15 SPANISH WORDS THAT HAVE DOUBLE MEANINGS!

So if it's one thing I've been learning about living in Madrid is that so many words have different meanings depending on the context. I'm talking about everyday words that you might hear or use, where in one situation the dictionary meaning of the word applies and in another it can mean a whole next thing. So here I have listed some of  the most common Spanish words that hold both a "textbook" and "colloquial" meaning.



1. PASTA

This is "pasta"

This is also "pasta"

So you know, pasta can be...pasta to eat or pasta as in money. Maybe tonight I feel like eating pasta but I don't have pasta.....get it? Hahaha stop me please😓


2. PAVO

This is "pavo"

This is also "pavo"

So just like pasta, pavo can mean turkey or in a colloquial sense, money. Something can cost 50 pavos, 100 pavos..1000 pavos...you get the idea.


3. POLVO

This is "polvo"

This is also "polvo"

Polvo literally means dust or powder but colloquially it can refer to sex.


4. HOSTIA

This is "hostia"

This is also "hostia"

Hostia refers to the bread that you receive at communion in church but it is commonly used as an interjection similar to "damn!" in English.


5. FRIT@

This is "frito"

This is also "frito"

Frito directly translates to fried but you can use it to mean annoyed or fed up.


6.PERRA & ZORRA

This is a "zorra" and a "perra"

This can also be a "perra" and a "zorra"


Perra literally means female dog and zorra means female fox but both can be colloquially used to mean..you guessed it, bitch!


7. LECHE

This is "leche"

This is also "la leche"

Ok let me explain, leche literally means milk but in Spain they have tons of expressions using the word leche and depending on the context or the intonation, it can hold a positive or negative connotation. Something can be la leche, super awesome or la leche meaning super awful.


8. MON@

This is a "mono"

This baby is also very "mono"

Mono translates to monkey but they often use mono to describe someone or something as cute or adorable.


9.  CAMELLO 

This is a "camello"

This is also a "camello"

Camello means camel but can also refers to someone who sells drugs (usually in small quantities) but you get the idea.😅


10. TRONC@

This is a "tronco"

These can also be your "troncos"

Tronco can refer to a tree trunk or your torso but is also used colloquially as a means to address your friends, roughly translates to mate.


11. PELAD@

This is "pelado"

This woman is also "pelada"

Pelado literally translates to peeled but can also be used to mean broke or without money.


12. CAÑA

This is a "caña"

This is also a "caña"

Caña can refer to a fishing rod but more commonly known in Spain as a small beer.


13. TORTA

This is an example of a "torta"

This is also an example of a "torta"

Torta can refer to a type of pastry, depending on where you go it can be like a tart or a cake but if someones "te pega una torta (o un tortazo) it usually refers to a slap in the face. 


14. TACOS

These are "tacos"

These are also "tacos"

Tacos can literally refer to the Mexican food or obscene words and language. 


15. CAPULLO

This is an example of a "capullo"

This is also an example of a "capullo"

Capullo literally means cocoon but is more often used to call someone an asshole.