Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| matón | /maˈton/ | masculine |
| macarra | /maˈkara/ | feminine, masculine |
A thug is someone who treats others violently or roughly. In informal contexts, matón can specifically refer to a hired thug, a bodyguard or an enforcer. It is also frequently used to describe a 'bully' in social or school settings.
Which one should you use?
While matón can mean a violent thug or a bully, macarra is an informal and often derogatory term used to describe a thug or someone with a low-life, street-tough attitude.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal situations, if you are referring to someone engaged in criminal activities, it is more appropriate to use the term 'criminal'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Spanish-speaking regions, the informal term pandillero is used to refer to a thug or gang member, a term that is particularly popular in Latin America. In Central America, especially in El Salvador, the term marero is often used for gang members. In Spain, the term quinqui is often used to describe young people involved in petty crime or criminal activities.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun matón can be changed to the feminine form matona to refer to a female thug.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈton/
Did you know?
- The word macarra comes from the French word maquereau, which means 'pimp'.
- While matón can be a bully, in certain Latin American contexts it can also refer to a professional hitman.
- In Spain, the term quinqui describes a specific subculture of street-tough youths and was popularized by a genre of 'quinqui cinema' in the 1970s and 80s.
Examples in context
- Cuando conocí a Sami, era un adolescente que se hacía el matón.When I first met Sami, he was a wannabe-thug teenager.This sentence shows the use of matón to describe a teenager acting like a thug.Tatoeba #7923193 by fpp, translation #6101451 by OsoHombre
- El pequeño matón pegó una paliza al empleado de la tienda 24 horas.The small thug beat up the convenience store employee.This sentence uses matón to describe someone committing a violent act.Tatoeba #5010007 by albrusgher, translation #917779 by Scott
- El matón enmascarado le disparó a la mujer que huía.The masked thug shot the fleeing woman.This sentence uses matón to describe a masked individual committing a crime.Tatoeba #13695038 by rul, translation #13693820 by rul
- El acusado es considerado un delincuente peligroso.The accused is considered a dangerous criminal.
- No debes meterte con los pandilleros de ese barrio.You shouldn't mess with the thugs from that neighborhood.
- No te acerques a él, trabaja como matón para un mafioso.Don't get close to him, he works as a thug for a mobster.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking in a cafe about a recent incident.
- Mateo¿Viste lo que hizo ese matón ayer?Did you see what that thug did yesterday?
- ElenaSí, fue un comportamiento muy violento.Yes, it was very violent behavior.
- MateoTengo mucho miedo de cruzar esa calle.I am very afraid to cross that street.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, Mateo, yo te acompaño.Don't worry, Mateo, I will go with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thug” translations and entries matón, macarra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries macarra, matón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
