Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| perrear | /pereˈaɾ/ |
| sandunguear | /sandunɡeˈaɾ/ |
| twerkear | /tweɾkeˈaɾ/ |
The term refers to taking part in twerking, a sexually provocative dance. In a musical context, perrear specifically refers to dancing to reggaeton music, while Hacer el twerk is a general informal way to say "to do twerk".
Which one should you use?
Twerkear is a direct loanword from English, whereas perrear is a culturally rooted slang term used heavily in the context of reggaeton and urban music. Sandunguear is a synonym for perrear that can imply a more rhythmic style of dancing to urban beats, sometimes with a salsa-influenced or Caribbean feel.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Twerkear is a Spanglish loanword used primarily by younger generations or in very informal settings. Perrear is a slang term, and Hacer el twerk is also considered an informal expression.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, perrear is more commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form for the act of twerking or the specific dance style associated with the verb perrear is perreo.
How do you pronounce it?
/pereˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word perrear literally means 'to act like a dog'.
- The term sandunga in sandunguear refers to a specific kind of grace, charm or rhythmic swing in Afro-Caribbean culture.
- Depending on the country, perrear can be viewed as a celebratory dance or a highly taboo activity that can lead to confrontations in public spaces.
Examples in context
- Me encanta perrear en las fiestas con mis amigas.I love twerking at parties with my friends.
- Ayer, en la clase de baile, aprendimos a mover el trasero al ritmo de la música.Yesterday, in dance class, we learned how to move our backside to the rhythm of the music.
- ¿Has visto ese video de chicas haciendo el twerk? Es impresionante.Have you seen that video of girls doing twerk? It's impressive.
- Ella quiere perrear en la fiesta.She wants to twerk at the party.
- Nosotros vamos a perrear con esta canción.We are going to twerk to this song.
- No puedo dejar de perrear cuando suena reggaetón.I can't stop twerking when reggaetón plays.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are at a loud nightclub.
- Alejandro¡María, vamos a la pista a perrear!María, let's go to the dance floor to twerk!
- María¡Sí! El ritmo está increíble.Yes! The rhythm is incredible.
- AlejandroTú sabes que te encanta perrear.You know that you love to twerk.
- MaríaEs verdad, ¡vamos!It's true, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twerk” translations and entries perrear, sandunguear, twerkear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perrear, sandunguear, twerkear, CC BY-SA 4.0.
