Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| borracho | /boˈrat͡ʃo/ | |
| ebrio | /ˈebɾjo/ | |
| pedo | /ˈpedo/ | informal |
| tomado | /toˈmado/ | |
| beodo | /beˈodo/ | |
| embriagado | /embɾjaˈɡado/ | |
| bebido | /beˈbido/ | |
| alcoholizado | /alkooliˈθado/ /alkooliˈsado/ |
formal |
| escabiado | /eskaˈbjado/ | |
| escabio | /esˈkabjo/ | colloquial |
| wasca | Peru | |
| machashca | /mat͡ʃaska/ (from spelling rules) | Peru |
All these terms describe being intoxicated after consuming too much alcohol. The word borracho can function as an adjective to describe a person's state, or as a noun to describe a person who is a habitual drinker (a drunkard).
Which one should you use?
Ebrio, embriagado and alcoholizado are used for more serious or professional contexts, whereas pedo and escabio are slang. Bebido, beodo, tomado and escabiado are other ways to express intoxication.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Borracho is widely used in both formal and informal contexts. For highly formal, medical, legal or police contexts, use embriagado or alcoholizado. The term ebrio is also more formal than the standard borracho. On the other end of the spectrum, pedo is highly colloquial and can be considered vulgar depending on the region. Escabio is considered colloquial slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Peru, the slang terms wasca and machashca are used to describe someone who is drunk. In certain Latin American countries, the word curado is used to convey being drunk.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective, the form must agree in gender with the person being described (for example, borracho for a male and borracha for a female).
How do you pronounce it?
/boˈratʃo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When describing the state of being drunk, use the verb estar rather than ser.
Did you know?
- The slang word pedo actually originates from the Latin word for 'fart'.
- In some Latin American countries, the word curado is used to mean drunk. This is the same word used to describe 'cured' meat or someone who has been 'healed'.
- The word beodo is a very old-fashioned, literary way to describe someone who is intoxicated.
Examples in context
- Tom es un borracho.Tom is a drunk.This sentence shows how borracho can be used as a noun to mean a drunkard.Tatoeba #3371707 by marcelostockle, translation #2272791 by CK
- Nos pusimos en pedo.We got drunk together.This sentence shows how pedo is used to describe the state of getting drunk.Tatoeba #5035906 by don_ramon, translation #3312701 by CK
- Yo no estaba borracho.I was not drunk.This sentence shows the use of borracho as an adjective.Tatoeba #1156049 by marcelostockle, translation #1156060 by CK
- Está embriagado/aHe/she is drunk.
- Se encontraba muy beodo/aHe/she was very drunk.
- Estás borracho/a, amigo/aYou're drunk, my friend.
- 185 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are talking on the phone late at night.
- María¿Estás borracho, Daniel?Are you drunk, Daniel?
- DanielNo, solo bebí un poco de vino.No, I just drank a little wine.
- MaríaTe escucho muy borracho.You sound very drunk.
- DanielLo siento, María, me iré a dormir.I am sorry, María, I will go to sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries borracho, ebrio, pedo, tomado, beodo, embriagado, bebido, alcoholizado, escabiado, escabio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries borracho, ebrio, pedo, tomado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
