Ten Spanish words that English should adopt right now

1. Espabilar: To liven up, to come to one's senses, to get one's act together, to wise up, to get a move on, to wake up!

Example: "¡Espabila!¡Qué vas a perder el vuelo!" (Get your arse in gear or you'll miss your flight!)

A bucket of cold water will help you to 'espabilar'. Photo: Ryan McGuire/Pixabay.

2. Maruja: a traditional working-class housewife who enjoys watching TV soaps, gossiping about her neighbours and eavesdropping on others. She's the informal broadcaster of radio patio, the so-called courtyard radio where most of the chitchat takes place.

Example: "Menuda maruja estás hecha, deja de chismorrear" (You're such a maruja, stop gossiping).

There's always a 'maruja' on the lookout in Spanish neighbourhoods. Photo: Nick Karvounis/Unsplash

Fashion-loving Spaniards love to 'estrenar' new clothes. Photo: Joshua Coleman/Unsplash

 

Sometimes, too much 'cachondeo' means not enough gets done in Spain. Photo: Eliott Reyna/Unsplash

 

 

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5. Pagafantas: Literally meaning Fanta buyer, it usually refers to guys who buy drinks for girls and treat them nicely, but never actually get remotely close to sealing the deal in the relationship sense.

 

Example: "No seas tan pagafantas, deja de mimarla", (Don't be such a pagantas, stop spoiling her).

 

Don't be 'too nice', don't be a 'pagafantas'. Photo: Adam Ashtamkar/Unsplash

 

 

 

6. Guiri: (Urban Dictionary def.) a somewhat pejorative term for a foreigner, usually a tourist, who happens to be in Spain and stands out as being pretty obviously not a local.

 

The term is usually used to refer to fairer-skinned people from the likes of Great Britain, Germany or Sweden, for example.

 

Spaniards can spot a 'guiri' from a mile away. Photo: Marc Pascual/ Pixabay

 

There's plenty of 'trapicheo' taking place in Spain as there's so much unemployment. Photo: Martin Zaenkert/Unsplash

 

 

Spanish pastries can be a bit dry, so it's normal if they cause you to 'empalagarte'. Photo: Ryan McGuire/Pixabay

 

 

 

9. Desvelado: Unable to sleep because you are kept awake by someone or something.

 

Example: "El llanto del bebé consiguió desvelar a todos" (The baby's crying succeeded in keeping everyone awake). 

 

Spaniards often choose to be 'desvelados' be staying up watching TV until late. Photo: Matthew Henry/Unsplash

 

 

 

10. Entrecejo: The space between the eyebrows.

 

Example: "No tiene entrecejo, es cejijunto." (He has no space between his eyebrows, just a monobrow). 

Frida Kahlo had the most famous 'entrecejo' in history. Photo: Luis Acosta/AFP