Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| jerga | /ˈxeɾɡa/ | feminine |
| argot | /aɾˈɡot/ | masculine |
| germanía | /xeɾmaˈnia/ | feminine |
| replana | /replana/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The terms in this pack refer to unconventional or specialized language. While jerga is a general term for both social slang and professional jargon, other forms like argot are more specific to specialized vocabulary.
Which one should you use?
jerga is the most common and neutral term for slang in Spanish. argot is a more formal term that often refers specifically to the specialized jargon used by a particular profession or group.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Central Mexico, certain words function as slang: chilango refers to someone from Mexico City and chamba means work or a job. Additionally, several words are used as informal slang in Mexico: chido and padre both mean cool, great or awesome. güey means dude, buddy or friend (though it can also be used negatively). And neta means truth or 'for real'.
How does it change in a sentence?
jerga is a feminine noun. argot is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxeɾɡa/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word jerga is a doublet, meaning it has two completely different origins. One root relates to the chatter of birds and another relates to a type of fabric called 'serge'.
- While jerga is the standard term for slang, the word jerigonza is often used to describe a way of speaking that is intentionally confusing or nonsensical.
- The term replana refers to a very specific, old-fashioned type of slang used by certain social groups in Spain.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo es el problema y el conflicto? es un ejemplo de una oración usando la jerga de rimado de Cockney."How's the trouble and strife?" is an example of a sentence using Cockney rhyming slang.This sentence shows how the term jerga is used to describe a specific type of slang.Tatoeba #5273466 by albrusgher, translation #4251092 by patgfisher
- ¿Cómo es el problema y el conflicto? es un ejemplo de una oración usando la jerga de rimado de Cockney. Significa ¿Cómo está tu mujer?"How's the trouble and strife?" is an example of a sentence using Cockney rhyming slang. It means "How's your wife?"This sentence provides a translation of a phrase used within a specific type of jerga.Tatoeba #5273469 by albrusgher, translation #4251760 by patgfisher
- Debido a que los blogs chinos usan un montón de jerga, no suelo entenderlos tan bien, pero aún así pienso que es bueno para mi aprendizaje de chino.Because Chinese blogs use a lot of slang, I usually don't understand them that well, but I still think it's good for my Chinese.This sentence illustrates the use of jerga when discussing the difficulty of understanding slang in other languages.Tatoeba #1754507 by teskmon, translation #899129 by eastasiastudent
- ¡Esa fiesta estuvo muy chida!That party was awesome!
- Oye güey, ¿qué onda?Hey dude, what's up?
- ¡Qué padre está tu carro nuevo!Your new car looks great!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing a book they are reading.
- LucíaNo entiendo bien este libro.I don't understand this book well.
- MateoEs que utiliza mucha jerga.It's just that it uses a lot of slang.
- Lucía¿La jerga es muy difícil?Is the slang very difficult?
- MateoSí, es muy poco común.Yes, it is very uncommon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slang” translations and entries jerga, argot, germanía, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries argot, germanía, jerga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
