Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gomelo | /ɡomelo/ (from spelling rules) | Colombia, masculine |
| jailón | /xailon/ (from spelling rules) | Bolivia, masculine |
| jevito | /xebito/ (from spelling rules) | Dominican Republic, masculine |
The terms used to describe a preppy person often imply someone of high social standing, a privileged background or someone who is well-dressed and posh. For example, you can use the informal phrase Estilo pijo to describe a preppy style of dress.
Which one should you use?
The different terms available are highly dependent on the specific country you are in, as shown in the regional section.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Depending on the region, you should use different words: gomelo is used in Colombia to describe a person of high social standing. jailón is the equivalent in Bolivia for a wealthy or preppy person. And jevito is used in the Dominican Republic to refer to a young man from a privileged background.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form gomelo changes to the feminine form gomela when referring to a female student.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡomelo/
Did you know?
- If you use the word pijo in Spain to describe a 'preppy' person, you are using a term that can also be used as a vulgar slang word in other Spanish-speaking countries.
- The Dominican term jevito is a diminutive form of jefe, which means 'boss'. It creates a playful or slightly mocking way to call someone a 'little boss' due to their privilege.
- In Spanish, words like pijo or gomelo can be used as adjectives to describe objects, such as a carro gomelo, meaning a car that looks expensive and posh.
Examples in context
- Juan tiene un estilo pijo muy definido. Siempre lleva prendas caras y elegantes.Juan has a very defined preppy style, he always wears expensive and elegant clothes.
- Ese chico es un gomelo de pura cepa.That boy is a true preppy.
- No me gusta hablar con un gomelo.I don't like talking to a preppy.
- Él siempre fue un gomelo en el colegio.He was always a preppy in school.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking about a former classmate at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Te acuerdas de aquel gomelo de la clase de física?Do you remember that preppy from physics class?
- SofíaSí, era un gomelo muy presumido.Yes, he was a very boastful preppy.
- AlejandroÉl siempre vestía ropa muy cara.He always wore very expensive clothes.
- SofíaEs cierto, Alejandro, era muy diferente a nosotros.That's true, Alejandro, he was very different from us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “preppy” translations, 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.
