How to Say “Boogeyman” in Spanish

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el coco
/el koko/from spelling rules
The English phrase boogeyman is translated into Spanish as el coco.
el coco refers to an imaginary monster used by adults to frighten children into behaving. It is also commonly used in a metaphorical sense to refer to a person or thing that causes fear or anxiety, similar to how English speakers use the term 'the boogeyman'.

Which one should you use?

el cuco serves as an alternative way to say boogeyman.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Mexico, the boogeyman is referred to as El Cucuy.

How does it change in a sentence?

Because coco is a masculine noun, any adjectives used to describe it must also be in the masculine form, such as el coco malo (the bad boogeyman).

Did you know?

  • In colloquial Spanish, the phrase comerse el coco means to obsess over something or to overthink a problem.
  • The word coco is the same word Spanish speakers use for 'coconut'.
  • The word coco relates to the human skull because of the visual resemblance between a coconut and a grinning face.

Examples in context

  • Cuando era niño, temía que el hombre del saco me llevara si no me portaba bien.
    When I was a child, I feared that the boogeyman would take me away if I didn't behave.
  • No tengas miedo del coco, solo es una historia para asustar a los niños.
    Don't be afraid of the boogeyman, it's just a story to scare children.
  • ¡Si no te duermes, vendrá el coco!
    If you don't go to sleep, the boogeyman will come!
  • Le dije que el coco vendría si no comía.
    I told him the boogeyman would come if he didn't eat.
  • Ese cuento sobre el coco es muy aterrador.
    That story about the boogeyman is very scary.

Example conversation

A mother is trying to get her son to go to sleep.

  1. María

    ¡Duérmete ya o vendrá el coco!
    Go to sleep now or the boogeyman will come!
  2. Mateo

    No quiero que el coco me lleve.
    I don't want the boogeyman to take me.
  3. María

    No te preocupes, Mateo, no existe.
    Don't worry, Mateo, he doesn't exist.
  4. Mateo

    Está bien, mamá, ya me duermo.
    Okay, mom, I'm going to sleep now.

Sources

  • IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries coco, el, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Liam Edgar
Liam EdgarHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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