gánster
/ɡansteɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase gangsta is translated into Spanish as gánster.
The term refers to a member of a criminal organization or a gang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the informal term Banda is used to refer to a group of individuals associated with criminal activities. In Venezuela, the slang term Malandro describes a person involved in street crimes. In Spain, the informal term Matón is used to describe a tough or aggressive person associated with gang activities.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of gánster is gánsteres.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡansteɾ/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking Caribbean cultures, the term malandro can be used as a compliment to describe someone who is street-smart or particularly savvy.
- Because gánster is a borrowed word from English, it is often seen as a more cinematic or 'Hollywood' term rather than a word used by people in actual street gang contexts.
- The word gánster is an official entry in the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary, meaning the Spanish language formally adopted the English word rather than inventing a new one.
Examples in context
- El barrio está lleno de malandrosThe neighborhood is full of gangstas
- Los pandilleros controlan estas callesThe gang members control these streets
- El tipo parece un matón de películaThe guy looks like a movie gangsta
- Ese hombre es un gánster peligroso.That man is a dangerous gangsta.
- El gánster huyó de la escena del crimen.The gangsta fled the crime scene.
- La policía arrestó al gánster ayer.The police arrested the gangsta yesterday.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are watching a crime movie.
- ElenaMira cómo actúa ese gánster.Look at how that gangster acts.
- JavierEs muy cruel con sus subordinados.He is very cruel to his subordinates.
- ElenaParece que tiene mucho poder.It seems like he has a lot of power.
- JavierSí, es el gánster más rico del cine.Yes, he is the richest gangster in the movie.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gánster, 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.
