Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| coger | /koˈxeɾ/ |
| pillar cacho | /piʝaɾ kat͡ʃo/ (from spelling rules) |
The phrase refers to having a casual sexual experience with another person, typically without the intention of a future relationship.
Which one should you use?
While coger is used for the sexual act, ligar is an informal term used for flirting or attempting to engage in a romantic or sexual encounter.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term coger is considered vulgar. In contrast, ligar is an informal term used for flirting.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In most of Latin America, coger is a vulgar slang term for sexual intercourse. This differs from its use in Spain, where it primarily means 'to grab' or 'to take'.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈxeɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should avoid using coger to mean 'to grab' or 'to pick up' when speaking to people in Mexico or other parts of Latin America, as it will be interpreted as a sexual term.
Did you know?
- The English word 'college' is a distant relative of the Spanish coger. Both derive from the Latin 'colligere', which meant 'to collect' or 'to gather' things together.
- In many Latin American countries, telling someone to coger a bus or a taxi is a massive social blunder. In these regions, the verb is so strongly associated with sexual intercourse that the phrase sounds incredibly crude.
Examples in context
- Ana y Pedro se enrollaron en la fiesta de anoche.Ana and Pedro hooked up at last night's party.
- No busco una relación, solo quiero coger.I am not looking for a relationship, I just want to hook up.
- Ella solo quiere coger con desconocidos.She only wants to hook up with strangers.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a recent party.
- AlejandroVi que Elena estaba hablando con ese chico.I saw that Elena was talking to that guy.
- ElenaSí, creo que terminaron por coger.Yes, I think they ended up hooking up.
- Alejandro¿En serio? ¿Van a salir ahora?Really? Are they going to date now?
- ElenaNo, solo fue cosa de una noche.No, it was just a one-night thing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hook up” translations and entries coger, pillar cacho, 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 cacho, coger, pillar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
