enemigo
/eneˈmiɡo/
The English slang term 'opp' can be translated to Spanish as enemigo.
In a Spanish context, this term is used to refer to an enemy or a rival gang member.
How do you pronounce it?
/eneˈmiɡo/
Did you know?
- The word enemigo contains a linguistic twist: it is built from the Latin root amīcus, which means 'friend'. Essentially, the word for 'enemy' is constructed by adding a prefix that means 'not' to the word for 'friend'.
- In many urban Spanish-speaking environments, rather than using the literal term enemigo, people use the phrase la contra to refer to their 'opps'. This term literally translates to 'the against' and implies the opposing side of a conflict or game.
- Despite its harsh meaning, using enemigo in modern Spanish can be a playful joke between close friends, similar to calling someone your 'arch-nemesis'.
Examples in context
- El oponente planteó un argumento convincente en contra de la propuesta.The opponent presented a compelling argument against the proposal.
- Hablé con mi contrincante político sobre los puntos clave del debate.I spoke to my political adversary about the key points of the debate.
- Los equipos de fútbol Barcelona y Real Madrid son rivales acérrimos.The soccer teams Barcelona and Real Madrid are fierce rivals.
- En el debate, Juan se convirtió en mi rival. Nuestras ideas chocaban constantemente.In the debate, Juan became my rival, our ideas clashed constantly.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about someone they dislike.
- LucíaMira, ahí viene tu enemigo.Look, there comes your opp.
- AlejandroNo quiero hablar con él.I don't want to talk to him.
- LucíaMejor vámonos por otro camino.Better we go another way.
- AlejandroTienes razón, Alejandro no quiere problemas.You're right, Alejandro doesn't want problems.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry enemigo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enemigo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
