rata
/ˈrata/
The English phrase "you rat" can be translated into Spanish as rata.
In Spanish, calling someone a rata is a common informal insult. It can describe a person who is a snitch, a traitor or someone who is particularly stingy or cheap.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express "You rat!" as an exclamation, you can simply say ¡Rata! or use the full sentence ¡Eres una rata! (You are a rat!).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrata/
Did you know?
- While the animal rata is feminine, you should never use the masculine form rato as an insult, as that word actually means 'a short while' or 'a moment'.
- The animal rata entered the Spanish language via Vulgar Latin from a Proto-Germanic source. Historically, it is unclear why the word became a feminine noun in Spanish.
- Even though the word refers to a rodent, which is masculine in many biological contexts, the insult is almost always used in the feminine form una rata regardless of the person's gender.
Examples in context
- Eres un chivato, amigo. No revelaré tu secreto esta vez, pero ten cuidado.You're a rat, my friend. I won't reveal your secret this time, but be careful.
- Eres un soplón, siempre le cuentas a los profesores todo lo que hacemos.You're a snitch, you always tell the teachers everything we do.
- ¡Eres una rata!You are a rat!
- No seas rata y devuelve el dinero.Don't be a rat and return the money.
Example conversation
María finds out that Alejandro stole her idea at work.
- María¡Eres una rata, Alejandro!You are a rat, Alejandro!
- AlejandroNo es cierto, María.That is not true, María.
- MaríaLe dijiste todo mi plan al jefe.You told the boss my whole plan.
- AlejandroLo siento, pero no pude evitarlo.I am sorry, but I couldn't help it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry rata, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
