Pepe
/ˈpepe/
Pepe is a common Spanish nickname for people named José.
Pepe is a hypocorism, or a pet name, used for individuals whose given name is José.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Argentina, someone named Pepe may be playfully referred to as Chepe.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpepe/
When do people say it?
In Spanish-speaking cultures, Pepe is a standard nickname for those named José.
Did you know?
- The nickname Pepe may have originated from the Latin abbreviation P.P, which stood for Pater Putativus or 'supposed father' when referring to Saint Joseph.
- In Spanish, Pepe is so synonymous with the name José that it is often used as a generic placeholder name in jokes or stories, similar to 'Joe' in English.
- While Pepe is for men, the feminine version Pepa is the standard nickname for women named Josefa or Josefina.
Examples in context
- ¿Has tenido novia alguna vez, Pepe?Have you ever had a girlfriend, Pepe?This sentence shows how to use Pepe when addressing someone directly in a question.Tatoeba #13954466 by Seael, translation #13960314 by araneo
- Pepe sentía que su vida se desmoronaba a sus pies.Pepe felt his life crumbling down at his feet.This sentence uses Pepe as the subject of the sentence.Tatoeba #1065121 by Shishir, translation #2096204 by marcelostockle
- Pepe y Juan encontraron el DVD más antiguo que se conoce.Pepe and Juan found the oldest DVD known.This sentence uses Pepe alongside another name in a list of subjects.Tatoeba #10223830 by Seael, translation #10224867 by espamatics
- ¡Hola, Pepe! ¿Cómo estás?Hi, Pepe! How are you?
- ¿Has visto a Pepe hoy?Have you seen Pepe today?
- Conozco a Pepe desde la infancia.I've known Pepe since childhood.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are meeting a mutual friend at a cafe.
- AlejandroHola, ¿viene Pepe pronto?Hi, is Pepe coming soon?
- LucíaSí, Pepe me dijo que estaba cerca.Yes, Pepe told me he was nearby.
- AlejandroQué bueno, ya tengo hambre.That's good, I'm already hungry.
- LucíaTranquilo, Alejandro, ya casi llega.Relax, Alejandro, he's almost here.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Pepe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pepe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
