Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| esnob | /esˈnob/ | feminine, masculine |
| fresa | /ˈfɾesa/ | Mexico, feminine |
| pijo | /ˈpixo/ | masculine |
| siútico | /ˈsjutiko/ | masculine |
| snob | /esˈnob/ /ˈsnob/ |
feminine, masculine, alternative form |
A snob is a person who seeks to be a member of the upper classes. While esnob specifically refers to the character trait of social climbing or pretension, other terms may focus more on a person's perceived wealthy lifestyle and mannerisms.
Which one should you use?
esnob refers specifically to the character trait of social climbing or pretension, whereas terms like fresa or pijo often focus more on the person's perceived wealthy lifestyle and mannerisms.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
esnob is a neutral, standard term used in most Spanish-speaking contexts. For a more formal way to describe someone showing an arrogant and haughty attitude, you might use altanero/a. If you want to informally describe someone who is full of themselves or has an inflated ego, you can use engreído/a or use creído/a for someone with an exaggerated perception of their own importance.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, fresa is a common way to describe someone who is snobbish or belongs to a high social class. In Spain, pijo is a colloquial term used to describe someone who displays elitist behaviors. In Argentina and Uruguay, the term cheto/a is used to refer to someone who acts snobbishly or poshly.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of esnob is formed by adding -s, resulting in esnobs.
How do you pronounce it?
/esˈnob/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the colloquial term for a snob is pijo, which is derived from the word for 'penis'.
- The Spanish term for a snob in Mexico, fresa, is the same word used for a 'strawberry'.
Examples in context
- Roberto nunca saluda a la gente común, es muy altanero.Roberto never greets ordinary people, he is very snobbish.
- Estás tan fatua con tu nuevo coche, no puedes dejar de presumirlo.You're so snobby with your new car, you can't stop showing it off.
- Ana siempre se cree superior, es muy engreída.Ana always thinks she's superior, she's very snobbish.
- Mi vecino es tan creído, siempre mira a los demás por encima del hombro.My neighbor is so conceited, he always looks down on others.
- Ese hombre es un esnob.That man is a snob.
- Ella es una esnob muy famosa.She is a very famous snob.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking about a new coworker.
- AlejandroEl nuevo colega es un esnob total.The new colleague is a total snob.
- Lucía¿Por qué dices eso, Alejandro?Why do you say that, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSolo quiere hablar con los jefes.He only wants to talk to the bosses.
- LucíaQué mal, Lucía no le gustará.That's too bad, Lucía won't like him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snob” translations and entries esnob, fresa, pijo, siútico, snob, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esnob, fresa, pijo, siútico, CC BY-SA 4.0.
