Hilarious Expressions: How To Say Something Funny in Spanish

Humor plays a big role in Spanish culture. The language has many quirky expressions that can add fun to your chats. From amusing words to humorous idioms, there are many ways to say something funny in Spanish. If you want to connect with Spanish speakers on a new level or bring a smile to someone’s face, this guide will help you with that. Learn some of these gems, and your conversations will never be the same.

Amusing Spanish Words to Use In Everyday Talks

Some funny words in Spanish will make your everyday chats more lively. Using these expressions, you can surprise friends or bring a smile to someone’s face. They can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere in any context. Let’s delve into some amusing words that you can slip into daily talks to have fun in Spanish:

• Friolero [fɾjoˈleɾo] – Someone who is always cold.

Mi hermano es muy friolero. [mi eˈɾmano es ˈmui̯ fɾjoˈleɾo] – My brother always feels cold.

• Empalagar [empalaˈɣaɾ] – To be overwhelmingly sweet or cloying.

Este pastel puede empalagar un poco. [ˈeste pasˈtel ˈpweðe empalaˈɣaɾ un ˈpoko] – This cake might be too sweet.

• Tiquismiquis [tikismiˈkis] – Picky.

No seas tiquismiquis con la comida. [no seas tikismiˈkis kon la koˈmiða] – Don’t be picky with the food.

• Madrugar [maðɾuˈɣaɾ] – To wake up very early.

Mañana tengo que madrugar. [maˈɲana ˈteŋɡo ke maðɾuˈɣaɾ] – I need to wake up very early tomorrow.

• Sobremesa [soβɾeˈmesa] – The time spent talking after a meal.

Nos encanta la sobremesa los domingos. [nos enˈkanta la soβɾeˈmesa los doˈmiŋɡos] – We love lingering at the table after lunch on Sundays.

• Anteayer [anteˈaʝeɾ] – The day before yesterday.

Compré esto anteayer. [ˈkompɾe ˈesto anteˈaʝeɾ] – I bought this the day before yesterday.

• Estrenar [esˈtɾenaɾ] – To wear or use something for the first time.

Voy a estrenar mi nuevo coche. [ˈβoi̯ a esˈtɾenaɾ mi ˈnweβo ˈkotʃe] – I am going to use my new car for the first time.

• Madrugador [maðɾuɣaˈðoɾ] – Early riser.

Mi padre siempre ha sido un madrugador. [mi ˈpaðɾe ˈsjempɾe a siˈðo un maðɾuɣaˈðoɾ] – My father has always been an early riser.

• Tragaldabas [tɾaɣalˈðaβas] – Glutton.

Juan es un tragaldabas, siempre come demasiado. [ˈxwan es un tɾaɣalˈðaβas ˈsjempɾe ˈkome ðemaˈsjaðo] – Juan is a glutton; he always eats too much.

Funny Spanish Phrases with Literal Translation

There are some phrases in Spanish that sound hilarious when translated word-for-word into the English language. These translations are funny and bring happiness to people’s daily interactions. Here are a few entertaining examples of funny phrases in Spanish that never fail to amuse:

• Ser una gallina [seɾ una ɣaˈʎina] – To be a chicken. It means being scared or cowardly.

No seas una gallina y salta. [no ˈse.as una ɣaˈʎina i ˈsalta] – Don’t be a chicken and jump.

• Estar en la edad del pavo [esˈtaɾ en la eˈðað ðel ˈpaβo] – To be in the turkey’s age. Refers to being in the awkward teenage years.

Mi hijo está en la edad del pavo. [mi ˈixo esˈta en la eˈðað ðel ˈpaβo] – My son is in his awkward teenage years.

• Estar de mala leche [esˈtaɾ ðe ˈmala ˈletʃe] – To be of bad milk. Means to be in a bad mood.

Hoy está de mala leche; mejor no hablarle. [oʝ esˈta ðe ˈmala ˈletʃe ˈme.xoɾ no aβˈlaɾle] – He is in a bad mood today; better not to talk to him.

• No tener ni pies ni cabeza [no teˈneɾ ni ˈpjes ni kaˈβeθa] – To have neither feet nor head. Describes something that makes no sense.

Lo que dijo no tiene ni pies ni cabeza. [lo ke ˈði.xo no ˈtjene ni ˈpjes ni kaˈβeθa] – What he said makes no sense.

• Ponerse como un tomate [poˈneɾse ˈkomo un toˈmate] – To turn into a tomato. Used when someone becomes very red, usually from embarrassment.

Se puso como un tomate cuando le mencionaron su error. [se ˈpuso ˈkomo un toˈmate ˈkwando le menθjoˈnaɾon su eˈrɾoɾ] – He turned red when they pointed out his mistake.

• Dar la vuelta a la tortilla [daɾ la ˈβwelta a la toɾˈtiʎa] – To flip the tortilla. Means to turn the situation around.

Es hora de dar la vuelta a la tortilla y empezar a ganar. [es ˈoɾa ðe daɾ la ˈβwelta a la toɾˈtiʎa i empeˈθaɾ a ɣaˈnaɾ] – It’s time to turn the situation around and start winning.

• Hablando del Rey de Roma [aˈβlando ðel ˈrej ðe ˈɾoma] – Speaking of the King of Rome. Similar to saying ‘speak of the devil.’

Hablando del Rey de Roma, y él que se asoma. [aˈβlando ðel ˈrej ðe ˈɾoma i ˈel ke se aˈsoma] – Speaking of the devil, and there he appears.

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Funny Spanish Slang You Need to Know

When you learn Spanish, using its slang will add a casual and fun vibe to conversations. It will help you sound more like a local and understand funny Spanish memes better. Let’s explore slang words that you’ll want to include in your vocabulary:

• Guay [ɡwaj] – Cool.

¡Ese coche es muy guay! [ˈese ˈkotʃe es ˈmui̯ ɡwaj] – That car is really cool!

• Chaval [ʧaˈβal] – Kid, young person.

Ese chaval sabe mucho de computadoras. [ˈese ʧaˈβal ˈsaβe ˈmutʃo ðe kompuˈtaðoɾas] – That kid knows a lot about computers.

• Mola [ˈmola] – It’s cool.

Me mola este bar. [me ˈmola ˈeste βaɾ] – I like this bar.

• Cuate [ˈkwate] – Buddy, friend.

¿Viste a mi cuate? [ˈβiste a mi ˈkwate] – Have you seen my buddy?

• Chido [ˈʧiðo] – Cool, awesome.

La fiesta estuvo chida. [la ˈfjesta esˈtuβo ˈʧiða] – The party was awesome.

• Chamba [ˈʧamba] – Job, work.

Finalmente encontré chamba. [finalˈmente enkonˈtɾe ˈʧamba] – I finally found a job.

• Chapuza [ʧaˈpuθa] – Botch job, shoddy work.

Eso fue una chapuza, ¡qué mal! [ˈeso ˈfwe una ʧaˈpuθa ˈke mal] – That was a botch job, how bad!

• Pasta [ˈpasta] – Money.

No tengo pasta para salir. [no ˈteŋɡo ˈpasta paˈɾa saˈliɾ] – I don’t have money to go out.

• Guateque [ɡwaˈteke] – Party.

Vamos al guateque en la playa. [ˈbamos al ɡwaˈteke en la ˈplaʝa] – Let’s go to the beach party.

Funny Sayings in Spanish You Should Know

Spain and Latin America have many colorful sayings that can spice up your chats. These expressions often carry wit and humor. Using them can show off your language skills and make you seem more relatable. Below, we will provide some funny things to say in Spanish that will lighten the mood:

• Estar en la luna [esˈtaɾ en la ˈluna] – To be spaced out.

¿Me escuchas? Pareces estar en la luna. [ˈme esˈkutʃas? paˈɾeses esˈtaɾ en la ˈluna] – Are you listening? You seem spaced out.

• Tirar la casa por la ventana [tiˈɾaɾ la ˈkasa poɾ la βenˈtana] – To spare no expense.

Para su boda, ellos tiraron la casa por la ventana. [ˈpaɾa su ˈβoða, ˈeʝos tjaˈɾaɾon la ˈkasa poɾ la βenˈtana] – For their wedding, they spared no expense.

• Meter la pata [ˈmeteɾ la ˈpata] – To put one’s foot in it. Means accidentally saying something that embarrasses or upsets someone.

No debí decir eso, metí la pata. [no ðeˈβi ðeˈθiɾ ˈeso, meˈti la ˈpata] – I shouldn’t have said that, I really messed up.

• Dar gato por liebre [daɾ ˈɡato poɾ ˈljebɾe] – To pull the wool over someone’s eyes. Means to deceive someone.

Cuidado, no te den gato por liebre en esa tienda. [kwiˈðaðo, no te ðen ˈɡato poɾ ˈljebɾe en ˈesa ˈtjenda] – Be careful they don’t trick you in that store.

• Estar más sano que una pera [esˈtaɾ ˈmas ˈsano ke ˈuna ˈpeɾa] – To be fit as a fiddle. Means to be healthy and strong.

Mi abuelo tiene 90 años y está más sano que una pera. [mi aˈβwelo ˈtjene 90 aˈɲos i esˈta ˈmas ˈsano ke ˈuna ˈpeɾa] – My grandfather is 90 years old and fit as a fiddle.

• No tener pelos en la lengua [no teˈneɾ ˈpe.los en la ˈleŋɡwa] – To not mince words. Means to speak in a very direct and honest way.

Ella no tiene pelos en la lengua y siempre dice la verdad. [ˈeʝa no tjeˈne ˈpe.los en la ˈleŋɡwa i ˈsjempɾe ˈdiθe la βeɾˈðað] – She doesn’t mince words and always tells the truth.

• Ser pan comido [seɾ ˈpan koˈmiðo] – To be a piece of cake. Means something easy to do.

Esta prueba será pan comido para ti. [ˈesta ˈpɾweβa seˈɾa pan koˈmiðo ˈpaɾa ti] – This test will be a piece of cake for you.

• Tomar el pelo [toˈmaɾ el ˈpe.lo] – To pull someone’s leg. Means to fool or trick someone as a joke.

No te enojes, solo te estoy tomando el pelo. [no te eˈnoxes, ˈsolo te esˈtoi toˈmando el ˈpe.lo] – Don’t get mad, I’m just pulling your leg.

• Echar agua al mar [ˈetʃaɾ ˈaɣwa al ˈmaɾ] – To throw water into the sea. Means to do something pointless.

Eso es como echar agua al mar, no cambiará nada. [ˈeso es ˈkomo ˈetʃaɾ ˈaɣwa al ˈmaɾ, no kamˈbjaɾa ˈnaða] – That’s like pouring water into the sea; it won’t change anything.

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Conclusion

These funny Spanish words and phrases will brighten your chats. They make conversations less stiff and more fun, helping you connect with others on a deeper level. Using humor in another language shows you’re friendly and approachable. Next time you’re speaking Spanish, add some of these expressions and watch how they transform the mood instantly.