Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gángster | /ˈɡansteɾ/ | masculine |
| pandillero | /pandiˈʝeɾo/ | masculine |
| marero | /maˈɾeɾo/ | masculine |
| gánster | /ɡansteɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, alternative form |
| jomboy | /xomboi/ (from spelling rules) | El Salvador, US, common gender |
| pandillista | /pandiʝista/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, masculine |
While gángster is often used when referring to organized crime or cinematic archetypes, other terms like pandillero are more common for members of local street gangs.
Which one should you use?
gángster and its alternative spelling gánster typically evoke the idea of organized crime or the classic movie archetype. In contrast, pandillero is the more common term for a member of a local street gang. For very specific regions, other terms are preferred: marero is used in Central America and jomboy is a slang term used in El Salvador and within Salvadoran communities in the US.
Is it said differently in some regions?
marero is a term specifically used in Central American countries, such as El Salvador, to refer to gang members. jomboy is a slang term used in El Salvador and among Salvadoran communities in the US. malandro is used mainly in Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
pandillista is a common-gender noun, which means it can refer to either a male or female gang member depending on whether you use the masculine or feminine article (el pandillista or la pandillista).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡansteɾ/
Did you know?
- While pandilla means 'gang' in the context of crime, it can also simply mean a 'group of friends' in many Spanish-speaking countries.
- In some regions, malandro is used not just for gang members but to describe anyone who is street-smart or has a 'shady' way of acting.
- The Spanish spelling gángster requires an accent on the 'a' to ensure the stress remains on the correct syllable, following Spanish phonetic rules.
Examples in context
- Un gánster no haría eso. Este es un atraco de poca monta.A gangster wouldn't do that. This heist is small-time.This sentence shows how to use the alternative spelling gánster.Tatoeba #13457562 by Seael, translation #13457402 by Myrano_
- El valiente echó un vistazo al gángster con odio y desprecio.The bold man glanced at the gangster with hatred and contempt.This sentence demonstrates the use of gángster.Tatoeba #5135652 by albrusgher, translation #19175 by Duck
- una película de gángstersA gangster film/movieThis sentence shows how to use gángster when referring to a genre of film.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are discussing a crime movie they just watched.
- AlejandroEl protagonista es un gángster muy peligroso.The protagonist is a very dangerous gangster.
- LucíaSí, pero parece que tiene un buen corazón.Yes, but he seems to have a good heart.
- AlejandroNingún gángster tiene un corazón bueno, Lucía.No gangster has a good heart, Lucía.
- LucíaSolo es una película, Alejandro.It is only a movie, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gangster” translations and entries gángster, pandillero, marero, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
