macho
/ˈmat͡ʃo/
The Spanish word macho means manly or tough.
In general terms, macho describes someone who is manly or tough. It can be used in a positive sense to denote strength, but it is frequently used pejoratively to describe behavior that is aggressively or stereotypically masculine. Additionally, in biological contexts, macho is used to mean 'male', such as when referring to a male animal.
Meaning: manly, tough (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes gender and number to agree with the noun it describes. Use the feminine form macha when describing a female, and the masculine plural form machos for a group of males or a mixed group. For a group of females, use the feminine plural form machas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmatʃo/
Did you know?
- While it describes masculinity, the word macho may actually share a linguistic ancestor with the word for a 'hammer' or a 'club'.
- Even though it sounds like a compliment, calling a man macho in many Spanish-speaking cultures can actually be a sarcastic way to mock his fragility or his attempt to act tough.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, macho specifically identifies a male animal kept for breeding purposes.
Examples in context
- Salir a tomar con sus cuates le hace sentir macho.Going out drinking with the guys makes him feel macho.This sentence shows how the word macho can describe how a person feels.Tatoeba #693410 by darinmex, translation #693409 by darinmex
- Él se siente muy macho en el gimnasio.He feels very manly at the gym.
- Ese es un hombre muy macho.That is a very tough man.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are watching an action movie at home.
- Daniel¿No crees que el protagonista es muy macho?Don't you think the protagonist is very tough?
- ElenaSí, Daniel, es un personaje muy macho.Yes, Daniel, he is a very manly character.
- DanielA mí me encanta ese tipo de películas.I love those kinds of movies.
- ElenaA mí no me convencen tanto.I am not so convinced by them.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry macho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries macho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
