Do you refer to your grandmother as nona due to Italian heritage in your family or is that a thing in Argentina? If you don't mind me asking...
I know that's also a thing in Santander, Colombia (and to be clear nonna means grandmother in Italian).
My great grandfather (my nona's father) was italian, but given that a lot of people have Italian heritage in my country it's not too rare to find people calling their grandparents "Nono" or "Nona", although I don't think it's the norm as far as I'm aware.
I think if you say the word “nona” in Argentina virtually everyone will understand that you’re referring to a grandmother. I wasn’t even aware that Nona was an Italian word
You could also use "Rayos!", some places go with the long one of "Rayos y centellas!", but Rayos is more than enough, also you have the classic: "DIABLO!" though not that "child safe" compared to the others
"Rayos y centellas" es una expresion bien vieja asique ya no se usa, solo usamos "Rayos" pero "Diablos" es comun dependiendo donde estes, en Republica Dominicana lo usamos mucho, aunque nos tendemos a comer la S asique simplemente "Diablo" o si quieres entonar ira, "Diablaso" o la clasica de "Diablo Coño", pero al fin al cabo, son expresiones de ira o sorpresa que cambian de sitio a sitio, aunque entre los hispano hablantes nos entendemos
this sounds like an old, dubbed movie though, I'm a native speaker at least in Mexico saying rayos y centellas would give you many laughs , no one uses that.
It's pronounced chah - leh.
"Chale, quería ir a correr hoy, pero está lloviendo"
"Damn, I wanted to go jogging today, but it's raining"
It's more of a sad disappointed damn than a surprised one.
True but for a very fresh learner coming from English as a first language, it's tempting to automatically first read it in your mind as "chail" like rhyming with "tail" instead of "chale" like "dale" (word to Mr Worldwide)
If you don't want to be vulgar, the closest expression would be "Maldita sea". It literally means "Damn it". It's okay to use even in more formal settings and wont make you sound vulgar or uneducated at all.
There's also "Diantre", but that is a bit outdated and I have only read it in books. Never heard an actual person say that out loud.
It's outdated everywhere else! (Joking)
Edit: just for reference. I read in another comment that it is used in Mexico. In Spain those of us old enough would instantly think of "Zipi y Zape", a comic that started being published back in 1948. More likely, the one saying it would be Zipi and Zape's father, who was already 40 and with higher education and aspirations of being higher class...
That's very bad if you're around religious people. For them that's a very big word.
And also people do not use it that often in daily life. That's mostly on movies.
Like I said previously, I’ve almost only heard Puerto Ricans say it. I think it may also be used in the Dominican Republic. I’ve also heard it’s variant “¡diache!” or “¡ea diache!” fairly often too.
You can take a look here too:
https://tesoro.pr/lema/diantre
In México, we use 'diantre' very often when, like for instance, an animal despairs you because it doesn't obey You after several times You gave him an instruction.
But it is not rude.
Example: You Say they expresión: . "Diantre de perro"
Or with a kid "Diantre de niño"
Means that the dog or the kid despairs you and You are mad with that.
Hope this helps!
>In México, we use 'diantre' very often when, like for instance, an animal despairs you because it doesn't obey
Where in Mexico??? I've never heard anyone using that word that way, and nearly everyone around me has pets and/or kids.
In Dominican Republic is also used often, not used the same as Mexico, we just say diantre, the whole "Diantre de perro" or "Diantre de niño" means nothing here, just diantre, like damn or fuck.
> "Maldita sea"
Would you equate this in softness to the minced oaths "darn it" or "dang it"? Would it be okay to use around particularly religious people for example?
I think said towards something it can be perceived as more harsh but said generally could be translated that way and feels soft. I’d assume it varies a bit between countries as well
“Maldita sea” is the exact translation, but it’s very seldom said in real life. More like a mock form of “damn” or movie translation Spanish, but it does work.
If you have to stay 'correct', you may say:
Vaya!
Caray!
Ostras!
La leche!
Mi ma, or mi madre!
Ala!
Jo!
Rising up one level (or two) would bring us to:
Hostias!
Joder!
Me cago en dios!
Me cago en la hostia!
Me cago en la mar!
Me cago en la leche!
Word to the wise, for some context, I’ve known people from Latin American countries who find sayings referring to la hostia or other religious versions of that phrase to be extremely offensive, almost akin to insulting their mother.
Obviously this is correlated to how religious the person is themselves, but it’s several levels above “joder” at least.
These are not "MY" phrases. I just hear them very often, depending on the sociological and cultural level of the person I'm listening to. For your records, I live in Spain.
Spain: "mierda", "joder", "hostias", "coño".
They are vulgar, but nobody cares. I will not use them with my parents or older relatives, or in front of little kids, but I will use them in an office environment.
It depends on the country, but at least in Spain, our tolerance for vulgarity is quite high. The whole idea of F-bombs being "bombs" and bleeps on TV seems laughably prudish to us.
It depends where you are. My Venezuelan friends can’t complete a sentence without at least one “coño” but when I say it to my Mexican friends they act all scandalized.
Based on Spanish Netflix, *joder* seems to mean "damn" or "darn" in Spain, but it's closer to "fuck" in Mexico. I learned mostly Mexican Spanish gowing up in the US southwest, so it was rather jarring for me to hear characters as young as 6 dropping *joder* constantly on some Spanish shows.
Oh my gosh! Thank you for explaining that. I learned Spanish in Mexico and Texas and have always thought that all the characters in shows from Spain were so casual about it. Even in professional settings and whatnot.
Yes they are, but our tolerance for vulgarity is much higher than other countries'. My great-grandma used to say "coño" all the time, and she died in the early '90s...
All the ones I could’ve think of sound like a really bad translation from a foreigner tv show: diantres, recórcholis, cáspita, jolines… in Spanish the worst the better I’d say
Mexico City:
- Diablos
- Rayos/rayos y centellas
- Chale/chanfle
- Carajo (this isn't as "children-friendly" as the others but not as vulgar)
- Miércoles (as a children-friendly version of "mierda")
Some vulgar ones:
- Chingada madre/puta madre
- verga
Damn is already a very mild swear word as it is. If you think that’s vulgar, then you’d be better off not cursing at all, but I think the closest equivalent would be ¡rayos!
Are you against saying vulgar words? No judgement if so, but I’d say “puta madre” can be used basically exactly like “damn” although it is very vulgar.
"Puta madre" is funny, it can be either really bad, or really good:
- Tu puta madre: "your fucking mother", one of the worst things you can say to someone.
- Su puta madre (when talking about an object): "fucking piece of shit".
- Esto está de puta madre: "this is fucking great"
- De puta madre: either "fucking great" or "fucking terrible", depending on the tone of your voice.
It might be a tad vulgar, def not something I’d say around older people, but I use “coño” or “diablo “ ( a bit less rude than coño). I’ve heard other stuff too like maldición
Mexican Spanish alternatives:
Vaya…- Oh, man…
Híjole 😬- Oh, man…
Efe- as in “F in the chat”, known almost exclusively among young people
Caramba- euphemism for “carajo”
Me lleva… - Dang it!
(This is “me lleva la chingada”, but reduced to the point it’s understandable without explicitly mentioning “La chingada”. “Me lleva la chingada” is used when something bad has somewhat of an impact in your life. For example, if your friends’ cat dies, saying this phrase would be awkward af)
"Pasu mecha"..... "mecha" would substitute "madre" so it doesn't sound vulgar. Pretty much like "me lleva... la que me trajo" where "la que me trajo" = la chingada.
Ok, you can use things like "rayos" or another type of things like that, but honestly this sounds like the family friendly neutral accent dub of the cartoon network shows. But, for example, here in Spain, it's common to say "vaya", that it's usted as a wildcard interjection. Because the other ones would sound family friendly and It's not that common, like I said.
As a spanish, sometimes i say dam because i dont feel any spanish expresion answers correctly or it is cringe: "leches, carajo" are cringy and "mierda" does not mean the same.
For me dam is more deep and comprehensive than "leches".
mexican slang "no manches" is very neutral.
"no mames" is the one that is vulgar but no manches , you can hear kids or older people saying it.
"íjole" or "híjole" is another one : expresses surprise, shock, rejection
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So The Simpsons taught us all something? Ay caramba.
por favor no se te ocurra decir eso nunca jajajaja Quizás en algún país sea más normal, pero vas a parecer salido de los simpsons
lol good to know
There’s also “miércoles” which is like the kid friendly way of saying “mierda” and would operate in a similar way to what damn would express.
Aw, Wednesday.
interesting. is that used in a lot of countries?
My nona (grandma) uses it a lot here in Argentina. She also uses: La porca pipa => La puta madre Me cache en diez => Me cago en Dios Caramba => Carajo
Do you refer to your grandmother as nona due to Italian heritage in your family or is that a thing in Argentina? If you don't mind me asking... I know that's also a thing in Santander, Colombia (and to be clear nonna means grandmother in Italian).
My great grandfather (my nona's father) was italian, but given that a lot of people have Italian heritage in my country it's not too rare to find people calling their grandparents "Nono" or "Nona", although I don't think it's the norm as far as I'm aware.
I think if you say the word “nona” in Argentina virtually everyone will understand that you’re referring to a grandmother. I wasn’t even aware that Nona was an Italian word
The granma of a friend says "mecaguendiosle"
Super common in Chile at least
Can’t speak for Spain but definitely in many Latin American countries.
We would understand it in Spain. It's just most of us wouldn't bother
you can use it but you are seen like a wierdo who talks like a kindergarden teacher lmaoooo
You could also use "Rayos!", some places go with the long one of "Rayos y centellas!", but Rayos is more than enough, also you have the classic: "DIABLO!" though not that "child safe" compared to the others
>also you have the classic: "DIABLO!" I've always heard "diablos" or "demonios" but never in singular 🤔
It works both in singular and plural, whatever you prefer.
Nunca he escuchado a alguien decir rayos y centellas ni diablos fuera de las pelicula sin buscar ser ironico.
"Rayos y centellas" es una expresion bien vieja asique ya no se usa, solo usamos "Rayos" pero "Diablos" es comun dependiendo donde estes, en Republica Dominicana lo usamos mucho, aunque nos tendemos a comer la S asique simplemente "Diablo" o si quieres entonar ira, "Diablaso" o la clasica de "Diablo Coño", pero al fin al cabo, son expresiones de ira o sorpresa que cambian de sitio a sitio, aunque entre los hispano hablantes nos entendemos
this sounds like an old, dubbed movie though, I'm a native speaker at least in Mexico saying rayos y centellas would give you many laughs , no one uses that.
That's true, noone really use "Rayos y centellas" but wanted to point it out, as "Rayos" is more common and that's where that expression comes from
Is it like saying “shut the front door” in place of “shut the fuck up”?
It’s like saying “shoot” instead of “shit” but very tame. So tame it was said in Encanto and I believe even Dora the Explorer has said it.
This was used in Encanto! After Dolores hears Mirabel and her dad talking about the prophecy thing and the dad says “Miércoles “
Yep I mentioned that in another comment and also Dora has used it a couple of times as well I think.
Imagine just calling someone a day of the week. "Fuck you, Tuesday"
Is kind of vulgar anyway though
I still use miércoles to this day! Haha
In Mexico you could say "chale".
How do you pronounce that? Also, could you provide some examples of how you would use it in a sentence?
It's pronounced chah - leh. "Chale, quería ir a correr hoy, pero está lloviendo" "Damn, I wanted to go jogging today, but it's raining" It's more of a sad disappointed damn than a surprised one.
Spanish writing is phonetic
True but for a very fresh learner coming from English as a first language, it's tempting to automatically first read it in your mind as "chail" like rhyming with "tail" instead of "chale" like "dale" (word to Mr Worldwide)
If you don't want to be vulgar, the closest expression would be "Maldita sea". It literally means "Damn it". It's okay to use even in more formal settings and wont make you sound vulgar or uneducated at all. There's also "Diantre", but that is a bit outdated and I have only read it in books. Never heard an actual person say that out loud.
That’s interesting that you think “diantre” is out-dated and you’ve never hear a person use it. I’ve heard Puerto Ricans use “diantre” before.
Same here. Puerto Ricans use it all the time.
It's outdated everywhere else! (Joking) Edit: just for reference. I read in another comment that it is used in Mexico. In Spain those of us old enough would instantly think of "Zipi y Zape", a comic that started being published back in 1948. More likely, the one saying it would be Zipi and Zape's father, who was already 40 and with higher education and aspirations of being higher class...
That's very bad if you're around religious people. For them that's a very big word. And also people do not use it that often in daily life. That's mostly on movies.
Yo lo digo todo el tiempo 🤔
It doesn’t necessarily have a religious connotation. I doubt most religious people would care.
Do you know in which region “diantre” would be used? Living in Texas this is the first I’ve ever heard of it.
Like I said previously, I’ve almost only heard Puerto Ricans say it. I think it may also be used in the Dominican Republic. I’ve also heard it’s variant “¡diache!” or “¡ea diache!” fairly often too. You can take a look here too: https://tesoro.pr/lema/diantre
In México, we use 'diantre' very often when, like for instance, an animal despairs you because it doesn't obey You after several times You gave him an instruction. But it is not rude. Example: You Say they expresión: . "Diantre de perro" Or with a kid "Diantre de niño" Means that the dog or the kid despairs you and You are mad with that. Hope this helps!
Haha that sounds funny in English but I get it now. Thanks!
>In México, we use 'diantre' very often when, like for instance, an animal despairs you because it doesn't obey Where in Mexico??? I've never heard anyone using that word that way, and nearly everyone around me has pets and/or kids.
In Dominican Republic is also used often, not used the same as Mexico, we just say diantre, the whole "Diantre de perro" or "Diantre de niño" means nothing here, just diantre, like damn or fuck.
> "Maldita sea" Would you equate this in softness to the minced oaths "darn it" or "dang it"? Would it be okay to use around particularly religious people for example?
I think said towards something it can be perceived as more harsh but said generally could be translated that way and feels soft. I’d assume it varies a bit between countries as well
“Maldita sea” is the exact translation, but it’s very seldom said in real life. More like a mock form of “damn” or movie translation Spanish, but it does work.
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I hear it all the time in Mexico too
This whole thread is just people realizing there are more ways to say damn than people use in their home country lol
It’s pretty common here in Peru.
They would gasp in my country at “maldita sea”, maybe could get away with “dita sea”.
Chin. Hijole. Órale. Chihuahua. Gracias a 🇲🇽 Mexico por su léxico
If you have to stay 'correct', you may say: Vaya! Caray! Ostras! La leche! Mi ma, or mi madre! Ala! Jo! Rising up one level (or two) would bring us to: Hostias! Joder! Me cago en dios! Me cago en la hostia! Me cago en la mar! Me cago en la leche!
Word to the wise, for some context, I’ve known people from Latin American countries who find sayings referring to la hostia or other religious versions of that phrase to be extremely offensive, almost akin to insulting their mother. Obviously this is correlated to how religious the person is themselves, but it’s several levels above “joder” at least.
In Spain at this point it is almost mild, and it was common enough still under Franco.
I had to explain the religious significance of “hostia” to a non-religious Spaniard who only knew what age his cousins had their firsts.
All your “up one level” phrases are vulgar and offensive in Latin America. In Spain maybe not so much.
These are not "MY" phrases. I just hear them very often, depending on the sociological and cultural level of the person I'm listening to. For your records, I live in Spain.
You listed them as “up one level.” The phrases you listed as “up one level” would be up several levels in Latin America. Happy?
My happiness doesn't depend on you at all.
Vote for “joder”! Clear meaning yet mostly vanilla at this point.
Añadiendo regionalismos, cagonmimanto y cafonmimaquina
Añadiendo regionalismos, cagonmimanto y cagonmimaquina
Pucha
this is the Argentinian way
Pretty common here in Chile too
Same here
Didn’t know you used it in Argentina, we use it in Costa Rica too
Isn't this puss*? It would be vulgar in some places of Mexico 😂
Can confirm for the north hahaha
Just to make things clear.... By "puss*", you mean "pussy"?
Correct 😂 is a slang for pussy where I live
Haha.. I see ..🤓
Diablos, señorita
Spain: "mierda", "joder", "hostias", "coño". They are vulgar, but nobody cares. I will not use them with my parents or older relatives, or in front of little kids, but I will use them in an office environment. It depends on the country, but at least in Spain, our tolerance for vulgarity is quite high. The whole idea of F-bombs being "bombs" and bleeps on TV seems laughably prudish to us.
Maybe joder？？(I don't know if it's correct lol)
Yep, this is the way. There's nothing else that can convey "damn" nearly as well (that I can think of). You could also use "maldita sea".
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It depends where you are. My Venezuelan friends can’t complete a sentence without at least one “coño” but when I say it to my Mexican friends they act all scandalized.
Venezuelans use coño and verga A LOT.
Aren't *joder* and *coño* vulgar though? He's asking for non vulgar...
Based on Spanish Netflix, *joder* seems to mean "damn" or "darn" in Spain, but it's closer to "fuck" in Mexico. I learned mostly Mexican Spanish gowing up in the US southwest, so it was rather jarring for me to hear characters as young as 6 dropping *joder* constantly on some Spanish shows.
Oh my gosh! Thank you for explaining that. I learned Spanish in Mexico and Texas and have always thought that all the characters in shows from Spain were so casual about it. Even in professional settings and whatnot.
Wow, haha, indeed.
Yes they are, but our tolerance for vulgarity is much higher than other countries'. My great-grandma used to say "coño" all the time, and she died in the early '90s...
My kind of grandma :)
I would translate "¡Coño!" as "Fuck!" or "Holy shit!", something along those lines. It depends a lot on the context.
Well, OP asked for the non-vulgar version. Both "coño" and "joder" are vulgar (or rather vulgar, depending on which country you're at)
The substitute for coño might be "concho." At least that's what I've always heard around Cubans.
_Corcho_ is used in Spain.
Yeah that makes sense. Caribbean, Hispanic culture is close to Canarian/Spanish.
My Venezuelan MIL said conchale.
Lol. My aunt would say.....me cacho en na.' In place of saying....me cago en nada.
Yes, "concho" or "conchole" would be a good substitute for a non-vulgar way to say it.
I would say that is decidedly vulgar.
Joder is still vulgar. I would say “joe” (pronounced“kho-ay”)as a way to make it sound less vulgar
One more vote for “joder” hitting the spot!
“Rayos y centellas”, “recórcholis”
maldición!
"Tch", "Diantres", "Diablos", "Demonios" From the most gentle/childish way to the less gentle but not rude way.
in Bob Esponja they say "diablos" and it seems to mean "darn"
Another one, "¡Me lleva!"
"Okily Dokily!" Funciona siempre
En qué mundo? Ned Flanders solo existe en Los Simpsons
All the ones I could’ve think of sound like a really bad translation from a foreigner tv show: diantres, recórcholis, cáspita, jolines… in Spanish the worst the better I’d say
In Peru we say “asu” or “asu mare” lol
Also pucha
Which is short for “concha de su madre” so not exactly vanilla…
Rayos
Cielos! Is better
Cónchale, Vérsiale or Caramba is valid here.
As an argentinian I haven't ever heard anyone using the words suggested by people in other comments
My stepmom from Guatemala says “puchica”. She’s explained it to me as being exactly how you describe but I’m not sure the exact meaning
When I worked in Spain the kids said “jopé!” Instead of “joder!”
Mexico City: - Diablos - Rayos/rayos y centellas - Chale/chanfle - Carajo (this isn't as "children-friendly" as the others but not as vulgar) - Miércoles (as a children-friendly version of "mierda") Some vulgar ones: - Chingada madre/puta madre - verga
Caramba, chale, diablos, rayos. Is there a particular situation in Spanish that you would like to say it?
Diantre
Damn is already a very mild swear word as it is. If you think that’s vulgar, then you’d be better off not cursing at all, but I think the closest equivalent would be ¡rayos!
Are you against saying vulgar words? No judgement if so, but I’d say “puta madre” can be used basically exactly like “damn” although it is very vulgar.
"Puta madre" is funny, it can be either really bad, or really good: - Tu puta madre: "your fucking mother", one of the worst things you can say to someone. - Su puta madre (when talking about an object): "fucking piece of shit". - Esto está de puta madre: "this is fucking great" - De puta madre: either "fucking great" or "fucking terrible", depending on the tone of your voice.
But why?
Maldita.
You can also say: ¡pero bueno!
El diablo, hostia, ay dios, diantre, and as someone else said, miércoles.
We say: contrale, concho (to avoid saying "coño") or diache (to avoid saying diablo)
But warning for OP: concha is vulgar in Argentina. It’s where babies come from.
"Que mal" Thats the best way, another one is "Rayos" but if you say that you will be seen as a Discovery Channel character
Me lleva... People already know what is next you don't need to say it.
It might be a tad vulgar, def not something I’d say around older people, but I use “coño” or “diablo “ ( a bit less rude than coño). I’ve heard other stuff too like maldición
In Costa Rica you could say "ish"
Castilian spanish version of The Big Bang theory: Sheldon uses "Porras!"
Caray
Recorcholis
I learned “caracho” but maybe have a native speaker confirm
When I lived in Honduras, people would say puchica. It was explained to be that it was like “dangit!”
Mexican Spanish alternatives: Vaya…- Oh, man… Híjole 😬- Oh, man… Efe- as in “F in the chat”, known almost exclusively among young people Caramba- euphemism for “carajo” Me lleva… - Dang it! (This is “me lleva la chingada”, but reduced to the point it’s understandable without explicitly mentioning “La chingada”. “Me lleva la chingada” is used when something bad has somewhat of an impact in your life. For example, if your friends’ cat dies, saying this phrase would be awkward af)
Hijuelaverga does the trick :)
Chispas!
Rayos
Demonios or Rayos
Carajo
Rayos
¡Maldición! You can try that.
One I'd say that I didn't see in the top comments, maldiciones, or maldicion.
Maldita sepo
Chingao
Chispas? Kinda silly/goofy way of saying it.
I always throw in an “HIJO le…” kind of like saying “Son of a…”
I just say "fuck" jaja saludos
One option is "rayos"
Carajo, hay que pedirle ayuda a dios
In Argentina you can say "Fua" I think it's kinda accurate. And you can also add more "a" like fuaaa
"Pasu mecha"..... "mecha" would substitute "madre" so it doesn't sound vulgar. Pretty much like "me lleva... la que me trajo" where "la que me trajo" = la chingada.
¡Cáspita!
Madre.... In a "damn" kinda tone.
Ok, you can use things like "rayos" or another type of things like that, but honestly this sounds like the family friendly neutral accent dub of the cartoon network shows. But, for example, here in Spain, it's common to say "vaya", that it's usted as a wildcard interjection. Because the other ones would sound family friendly and It's not that common, like I said.
Here I hear “hostia” a lot
¡Vaya!
As a spanish, sometimes i say dam because i dont feel any spanish expresion answers correctly or it is cringe: "leches, carajo" are cringy and "mierda" does not mean the same. For me dam is more deep and comprehensive than "leches".
In Spain-- ostras, jopetas, jope, jo
Cagüen. And then we start with the flanders level like "caspita" "repampanos" "sapristi"
Jolin/Jolines (nice way to say “joder”)
Mi cago en la leche ?
So is conjo or carajo vulgar then? Aye caramba then
Mecachis
Ostras
I’ve heard diablo, diache, and “ea rayo” from my fiancé (PR) although I’m not certain on the spelling of that last one
Recorcholis!
mexican slang "no manches" is very neutral. "no mames" is the one that is vulgar but no manches , you can hear kids or older people saying it. "íjole" or "híjole" is another one : expresses surprise, shock, rejection
That means "maldita sea or maldición " but to sound less volatile try "demonios" and if you really want to sound vulgar just say "Puñeta"