What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of un poco (a little) and loco (crazy).
Which one should you use?
While un poco loco is the standard, you might use Un tanto excéntrico/a to refer to someone who is slightly eccentric or unconventional. For more informal contexts, Un poco chiflado/a can be used to mean slightly crazy or nutty and Medio pirado/a can be used to suggest someone is half-crazy or a bit bonkers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may hear Un poco chalado/a to convey that someone is a little crazy or off-center or the colloquial Un pelín loco/a, which uses pelín to mean "a little". In Mexico, the phrase Medio loco/a is a popular way to say someone is kind of crazy or a bit mad.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree with the gender and number of the person or people being described. Use un poco loca if the person is female, and un poco locos for a group of men or a mixed-gender group. If the group consists only of females, use un poco locas.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, loco may have roots in Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina.
- While loco is often a lighthearted or romantic descriptor in songs and films, calling someone loco in a formal Spanish setting can be seen as a serious insult.
- In Spain, the phrase un pelín loco uses the word pelín, which is a diminutive related to the word for 'skin'.
Examples in context
- Está un poco loco.He's a little crazy.This sentence is useful for describing a third-person male subject using un poco loco.Tatoeba #4798089 by Shishir, translation #4798662 by cairnhead
- Estoy un poco loco.I'm a little crazy.This sentence is useful for describing oneself using un poco loco.Tatoeba #656868 by Shishir, translation #656809 by janmato
- A nuestra manera, todos estamos un poco locos.In our own way, we're all a little crazy.This sentence is useful for describing a group using un poco locos.Tatoeba #11501111 by adaycito, translation #12207668 by Miktsoanit
- ¿Viste a Santiago? ¡Está medio pirado!Have you seen Santiago? He's a bit crazy!
- Julia es un cachito de loca, siempre sorprende con sus locuras.Julia is a little bit crazy, she always surprises us with her craziness.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing a friend's wild idea for a party.
- MateoEse plan es un poco loco, ¿no?That plan is a little crazy, isn't it?
- ElenaSí, pero es muy divertido.Yes, but it is very fun.
- MateoÉl siempre está un poco loco con sus ideas.He is always a little crazy with his ideas.
- ElenaLo sé, pero lo queremos así.I know, but we love him that way.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries loco, poco, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
