Untranslatable Spanish words

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, March 19, 2026

Spanish is a language rich in cultural and emotional nuances. Many Spanish words describe everyday situations, feelings, or states that have no direct translation into English. These examples demonstrate the great grammatical and linguistic variety of the Spanish language, but do they really have no English translation?

In this Enforex article, we reveal the Spanish words that are hardest to translate into English, their meanings, and examples of their use. This vocabulary and these expressions reflect unique cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking countries and show why learning Spanish in Spain can open up a new way of understanding the world.

Spanish Words Without a Translation

1. Anteayer

Meaning: the day that occurred two days before today.

Although the word anteayer does have an English translation, it isn’t expressed in the same way as in Spanish, with a single word, but rather as a phrase. It would be “the day before yesterday.”

Example: “Anteayer fui al médico porque me dolía la garganta” (The day before yesterday, I went to the doctor because my throat hurt).

2. Botellón

Meaning: a gathering of young people who meet in public spaces to drink alcohol; it’s usually an outdoor activity in parks.

This is a very common social phenomenon in Spain and doesn’t have an exact English translation because it describes a specific cultural custom. It could be roughly translated as “street drinking gathering,” although it literally translates to “big bottle.”

Example: “El viernes hicimos un botellón en el parque antes de ir a la discoteca” (On Friday we had a botellón in the park before going to the nightclub).

3. Cejijunto

Meaning: a person whose eyebrows are very thick and grow toward the bridge of the nose, so they almost meet.

It is used to describe a person’s physical features. Its approximate translation into English would be “unibrow” or “monobrow.”

Example: “El profesor es cejijunto y siempre ha sido así” (The professor has a unibrow and has always had one).

4. Chapuza

Meaning: A job done poorly or hastily, without care or quality.

It is widely used in informal conversations to criticize something done poorly. It can be translated as “botched job” or “shoddy work.”

Example: “La reparación del coche fue una chapuza y ahora funciona peor” (The car repair was a botched job, and now it runs worse).

5. Consuegro/Consuegra

Meaning: father-in-law or mother-in-law of a person’s child, usually referring to the parents of a romantic partner.

In English, this is usually explained with a phrase because there isn’t a specific word for it. The English translation would be “father-in-law of your son/daughter” or “mother-in-law of your son/daughter.”

Example: “Mis consuegros vienen a cenar el domingo” (My in-laws are coming over for dinner on Sunday).

6. Desvelado

Meaning: a person who hasn’t slept or has lost sleep.

It’s used both for sleepless nights and for when someone wakes up and can’t fall back asleep. Its translation into English would be “sleep-deprived” or “wide awake.”

Example: “Me pasé la noche desvelado porque no tenía sueño” (I spent the night awake because I wasn't sleepy).

7. Empalagar

Meaning: when you feel a sensation of excessive sweetness or saturation, especially when eating sweet foods.

Another situation in which this word is used is metaphorically, to refer to overly sentimental relationships. Its translation into English: “tire you out” or “make you sick”.

Example: “Ese pastel empalaga mucho porque tiene demasiado azúcar” (That cake is too sweet because it has too much sugar).

8. Entrecejo

Meaning: the area of the face located between the eyebrows.

In English, it is described with several words: “the space between the eyebrows.”

Example: “Tiene una pequeña arruga en el entrecejo” (He has a small wrinkle between his eyebrows).

9. Estadounidense

Meaning: a person from the United States.

In Spanish, the country is specified, whereas in English, Americans refer to themselves as “American.”

Example: “Conocí a un estudiante estadounidense en la universidad” (I met an American student at the university).

10. Estrenar

Meaning: to use something for the first time; this term is especially common in the context of fashion.

In English, several words are needed to express the same idea. A rough translation would be “to wear/use something for the first time.”

Example: “Voy a estrenar mis zapatos nuevos hoy” (I’m going to wear my new shoes for the first time today).

11. Friolero/Friolera

Meaning: a person who feels cold easily.

This word is very common in everyday conversation, especially in winter. In English, you could say something like “someone who gets cold easily” or “sensitive to cold.”

Example: “Soy muy friolero y siempre llevo chaqueta” (I’m very sensitive to the cold and always wear a jacket).

12. Madrugar

Meaning: to get up very early.

In English, there is no specific verb for this action; therefore, it would be translated as “to wake up early.”

Example: “Mañana tengo que madrugar para ir al aeropuerto” (I have to get up early tomorrow to go to the airport).

13. Manco

Meaning: a person who has lost a hand or has difficulty using it.

Its approximate translation is “one-armed” or “one-handed.”

Example: “El soldado quedó manco después de la batalla” (The soldier was left one-armed after the battle).

14. Merendar

Meaning: to have a light meal in the afternoon.

The merienda is a widespread cultural custom in Spain. Its approximate translation into English: “to have an afternoon snack.”

Example: “Los niños suelen merendar después del colegio” (The children usually have a snack after school).

15. Mimoso/Mimosa

Meaning: a person who constantly shows or seeks affection.

It can be translated as “affectionate” or “cuddly.”

Example: “Ese gato es muy mimoso” (That cat is very affectionate).

16. Morriña

Meaning: a deep feeling of nostalgia for one’s homeland.

This is a word of Galician origin and is widely used in Galicia. Its approximate translation would be “homesickness.”

Example: “Cuando vivía en el extranjero sentía morriña de mi ciudad” (When I lived abroad, I missed my hometown).

17. Puente

Meaning: a public holiday that falls between weekends to create several consecutive days off.

Although puente is a polysemous word in Spanish, in this context, it could be translated as “long weekend”.

Example: “Vamos a viajar durante el puente de diciembre” (We’re going to travel during the December long weekend).

18. Quedada

Meaning: an informal gathering organized among friends or acquaintances.

In English, there are similar expressions like “meet-up” or “get-together,” but Spanish has a specific word that is very common in everyday life, especially among young people or groups of friends: quedada.

Example: “El sábado tenemos una quedada con amigos para cenar” (We're getting together with friends for dinner on Saturday).

19. Siesta

Meaning: a rest or a short nap taken after lunch, usually in the afternoon.

Although it can be translated as nap in English, the word siesta is used internationally because it is closely associated with Spanish culture and the country’s traditional daily schedule.

Example: “Después de comer me gusta echarme una siesta de veinte minutos” (After lunch, I like to take a twenty-minute nap).

20. Sobremesa

Meaning: time spent chatting after lunch.

Sobremesa is another very characteristic element of Spanish culture. It can be translated as “table talk” or “after-dinner conversation.”

Example: “Nos quedamos una hora de sobremesa hablando” (We stayed for an hour chatting after lunch).

21. Tocayo/Tocaya

Meaning: a person who shares the same name as another. A possible English translation for tocayo could be “namesake.”

Example: “Juan es mi tocayo” (Juan is my namesake).

22. Trasnochar

Meaning: to stay up all night.

This verb is mainly used when going out partying and having to get up early the next day, or when staying awake all night doing some activity. A possible translation would be “to stay up all night.”

Example: “Trasnoché estudiando para el examen” (I stayed up all night studying for the exam).

23. Tutear

Meaning: to address someone using “tú” instead of “usted”.

In Spain, it is very common to address people informally using the pronoun “tú,” and to use “usted” when speaking to older people or when you want to speak formally with someone. However, in Latin America, it is common to use usted in both formal and informal situations. A rough translation into English is “to address someone informally.”

Example: “En esta empresa todos se tutean” (At this company, everyone is on a first-name basis).

24. Tuerto

Meaning: a person who has only one eye or cannot see out of one. A possible translation into English is “one-eyed.”

Example: “El pirata era tuerto y llevaba un parche” (The pirate was one-eyed and wore an eye patch).

25. Vergüenza ajena

Meaning: a feeling of embarrassment caused by another person’s actions or words.

Rather than a single word, it would be a phrase; in English it would be something like “make you cringe” or “feel embarrassed for somebody.”

Example: “Ese programa me da mucha vergüenza ajena” (That show makes me feel so embarrassed for them).

Why do some Spanish words lack an exact translation?

Words reflect a society’s culture and customs. That’s why many Spanish expressions describe very specific daily habits, emotions, or family relationships that don’t exist in quite the same way in English.

Learning these words expands your vocabulary and helps you better understand Spanish culture and the way Spanish speakers think. If you’re learning the language, discovering all this vocabulary is a fun way to understand why Spanish is one of the most expressive languages in the world.