hola, hermano! ¿Qué hay de tu vida? ¿Cómo va el trabajo?
🇬🇧 Hi, bro! How’s life? How’s work?
🇪🇸 No sabía que Pancho y Carlos eran tan yunta.
🇬🇧 I didn’t know Pancho and Carlos were such close friends / so tight.
🇪🇸 Ay, chama, no me siento bien hoy. No sé qué me pasa.
🇬🇧 Ah, girl, I don’t feel very well today. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
🇪🇸 ¡Qué bueno verte, güey! Justo necesitaba hablar contigo.
🇬🇧 Good to see you, mate! I need to talk to you about something.
🇪🇸 Che, boludo, tengo una birra bien helada en la casa. ¿Vamos?
🇬🇧 Hey, dude, I have some icy co beer at home. Let’s go?
More Spanish Slang Words for Hanging Out With Friends
- 🇪🇸 salir de fiesta / a carretear / a rumbear – 🇬🇧 to go partying
- 🇪🇸 ligar / enrollarse / coquetear – 🇬🇧 to flirt, to pick up (girls or guys)
- 🇪🇸 charlar / copuchar / chismear – 🇬🇧 to gossip
- 🇪🇸 pelar (a alguien) – 🇬🇧 literally “to peel”, can also mean to talk about someone behind their back
- 🇪🇸 perrear – 🇬🇧 to dance to reggaetón music, very popular in Latin America
- 🇪🇸 tomarse una cervecita / una chela / una pola / una fría – 🇬🇧 to have a pint
- 🇪🇸 fumarse un pucho / un pitillo / un cigarro – 🇬🇧 to have a smoke
- 🇪🇸 pasarla bien / pasarlo chancho – 🇬🇧 to have a good time
- 🇪🇸 relajarse / pasar un buen rato – 🇬🇧 to chill out
- 🇪🇸 boludear – 🇬🇧 to hang out (Argentinean slang)
Let’s pretend you want to invite some of your Spanish speaking friends to hang out with you. What can you say?
🇪🇸 “Oigan, chicos, ¿qué les parece un carrete en mi casa este sábado?
🇬🇧 Listen, guys, how about a party at my place this Saturday?
🇪🇸 ¿Vamos a esa nueva disco que abrieron? Seguro que habrá muchas tías con las que ligar.
🇬🇧 Let’s go to that new disco they’ve opened! I’m sure there are going to be lots of girls to flirt with.
🇪🇸 ¡Chamas, nos vemos el miércoles como siempre! ¡Me muero de ganas de pelar a mi nueva jefa!
🇬🇧 Girls, see you on Wednesday, as usual! I am dying to gossip about my new boss!
🇪🇸 Voy a salir a fumarme un pitillo. ¿Vas conmigo, hermano?
🇬🇧 I’m going out to have a smoke. You coming with me, bro?
🇪🇸 La pasé chancho en el cumpleaños de Juan. ¡Qué manera de reírnos!
🇬🇧 I had a blast at Juan’s birthday party. We laughed our heads off!
Speaking of birthdays, do you know how to say “Happy Birthday” in Spanish? If you don’t, make sure to catch up on the most common greetings in this language.
Sometimes words that are ostensibly given as translations of another aren’t one-to-one correct. For example, de and por are often given to mean lots of different English words, none of which captures the full meaning of the Spanish equivalent.
I hear amigo used more often among Spanish-speaking folk (I live in California, if that’s relevant) than in English. For example, when visiting a taqueria, the cook will often greet me with, «Welcome, mi amigo», even if I’ve never met him before.
While it’s not unheard of for English-speakers to greet strangers with, «Welcome, friend» — particularly in some regions in America — it seems significantly less common; for some (like me) it comes off with a touch of presumptuousness — that to use that word there should be previous acquaintanceship. (For whatever reason, I adopt an entirely different — and welcoming — attitude when the phrase is spoken in Spanish)
Perhaps it’s regional and cultural, but I was wondering if there is an actual difference definitionally between friend and amigo in a way similar to de and por — any nuance at all.
asked Mar 30, 2017 at 2:25
1
I’m going to be Captain Obvious here: Amigo is Spanish for Friend and Friend is English for amigo (or amiga). It’s just that.
In both languanges these terms could have a deeper meaning, like when you use «friend» to refer to someone who is «more than just a friend». There would be a lot of connotation on your choice not only to use friend but also to avoid boyfriend or girlfriend.
Due to the context you are providing on you question is impossible to give a generic or «one size fits all» type of answer. It may have more to do with an amalgam of cultures than a nunace in the exact meaning of the word.
A guy at a taquería uses a word in Spanish here or there? Who knows? Maybe has more to do with giving a certain atmosphere to the business than to stress cultural differences. Maybe he thinks the patrons find it funny and colorful. Not necessarily needs to be a vailed statement for anything. It doesn’t mean that the cook pretends to know you better or more than if using the English version of the word.
You are definitely right that some words can mean different things due to cultural differences. For exmplae, in English you say «My dad is a doctor». In Spain we would favor «Mi padre es un doctor». Only a child would use «Mi papá es un doctor». But that actually may not be the case across other Spanish speaking countries.
On the other hand, I think that you are completely overthinking this usage of «amigo» vs «friend».
answered Mar 30, 2017 at 3:32
DiegoDiego
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Sometimes words mean the same thing, but the usage is a bit different.
The friendly, welcoming use of my friend in English by people whose first language is Spanish or Portuguese is a charming custom, and there is no reason for you not to adopt it if you feel so inclined. The «my» at the beginning is pretty important to make this work. Here are some examples:
You can soften some sort of gentle scolding or advice:
My friend, I would not take what Lucy said so personally. She was just trying to be funny.
Amigo mío, no te ofendas. Lucy se cree una chistosita. No le hagas caso.
You can make a warm greeting:
Zack, my friend, what’s new with you?
¡Zack, amigo! ¿Qué me cuentas? ¿Qué hay de nuevo?
You can bond with your friend (or relative!):
Yes, my friend, you did the right thing by bla bla.
Sí, cómo no, amigo mío, hiciste bien. Fue muy correcto etc. etc.
answered Mar 30, 2017 at 4:41
aparente001aparente001
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Kirk I fully agree you are on to something here.
There are subtle differences between the concepts “amigo” and “friend”… had to chime in after reading Capn Obvious’s dismissive response. He needs to reconsider his position before Major Ambiguity pulls rank.
[in the case of a stranger or business owner/customer service rep calling you “amigo”, I have started to think of it more like the North American English concept “buddy”… sort of like a friend with less familiarity?]
Cheers
Diego
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answered Sep 7, 2022 at 13:02
