Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pícaro | /ˈpikaɾo/ | masculine |
| canalla | /kaˈnaʝa/ | feminine, masculine |
| granuja | /ɡɾaˈnuxa/ | feminine, masculine |
| bribón | /bɾiˈbon/ | masculine |
| truhan | /tɾuˈan/ (Central America, including, often) /ˈtɾwan/ (Central America) |
masculine |
| bellaco | /beˈʝako/ | masculine |
| verraco | /beˈrako/ | masculine |
| chantapufi | /t͡ʃantapufi/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, masculine |
| tuno | /ˈtuno/ | masculine |
These terms describe a person who is unprincipled, deceitful, unreliable or a scoundrel.
Which one should you use?
While pícaro can mean a rogue, it often carries a literary connotation referring to the 'picaresque' archetype of a clever, low-born protagonist in Spanish literature. In contrast, canalla is more strongly derogatory and insulting than the more playful pícaro. The term vividor or vividora specifically describes someone who enjoys life and takes advantage of opportunities, often at the expense of others.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Canalla is a colloquial and derogatory term. Chanta and chantapufi are colloquial terms.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, chanta is a common colloquial way to describe a person who is a rogue, a fraud or someone who talks a lot but lacks substance.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The words canalla and granuja are invariable nouns, meaning they remain the same regardless of whether you are referring to a man or a woman. The word vividor is masculine, while its feminine form is vividora. The word pilla is the feminine form of pillo and is used to mean a rogue or trickster.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpikaɾo/
Did you know?
- The term verraco is used to describe a rogue, but it literally means 'boar'.
- The word tuno refers to a specific kind of rogue: historically, these were university students in Spain who lived by their wits and played music in the streets.
- While canalla is a harsh insult for a rogue, in the world of flamenco, a canalla can be someone with a rebellious, authentic, and soulful spirit.
Examples in context
- A finales del siglo 20, Yugoslavia era considerado un estado canalla por los Estados Unidos.In the late 20th century, Yugoslavia was considered a rogue state by the United States.This sentence shows the use of canalla in a political context to describe a rogue state.Tatoeba #3274564 by cueyayotl, translation #814552 by U2FS
- Soy un pícaro y Tom es un paladín.I'm a rogue and Tom is a paladin.This sentence uses pícaro to describe a character archetype.Tatoeba #13831843 by rul, translation #13708073 by rul
- El pícaro de la oficina siempre encuentra una manera de evitar el trabajo.The rogue of the office always finds a way to avoid work.
- La pícara de mi hermana siempre sabe cómo salirse con la suya.My sister, the rogue, always knows how to get away with things.
- El político resultó ser un granuja que engañó a la población.The politician turned out to be a rogue who deceived the population.
- La malandrina se ganó mala reputación por sus travesuras en el colegio.The female rogue earned a bad reputation for her mischief at school.
- ¡Eres un pillo! Siempre logras salirte con la tuya.You're such a rogue! You always manage to get away with it.
- Ella es una tramposa, siempre busca la manera de obtener ventajas injustas.She is a rogue, always looking for ways to gain unfair advantages.
- Ese hombre es un pícaro que engaña a todos.That man is a rogue who deceives everyone.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking about a deceitful neighbor.
- DanielLucía, ten cuidado con el vecino nuevo.Lucía, be careful with the new neighbor.
- Lucía¿Por qué dices eso, Daniel?Why do you say that, Daniel?
- DanielPorque es un pícaro que engaña a todos.Because he is a rogue who tricks everyone.
- LucíaGracias por avisarme, tendré mucho cuidado.Thanks for warning me, I will be very careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rogue” translations and entries pícaro, canalla, granuja, bribón, truhan, bellaco, verraco, tuno, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
