contestón
/konteston/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the English phrase 'talking back' is expressed by the word contestón.
The term refers to someone who responds to a person in authority in a rude or disrespectful way. To describe someone who habitually engages in this behavior, you can use the phrase ser un contestón (to be a backtalker).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective contestón becomes contestonas when referring to a group of females.
How do you pronounce it?
/konteston/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a child contestón is not just a critique of their rudeness but a commentary on their lack of respeto, a core cultural value that demands a specific type of silence toward elders.
- The suffix -ón transforms the neutral verb contestar into a word that describes a personality trait. In Spanish, this suffix often creates 'augmentatives' that can turn a simple action into a negative or exaggerated character flaw.
- While contestar usually just means 'to answer', using it as a command like ¡No me contestes! specifically means 'Don't talk back to me'.
Examples in context
- El estudiante contestó de forma desafiante cuando le pidieron que justificara su ausencia.The student responded defiantly when asked to justify his absence.
- La empleada respondió con insolencia al ser reprendida por llegar tarde al trabajo.The employee responded insolently when reprimanded for arriving late to work.
- Mi hermano siempre contesta de manera altanera cuando le pido ayuda.My brother always talks back with a haughty attitude when I ask for his help.
- No seas tan contestón con tus profesores.Don't be so disrespectful to your teachers.
- Ese niño es un contestón.That boy talks back a lot.
- Me castigaron por ser contestón con mi padre.I was punished for talking back to my father.
Example conversation
A mother is scolding her son about his behavior at school.
- JavierJavier, ¿por qué fuiste tan contestón hoy?Javier, why were you so disrespectful today?
- MaríaLo siento, mamá, no quería ser grosero.I'm sorry, mom, I didn't want to be rude.
- JavierTu profesora dice que eres un contestón.Your teacher says you talk back a lot.
- MaríaPrometo que no volverá a pasar.I promise it won't happen again.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
