Spanglish has really invaded the Spanish language in basically every Spanish speaking country. While some cross-over is only natural, sometimes the words that pop up in the Spanish vocabulary are just down-right comical. Here’s my personal collection of some of the worst Spanglish words in use.
Technology Spanglish Words
In the case of gaming and technical language, I can understand the crossover a little more, so let’s take a look at some of those first.
1. Linkear – To link (as in hyperlinks).
Spanish alternative: hacer un enlace
2. Updatear or opdeitear – To update
Spanish alternative: actualizar
3. Releasear -To release (used in techie language, as in, to release a new version of something)
Spanish alternative: lanzar, publicar, divulgar
4. Levelear– To level up (gaming language)
Spanish alternative: nivelar
5. Googlear or gugulear– to Google
Spanish alternative: buscar en Google
6. Clickear – To click
Spanish alternative: hacer clic, pinchar, apretar
7. El mouse – computer mouse
Spanish alternative: el ratón
8. Taguear – to tag (as in coding or technical language, not as in playing tag)
Spanish alternative: etiquetear
9. Mandar un mail – To send an email
Spanish alternative: mandar un correo, mandar un correo electrónico
Other Spanglish Words
With some of these others though, I’m not sure there is a good excuse for such terrible Spanglish!
1. Machar or machear – to match
Spanish alternative: combinar
2. Janguear – to hang out
Spanish alternative: pasar el rato
3. El parking– parking lot
Spanish alternative: el estacionamiento
4. Parquear – To park
Spanish alternative: estacionar
5. ¿Estás ready?– Are you ready?
Spanish alternative: ¿Estás listo?
6. Chequear – To check
Spanish alternative: comprobar, revisar, verificar
7. Roofo or rufo – Roof
Spanish alternative: techo, tejado
8. Creepear or cripi– To creep on someone (often used when talking about looking over someone’s Facebook page)
Spanish alternative: horripilante
9. A full – to be done with great intensity, for example, trabajando a full means “working really hard”
Spanish alternative: al máximo
10. El top – This is used to mean the best of something.
Spanish alternative: lo mejor
11. Heavy – heavy, as in food or a situation.
Spanish alternative: fuerte, pesado
12. El shopping – The mall
Spanish alternative: el centro comercial, las tiendas
13. Frizz or frizar – Frizz or to get frizzy
Spanish alternative: encrespar
14. Frizar – To freeze (in the freezer)
Spanish alternative: congelar
15. El locker – locker
Spanish alternative: el casillero
16. Ver un show – To see a show, such as a play or a concert
Spanish alternative: ver un espectáculo, ver un concierto, ver una obra, ver un recital
17. El ticket – A ticket, though only some places will understand this, which makes it tricky when you need to travel in places that use the proper words, entrada (for a show/event) and boleto (for travel)
Spanish alternative: el boleto, la entrada
18. Jamberger – Hamburger
Spanish alternative: hamburguesa
19. Mandar un inbox – To send a Facebook message
Spanish alternative: mandar un mensaje
These are all pretty sorry excuses for “Spanish” that certainly fall under the Best of the Worst Spanglish category, but this is far from all the English/Spanish hybrid words that have leaked into the Spanish language. Can you think of any more?
Check out these other English Spanish articles and our Spanglish Pinterest board for more cool examples.
