blasfemia
/blasˈfemja/feminine
The English phrase "blasphemy" is translated into Spanish as blasfemia.
blasfemia refers to irreverence toward something sacred, such as the abusive use of God's name.
Meaning: irreverence toward something sacred (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression ¡Hostia! can be considered vulgar and carries strong blasphemous undertones.
How does it change in a sentence?
blasfemia is a feminine noun. Its plural form is blasfemias.
How do you pronounce it?
/blasˈfemja/
When do people say it?
While blasfemia is the noun for the concept, speakers often use other phrases to express frustration. For example, ¡Maldita sea! is used to say "Damn it!" to express anger and ¡Por todos los santos! literally means "For all the saints!"
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, blasfemia can be used figuratively to describe a culinary disaster, such as putting pineapple on a traditional dish.
- Until 1953, blasfemia was a crime in Spain and could result in imprisonment for those who insulted the Catholic faith.
- The Greek root of blasfemia originally meant 'slander' or 'speaking ill of someone', not just religious irreverence.
Examples in context
- La blasfemia es un crimen sin víctima.Blasphemy is a victimless crime.Tatoeba #3249476 by SemperAutumnus, translation #3249475 by shekitten
- ¿Yo? ¿Alentarte a trabajar? ¡Blasfemia!Me? Encourage you to work? Blasphemy!This sentence shows how blasfemia can be used as an exclamation.Tatoeba #1400916 by marcelostockle, translation #1400913 by liori
- «¿Novelas? Odio las novelas.» Oh, musa, perdona su blasfemia."Novels? I hate novels." Oh muse, forgive her blasphemy.Tatoeba #1244880 by Shishir, translation #1244851 by Scott
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a museum, a man reacts to a controversial piece of art.
- Alejandro¡Esa obra es una blasfemia!That work is a blasphemy!
- LucíaNo seas tan radical, Alejandro.Don't be so radical, Alejandro.
- AlejandroEs una falta de respeto total.It is a total lack of respect.
- LucíaPara ti, todo es un insulto.To you, everything is an insult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blasphemy” translations and entries blasfemia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blasfemia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
