Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cani | /ˈkani/ | masculine |
| flaite | /ˈflaite/ | Chile, masculine, slang |
| poligonero | /poliɡoˈneɾo/ | masculine |
The term refers to a youth from a working-class background, aggressive with poor education (noun).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cani is a derogatory slang term used to stereotype youths from working-class backgrounds. If you need a formal alternative, you can use joven marginal, which means 'marginalized youth'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, cani is often used to describe individuals who resemble the characteristics associated with 'chavs' and poligonero is also used in Spain to refer to someone who hangs out in industrial estates (polígonos) and is often associated with delinquency. In Chile, the term flaite is used to describe a person from a lower social stratum with a perceived lack of manners or education. In some Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, naco is a popular term used to describe someone who displays similar behavior and attributes to a 'chav'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural forms are canis for cani, flaites for flaite and poligoneros for poligonero.
How do you pronounce it?
cani is pronounced /ˈkani/.
Did you know?
- The Spanish term cani is a shortened version of the word canijo, which originally meant 'little wretch' or 'tiny person'.
- In Mexico, the term naco functions similarly to 'chav', but it often focuses more on a perceived lack of taste or 'tackiness' than just aggressive behavior.
- The term poligonero uses the suffix '-ero', which is commonly used in Spanish to denote a person's profession, such as 'panadero' for 'baker'.
Examples in context
- Sí, en España los llamaríamos "canis".Yes, in Spain we would call them "canis."
- Ese cani no me gusta nada.I don't like that chav at all.
- Vi a un cani en el parque.I saw a chav in the park.
- No te acerques a ese cani.Don't go near that chav.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are watching people from a café window.
- AlejandroMira a ese cani de allí.Look at that chav over there.
- ElenaEs un cani muy agresivo.He is a very aggressive chav.
- AlejandroParece que no tiene estudios.He looks like he has no education.
- ElenaMejor no le hagamos caso.Better if we just ignore him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chav” translations and entries cani, flaite, poligonero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cani, poligonero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
