Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fumeta | /fumeta/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, masculine |
| marihuano | /maɾiˈwano/ | masculine |
| mariguano | /maɾiˈɡwano/ | masculine, alternative form |
| marihuanero | /maɾiwaˈneɾo/ | masculine |
| mariguanero | /maɾiɡwaˈneɾo/ | masculine, alternative form |
| fumanchero | /fumant͡ʃeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| porreta | /poˈreta/ | feminine |
All the terms provided are used to describe a person who smokes cannabis frequently.
Which one should you use?
While marihuano describes a cannabis user, fumeta is more colloquial and carries a stronger slang connotation similar to the English 'pothead'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term fumeta is highly informal slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the phrase fumanchero is used to refer to someone who smokes marijuana regularly. In Mexico, the term marihuanero is used to describe a pothead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The slang term fumeta can be used for both men and women. To make the slang term fumeta plural, add an 's' to get fumetas. The terms marihuano and mariguano are masculine. The term marihuanero and its alternative spelling mariguanero are also masculine. The term porreta is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/fumeta/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the term fumeta is used as a playful insult to describe someone who is daydreaming or acting spaced out, even if they are not actually using cannabis.
- While 'pothead' is often an insult, the slang term fumeta can actually be used as an affectionate nickname among close friends in certain Spanish-speaking social circles.
- While fumeta describes the person, the word fumada is often used to describe the state of being high or a conversation that makes no sense because the speakers are intoxicated.
Examples in context
- Pedro es un fumeta desde hace años.Pedro has been a pothead for years.
- Ese tipo es un fumeta.That guy is a pothead.
- No quiero juntarme con ese fumeta.I don't want to hang out with that pothead.
- Ella es una fumeta de cuidado.She is quite a pothead.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about a new neighbor.
- DanielMira al nuevo vecino, es un fumeta.Look at the new neighbor, he's a pothead.
- SofíaNo digas eso, Sofía no lo conoce.Don't say that, Sofía doesn't know him.
- DanielHuele a marihuana desde el pasillo.It smells like marijuana from the hallway.
- SofíaQuizás solo sea un fumeta ocasional.Maybe he's just an occasional pothead.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pothead” translations and entries fumeta, marihuano, mariguano, marihuanero, mariguanero, porreta, 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.
