Diseño del blog

11 october 2022

Ana del Río

Spanish slang about love

Many of our students have decided to study Spanish because they are in love -estar enamorado, or in slang, estar pillado- with a Spanish speaker, and since at Río Spanish School we always try to adapt to the needs of our students, we have designed a didactic unit on street talk in Spanish, which includes a lots of expressions about love. In this way, our students will sound more natural when talking about their relationships, especially if they are young.

1. Terms of endearment: how to call your crush?


We have multiple options and each couple chooses those names they prefer. Perhaps one of the most common is cariño which can be translated as honey and its abbreviation, cari, but we have something for all tastes:


Mi amor-my love or simply amor (and its derivatives, amorcito, amorín...), corazón-heart, churri, cuchi, cosa-thing (cosita - little thing), vida-life, gordi-fatty, bicho-bug (bichito, bichi), peque-small…


- Cari, ¿te apetece una cenita romántica?

- Claro que sí, mi amor.


2. Pillarse por alguien - To fall for somebody


But before a relationship begins, there is the moment of falling in love, enamorarse,  or colloquially, pillarse por alguien.


- ¿Te gusta mucho Felipe, eh?

- Sí, estoy pilladísima.

3. Liarse con alguien - Get involve with somebody


If you are lucky and you are reciprocated, maybe the time for physical contact will come with that special person.


- Tía, tengo que contarte una cosa. Ayer después de la fiesta, me lie con Marta.

- ¿En serio? ¡Me alegro por vosotras!


4. Hacer la cobra a alguien - Reject a kiss


But perhaps, you are not so lucky and someone rejects you, that is, hacer la cobra. This expression refers to the gesture of this animal, such as when we suddenly back down to avoid an unwanted kiss.


- Creí que la cita había ido muy bien, pero al final Carlos me hizo la cobra.

- Bueno, ya encontrarás a alguien que esté interesado en ti.

5. Pasar de alguien - To take no notice of


It can also happen that things don't go very well and that in the end, the person you like so much ends up ignoring you, that is, pasar de alguien.


- ¿No vas a ver a Juan hoy?

- No… Lleva pasando de mí dos semanas.


6. Cortar con alguien - Break up with someone


If that person was definitely not what you thought you were and you no longer want to spend time with them, you will have to make the decision to end the relationship.


- ¿Qué te pasa? Te veo un poco triste.

- Ya… Es que Marcos ha cortado conmigo. 


Do you know any other expression related to love? Write it in comments!


If you are a Spanish teacher and you want your students to learn how to talk about being late in Spanish, check out our lastest teaching materials available in our shop:

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