Dictionary of Spanish Slang

Think of all the English slang that changes constantly. People don't want to use other people's slang; they want to create their own. And when people in a position to have influence over others (musicians, actors, etc.) decide to replace an existing slang term with another, there isn't a committee out there deciding if it's OK or not.

It's the same in Spanish, which brings me back to what I was going to explain. A dictionary of Spanish slang you find in your local bookstore or on Amazon is great, but it can become outdated rather quickly. Slang changes constantly. Books take awhile to be written, published, distributed, bought, read, updated, republished, etc.

If it's critical that you know up-to-date translations of Spanish slang words, the best advice I can give you is to make friends with someone from the country you're interested in and have them teach you some slang.

Another suggestion that could prove fruitful is the Internet. Now, I know I said before that the Internet is not regulated. Nobody checks to make sure that "facts" that people post are in fact true.

However, while that may be a drawback of the information posted on the Internet, there is a plus with that. It's that people can update their information at a blinding speed. There is no need to wait for a publisher, distribution, or anything else that a traditional author of a dictionary of Spanish slang is forced to wait for.

This is beneficial when it comes to Spanish slang translation because people can post the slang from their region online and you can access it without too much difficulty.

Here are a list of some online dictionaries of Spanish slang that I think are helpful. Let me know if you find any others.

Jergas de Habla Hispana
Probably the best site I've found for lists of regionalisms. There are links to the Spanish-speaking countries with their particular slang terms. I highly recommend this site.

The Alternative Spanish Dictionary
This is an online resource that is attempting to build slang translations of the world's languages. There aren't that many terms but you can either look at the definitions online or download a PDF version. I've also posted a review of the dictionary.

Diccionario de Regionalismos de la Lengua Espanola
This online dictionary is arranged in alphabetical order. However, each word is labeled with its region of use. The dictionary is very extensive and can be accessed online. You can also buy a digital copy of the dictionary to use without an Internet connection.

Dictionary of Spanish Slang from Costa Rica
Short list of slang phrases used in Costa Rica.

Canary Islands
This online dictionary is specific to the Canary Islands.

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