"Quien tiene un amigo tiene un tesoro" (He who has a friend has a treasure) – this popular Spanish saying perfectly captures how friendship is valued across the Spanish-speaking world. While amigo is the most universally recognized word for "friend" in Spanish, the richness of this language offers a colorful variety of terms that reflect unique cultural identities and relationship dynamics.
In this lesson, we'll explore 16 different ways to say "friend" in Spanish, from standard terms used across countries to regional expressions that will help you sound like a local. Understanding these friendship terms won't just improve your vocabulary – it will give you insight into the cultural nuances of different Spanish-speaking communities.
Amigo (male friend) and amiga (female friend) are the most basic and widely recognized terms for "friend" in Spanish. These words are understood everywhere Spanish is spoken and appear in textbooks worldwide.
¡Basta, y no le hables así a mi amigo Sam!
Stop it, and don't talk like that to my friend Sam!
Caption 40, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 4: Sam busca un trabajo - Part 6
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In plural form, you'd use amigos for a group of male friends or a mixed-gender group, while amigas refers exclusively to female friends. It's a completely neutral term that can describe any level of friendship, from an acquaintance you occasionally chat with to your closest confidant.
One important cultural note: In many Spanish-speaking countries, people may call you amigo or amiga even when they've just met you. Waiters, taxi drivers, or shop attendants might use these terms as a friendly gesture, not because they consider you an actual friend.
While hermano literally means "brother" and hermana means "sister," these terms are widely used across Spanish-speaking countries to refer to very close friends who aren't blood relatives. Using hermano or hermana to address a friend emphasizes the family-like bond you share with them. Many Spanish speakers will shorten these to mano or use the diminutive forms hermanito/hermanita to add affection.
Hermanito, ¿yo qué hago? Yo me considero su mejor amigo,
Brother, what can I do? I consider myself his best friend,
Caption 12, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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Traditionally, compadre and comadre refer to a child's godparents or the relationship between parents and godparents. However, these terms have evolved to describe trusted friends, especially in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Calling someone your compadre implies a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. It's often used among men of similar age and social standing. The shortened form compa is also very common, particularly in Mexico.
¡Órale compadre, échese un trago!
Come on, pal, throw down a drink!
Caption 5, El Ausente Acto 1 - Part 7
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The word compañero/a literally means "companion" and is often used in contexts where people share activities, spaces, or goals. This term is particularly common in educational and professional settings. The affectionate shortened form compi is frequently used in Spain to refer to classmates or coworkers with whom you have a friendly relationship.
Mexico has several unique and colorful terms for friends. One of the most distinctive is cuate, which comes from the Nahuatl language, where coatl originally meant "twin" or "snake." In modern Mexican Spanish, calling someone your cuate implies a close friendship, often between men. You might hear expressions like Ese es mi cuate (That's my buddy) or Voy con mis cuates (I'm going with my friends).
Sí iba con mi cuate, con mi patineta.
I was with my buddy, with my skateboard.
Caption 29, Amigos D.F. El secuestrar
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Carnal (derived from carne, meaning "flesh") is another popular Mexican term that equates friendship with family bonds. It's similar to calling someone your "blood brother" in English. This term is predominantly used among men and suggests a deep, loyal friendship that goes beyond ordinary companionship. When someone says Es mi carnal, they're indicating a friend they consider as close as a sibling.
O sea normalmente a los hermanos se les dicen "carnales". Pero yo, pues ahora sí que a mis amigotes, yo les digo "carnales"... -Sí. -porque vienen siendo,
I mean, normally, we call siblings "carnales." But I, well, now, my friends, I do, I call them "carnales"... -Yes, because they are,
Captions 53-55, Pipo Mexicanismos - Part 1
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Güey (sometimes spelled wey) is incredibly versatile in Mexican Spanish. While it can be used as an insult in some contexts, among friends it's a casual way to address each other, similar to "dude" or "man" in English. This term has become such a fundamental part of Mexican Spanish that it's often used as a filler word in casual conversation, much like "like" or "you know" in English.
Esa es una forma también de decirle "¿qué onda, güey?" o algo así.
That's also a way of saying, "what's up, dude?" or something of the sort.
Caption 18, La Banda Chilanguense El habla de México - Part 2
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In Colombia, particularly in Medellín and surrounding regions, parcero (male) or parcera (female) are common terms for friends. These are often shortened to parce in casual conversation. This distinctly Colombian expression became internationally known through music, movies, and TV shows from the region. Saying ¿Qué más, parce? is a typical Colombian greeting between friends.
Parce, venga, yo le digo una cosa, hermano, vea
Friend, come, I'll tell you something, brother, look
Caption 1, Juanes La Plata
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Another uniquely Colombian expression is llave (literally "key"), implying that a friend has the key to your trust. This term is especially common in Bogotá and other regions of Colombia. When someone calls you their llave, they're indicating a high level of trust and confidence in your friendship.
Ay, llave, ese man nos va a dar en la jeta.
Oh, pal, that guy is going to punch us in the face.
Caption 1, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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Peru has its own distinctive friendship vocabulary. Pata (literally "leg" or "paw") is a widely used colloquial term for a friend. You might hear expressions like Es mi pata del colegio (He's my friend from school) or Mis patas vienen a la fiesta (My friends are coming to the party).
Another uniquely Peruvian term is causa, which can be made more affectionate as causita with the diminutive. These terms are especially common among male friends. The origin of this slang term is debated, but it's one of the most distinctive features of Peruvian Spanish.
In Venezuela, pana is one of the most popular words for friend. It's used for both male and female friends without changing form. The term carries a sense of closeness and trust, and you'll hear it frequently in casual conversation throughout Venezuela and neighboring countries.
¡Muévete, pana, que mientras más rápido hagamos esto vamos a tener más tiempo con las nenas!
Move, friend, as the faster we do this we are going to have more time with the girls!
Captions 80-81, NPS No puede ser 1 - El concurso - Part 10
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Venezuelans also use chamo (male) or chama (female) to refer to friends, especially among younger people. These terms can also mean "kid" or "young person" but are often used between friends of any age. These expressions have become emblematic of Venezuelan Spanish and are immediately recognizable as part of the country's linguistic identity.
En Venezuela, se saluda: "¡Épale, chama!"
In Venezuela, people greet each other saying: "Hey, girl!"
Caption 13, Español en las calles Varias expresiones
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Spain has its own distinctive friendship vocabulary. Tío (uncle) and tía (aunt) are perhaps the most widely used casual terms among friends in Spain, equivalent to "dude" or "man" in English. Colega (colleague) has evolved in Spain from its formal meaning to become an everyday term for "buddy" or "mate." Tronco/tronca (literally "trunk") is another distinctly Spanish term, especially popular in Madrid and central Spain.
¡Eh, tío! ¡Qué divertido!
Hey, man! How fun!
Caption 22, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 5: Ha nacido una estrella - Part 9
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In Chile, weón (sometimes spelled huevón or hueón) is an extremely common term used between friends. While it can be offensive in certain contexts, between friends it's a sign of closeness and trust. Be careful with this term, as it requires understanding the proper context and pronunciation. Used incorrectly, it could be perceived as an insult rather than a term of endearment.
In Cuba, asere or acere (with origins in African languages brought to the island) is a friendly and warm way to address a close friend. This distinctly Cuban expression is one of the first slang terms visitors to the island will hear, and it carries a sense of camaraderie and cultural identity.
Understanding the different words for "friend" in Spanish gives you insight into the rich cultural variations in how relationships are perceived and expressed across the Spanish-speaking world. While the basic concept of friendship is universal, the language used to describe it reflects unique cultural perspectives and values.
The next time you're speaking with Spanish-speaking friends, try incorporating some of these regional terms into your conversation. Not only will you impress them with your cultural knowledge, but you'll also create a more authentic connection through language. What about you? Do you know any other words to refer to friends in Spanish? Which one is your favorite? Let us know and don't forget to send us your comments and questions.
Do you know the names of the shapes in Spanish? Today's lesson will teach you what the most basic Spanish shapes are called as well as the words for more advanced Spanish shapes and figures. Let's get started!
Let's start with the basics! Listen to the following caption from the Yabla Spanish video library to hear how to say "shapes" in Spanish:
Puedes jugar con diferentes formas y colores
You can play with different shapes and colors
Caption 76, Manos a la obra Papel picado para Día de muertos
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Now, let's hear the Spanish word for the similar concept of "figures":
como los números o las figuras geométricas,
like numbers or geometric figures,
Caption 16, Carlos explica Vocabulario de las matemáticas - Part 1
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Next, we'll learn the Spanish names for the most classic shapes, including their definite articles, and hear them in context:
Vamos a marcar el círculo
We're going to mark the circle,
Caption 47, Maoli Calabaza de Halloween
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se presenta como un cuadrado de ocho por ocho
appears as an eight by eight square
Caption 18, Aprendiendo con Carlos El ajedrez - Part 1
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Puede ser un cuadrado, un rectángulo.
It can be a square, a rectangle.
Caption 41, María Fernanda Hacer un turbante
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Obtendrás un triángulo.
You will get a triangle.
Caption 39, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander
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Let's move on to the Spanish words for some slightly more sophisticated shapes and hear them pronounced:
—podríamos decir que es un óvalo—
we could say that it's an oval—
Caption 49, Con Marta por Madrid La Plaza del Sol - Part 2
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Lograrás un rombo como éste.
You will get a diamond like this one.
Caption 45, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander
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Interestingly, this word also means "trapezius" (the muscle) in Spanish as well as "trapeze," as in the following example, which we've included for pronunciation purposes:
como un número de trapecio,
as a trapeze act,
Caption 18, Circo Berlín Jose - Part 2
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"semicírculo",
"semicírculo" [semicircle],
Caption 74, Carlos explica Los prefijos en español - Part 7
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Figures with at least three but typically five or more sides and angles are called los polígonos (the polygons) in Spanish. Let's learn their Spanish names along with their respective numbers of lados (sides) and ángulos (angles):
El pentágono (the pentagon): 5
El hexágono (the hexagon): 6
El hectágono (the hectagon): 7
El octógono (the octagon): 8
El nonógono (the nonagon): 9
El decágono (the decagon): 10
While not "official" geometric shapes, figures like the heart, cross, star, etc., are recognized universally as shapes and/or symbols. Let's learn how to say them in Spanish!
a hacer pancitos de corazón, pancitos decorados y este tipo de, de...
into making heart rolls, decorated rolls, and this kind of, of...
Caption 18, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Luis y el pan de muerto
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es la cruz de piedra.
is the stone cross.
Caption 16, Viajando con Carlos Popayán - Colombia - Part 2
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y la estrella.
and the star.
Caption 27, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad
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con la punta bien afilada en forma de flecha,
with a well-sharpened tip in the shape of an arrow
Caption 32, Isabel Lavesa Dibujo en acuarela
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Do you know how to say 3-D in Spanish? You could say tridimensional (three-dimensional) or simply use the Spanish pronuncation of 3-D, as we hear here:
Y las obras están sacadas de modelos 3-D del programa Google Earth.
And the works are taken from 3-D models from the Google Earth program.
Caption 24, El estudio De Julio Sarramián
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That said, we'll conclude this lesson with the names of several of the most common formas tridimensionales (3-D shapes):
¿podría ponerme un cono de chocolate por favor?
can you give me a chocolate cone please?
Caption 36, Málaga Calle Larios
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en forma de pirámide invertida.
in the shape of an inverted pyramid.
Caption 14, Víctor en Caracas Centro comercial
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That's all for today. We hope that you have found this lesson on the names of the shapes in Spanish useful, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. ¡Hasta pronto!
In preparation for El Día de San Valentín (Valentine's Day), let's listen to several pertinent clips from the Yabla Spanish video library... and learn some vocabulary in the process!
Aunque no crean, existe el amor a primera vista.
Believe it or not, love at first sight does exist.
Caption 56, El reencuentro Las amigas hablan del trabajo y el amor.
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Cupido vuelve a apuntar con su flecha
Cupid aims with his arrow again
Caption 5, Tito El Bambino Llueve el amor
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Mande a pedir un ramo de doce rosas rojas,
Order a bouquet of twelve red roses,
Caption 45, Programación de oficina El dictado del jefe
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Chocolate Perfección: el chocolate para enamorados.
"Chocolate Perfección": the chocolate for lovers.
Captions 43-44, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 5: Ha nacido una estrella - Part 2
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The captions above include some common themes and traditions of Valentine's Day in North America, which is meant to festejar el amor (celebrate love) for romantic partners and family members, and, increasingly, to show appreciation for friends. Typical ways of doing so include intercambiar regalos (exchanging gifts) and tarjetas de San Valentín (valentines), mandar flores (sending flowers), most typically rosas rojas (red roses), giving cajas de chocolate en forma de corazón (heart-shaped boxes of chocolate), and planning special citas (dates), such as salir a cenar (going out to dinner). Valentine's Day in North America is celebrated on el catorce de febrero (February fourteenth).
Valentine's Day is celebrated in a similar fashion on the same day in many Spanish speaking countries, with varying degrees of popularity. In addition to El Día de San Valentín, many countries refer to this holiday as El Día del Amor y la Amistad (Love and Friendship Day) or El Día de los Enamorados (Lovers' Day), while some use these terms interchangeably. And Guatemala has a unique name: El Día del Cariño (Affection Day).
Many Valentine's costumbres (traditions) in the Spanish-speaking world overlap with North American ones:
La floristería. ¿Sí? Es una tienda donde la gente compra flores, plantas, ¿sí? Por ejemplo, para cumpleaños, o para... en... en primavera, o para el Día de los Enamorados, por ejemplo.
The florist. Right? It's a store where people buy flowers, plants, right? For example, for birthdays, or for... in... in spring, or for Valentine's Day, for example.
Captions 3-6, Curso de español Tiendas y edificios públicos en la ciudad
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However, there are some differences. In Chile, las orquídeas (orchids) are the flowers of love rather than roses. And some countries, like the Dominican Republic, have the tradition of a game called Amigo secreto (Secret Friend) or Angelito (Little Angel) among friends or colleagues, which is similar to the idea of Secret Santa.
Some countries celebrate their Valentine's Day on a different date, while others commemorate both February 14th and additional love and friendship holidays.
Colombia's El Día del Amor y la Amistad falls on the third Saturday in September, while Argentina's La Semana de la Dulzura (Sweetness Week), where amigos (friends) and amantes (lovers) exchange chocolate and other dulces (sweets), lasts from June 1st through 7th. Argentinians also recognize El Día del Amigo (Friend Day) on July 20th, whereas Mexico has its El Día Internacional de la Amistad (International Friendship Day) on August 30th. Additional romantic holidays include El Día del Estudiante, de la Juventud, de la Primavera, y del Amor (The Day of the Student, Youth, Spring, and Love) on September 21st in Bolivia and El Día de San Jorge (Saint George's Day) in Catalonia on April 23rd, where red roses are traditionally gifted to women and books to men. On El Día de San Dionisio (Saint Dionysius Day) in Valencia on October 9th, the gift of choice is the Spanish sweet mazapán (marzipan) wrapped in a pañuelo (handkerchief).
Now that we know about various international Valentine's-like festivities, let's learn some romantic Spanish vocabulary, starting with some verbs:
abrazar: to hug/embrace
acurrucar: to cuddle
adorar: to adore/love
amar: to love
besar: to kiss
coquetear: to flirt
casarse: to marry/get married
enamorarse: to fall in love
encantar: to [cause] love
gustar: to [cause someone to] like
querer: to like/love
Related to these words are, of course, essential Valentine's Day nouns like el beso (the kiss) and el abrazo (the hug) and adjectives like enamorado/a (in love). Let's hear a few of these words in action:
Me quiero casar con ella. Estoy enamorado, ¿eh?
I want to marry her. I'm in love, huh?
Caption 59, Muñeca Brava 2 Venganza - Part 9
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¿Y no te alcanza el tiempo para coquetear con cierto chico... rubio, guapo, encantador?
And don't you have enough time to flirt with a certain guy... blond, handsome, charming?
Captions 116-117, NPS No puede ser 1 - El concurso - Part 10
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Siento que cada día te quiero más
I feel that each day I love you more
Caption 27, Alberto Barros Mano a mano
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Since the subtle differences between the different "love" verbs can seem a bit confusing for English speakers, we recommend our lessons on three different ways to express love in Spanish and Amar y Querer. And, since the way that verbs like gustar and encantar work can feel a bit counterintuitive, we recommend this two-part lesson on Querer vs. "To Like": A Difference in Perception.
Let's conclude today's lesson with some ways to refer affectionately to your romantic partner, although you might additionally hear many of them used among friends. While we will provide their literal translations below, many of them can be used similarly to the way that the terms "honey," "dear" or "sweetie" are used in English.
Amor: love
Cariño: affection
Corazón: heart
Mi cielo: my sky
Mi rey/reina: my king/queen
Mi vida: my life
Querido/querida: dear
Let's hear a few of these in action:
y te mando un beso, corazón.
and I send you a kiss, sweetheart.
Caption 11, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 3 - Part 7
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Dame un beso. -¿De verdad, mi cielo?
Give me a kiss. -Really, my dear?
Caption 64, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 1 - Part 3
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¡Mi reina! Mi amor, cómo te extrañé. -Hola, yo también.
My queen! My love, how I missed you. -Hello, me too.
Captions 1-2, Yago 6 Mentiras - Part 2
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And remember that while gordo/a literally means "fat" or "fatty," it is also used as a term of endearment in some Latin American countries (although we definitely don't recommend employing it's English equivalent!).
Ay, gordo, muchísimas gracias por haber estado aquí. -A ti por invitarme.
Oh, honey, thank you very much for having been here. -To you for inviting me.
Caption 13, Club 10 Capítulo 2 - Part 4
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We hope that this lesson rife with Valentine's Day vocabulary has been useful to you, and ¡Feliz Día de San Valentín (Happy Valentine's Day)! And don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
We use idiomatic expressions all the time in our conversations. However, learning to use idiomatic expressions in a foreign language is something that most students find particularly challenging. Let’s find out how to say “a piece of cake,” “raining buckets,” “get away with it,” and “feel like” in Spanish.
In English, when something is extremely easy to do we say that it"s “a piece of cake.” In Spanish, the equivalent expression is pan comido (eaten bread):
porque componer para mí es pan comido.
because for me composing is a piece of cake.
Caption 80, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso - Part 9
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In English, there’re several expressions that can be used to express that it’s raining heavily, for example “to rain buckets” or “to rain cats and dogs.” If we want to express the same idea in Spanish we must use the expression llover a cántaros [literally "to rain jugs"]:
Sí, llueve a cántaros.
Yes, it's raining buckets.
Caption 45, Español para principiantes - Saludos y encuentros
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In English, when someone manages to do something bad without being punished or criticized for it, we say that he/she “gets away with it.” In Spanish, the phrase used to express the same idea is salirse con la suya:
Yo no pienso dejar que esa sifrina se salga con la suya.
I don't plan to let that snob get away with it.
Caption 79, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso - Part 10
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Finally, when we want to say that someone has the desire to do something, we use the expression “to feel like.” In Spanish people use the phrase tener ganas de:
Si tienes ganas de más aventuras,
If you feel like more adventures,
Caption 20, Marta - Los Modos de Transporte
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¿Tienes ganas de practicar más? [Do you feel like practicing more?]. Try finding more idiomatic expressions in our catalog of videos! And don’t forget to send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected].
Let's learn a few abbreviated expressions and words in Spanish. They are really useful to make your Spanish sound more natural:
Entre nos comes from entre nosotros (between us). It's used to indicate that what you are about to say should not be shared with anyone else, it's between you and your interlocutor:
Aquí entre nos, quien sí me importa es Leo.
Between you and me, the one that does matter to me is Leo.
Instead of por favor, you can simply say porfa:
Tranquilo, tranquilo.
Calm down, calm down.
-Tranquilo, pibe, tranquilo. -Gardel, porfa... -Pero...
-Calm down, boy, calm down. -Gardel, please... -But...
Caption 55, Yago - 11 Prisión
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Some people prefer to use porfis for a more playful or silly tone:
Porfis, porfis, reporfis.
Pretty please, pretty please, extra pretty please.
Caption 58, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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As in English, there are many words that are usually abbreviated in Spanish. For example most people say bici instead of bicicleta (bicycle), moto instead of motocicleta (motorcycle), refri instead of refrigerador (fridge), conge instead of congelador (freezer), compa instead of compadre (buddy), depa instead of departamento (apartment), or peli instead of película (movie).
A mí que ni me busquen, compa
For me, don't even look, buddy
Caption 51, DJ Bitman - El Diablo
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y ahí nos mo'... nos movíamos en bici,
and from there we mo'... we would move around by bike,
Caption 4, Blanca y Mariona - Proyectos para el verano
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Another classic example of an abbreviated expression in Spanish is the use of buenas as a greeting instead of buenas tardes, buenas noches, or buenos días:
¡Muy buenas, Mar! -Encantada. -Soy de 75 Minutos.
Very good afternoon, Mar! -Delighted. -I'm from 75 Minutes.
Caption 5, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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It's also common to use abbreviated versions of names and titles. For example you can use abue instead of abuela (grandmother), ma or pa instead of mamá (mother) and papá (father), poli instead of policía (police, cop), profe instead of profesor (teacher), secre instead of secretaria (secretary), dire instead of director (principal), ñor and ñora instead of señor (sir) and señora (madam) [or seño instead of both], peques instead of pequeños (the little ones, kids), etc.
Felipe López. -Yo lo planché ahorita. -Acá, profe.
Felipe Lopez. -I'll iron it right now. -Here, Teach.
Caption 43, Misión Chef - 2 - Pruebas
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It's time to learn more Spanish expressions. If you have a subscription, you can click on the link below each example to learn more about the context in which they are used.
Salirse con la suya literally means "to get one's (own) way." See how the verb salir (to go) uses the reflexive pronoun se before the verb when it's conjugated (in this case in the subjunctive mood because it's used to express something that is not a fact, but a determination):
Yo no pienso dejar que esa sifrina se salga con la suya.
I don't plan to let that snob get away with it.
Caption 79, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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Talking about determination, the phrase empeñarse en algo means to be set on doing something, to insist, to be determined:
Él está empeñado en venderos algo.
He's determined to sell to you something.
Caption 17, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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As you can see, when you are saying that someone is determined to do something, you are stating a fact, so you use the verb estar (to be) in the indicative mood. However, this expression can also be used in a similar way to the expression salirse con la suya, that is, using the reflexive verb empeñarse (to insist on) plus a phrase that expresses a desire or purpose in the subjunctive mood:
María se empeña en que yo aprenda español.
María insists that I learn Spanish.
But if the subjunctive is still difficult for you, you can also use this expression to express your own or other people's determination by combining the reflexive verb empeñarse with a phrase that uses a verb in the indicative:
Mi mamá se empeña en ir al teatro.
My mom insists on going to the theater.
Yo me empeño en estudiar.
I'm determined to study.
When someone is determined to do something, it usually follows that the person will take some action, right? Well, in Spanish there's also an idiomatic expression for that:
Por favor, por favor, Padre Manuel.
Please, please, Father Manuel.
Usted tiene que tomar cartas en ese asunto.
You have to take action in that matter.
Captions 12-13, Muñeca Brava - 30 Revelaciones
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Maybe the origin of this phrase goes back to a time when many matters were solved by writing cartas (letters)! Surely, it took a long time to solve problems back then. Which reminds us of another expression that calls for patience and perseverance: a la larga (in the long run):
Todo se arreglará a la larga
Everything will be ok in the long run
Caption 23, Club de las ideas - La motivación
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Some people, however, have no patience, and such delays would just drive them crazy. For that, there's a Spanish expression that is quite illustrative: sacar de las casillas (to drive someone crazy). The word casilla is used to designate, among other things, each of the squares found in a chess board or other type of board game. A loosely literal translation of the phrase could then be: "to get someone out of their place."
¡Sí, una que me saca de las casillas! -¿Cómo? ¿Cómo?
Yes, one that infuriates me! -What? What?
Caption 61, Muñeca Brava - 8 Trampas
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Have you ever heard someone use the expression, o sea? Chances are you have because this is a very popular and useful expression in both Spain and Latin America. Let's see how to use it.
The expression, o sea, is generally used to introduce an explanation or consequence of something one has already said. If you think about it, the meaning is quite literal: The phrase is made up of the disjunctive conjunction, o ("or"), and the word, sea ("would be"), the third person present subjunctive form of the verb, ser ("to be"). Let's look at some examples.
Porque Barcelona no aburre nunca.
Because Barcelona is never boring.
O sea, siempre hay actividades,
I mean, there are always activities,
Captions 41-42, Escuela BCNLIP - Presentación de la directora
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Nos lo hemos pasado muy bien,
We had a great time,
muy bien. -Qué bien, o sea que buenísimas vacaciones.
great. -How nice, I mean, an amazing vacation.
Captions 48-49, El Aula Azul - Conversación: Vacaciones recientes
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You can also think of o sea as an equivalent of the English expression, "in other words":
O sea que ¿el tipo de hoy era Wilson Ríos?
In other words, the guy from today was Wilson Rios?
Caption 33, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 1
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Sometimes, the word, que ("that"), is added after o sea without altering its meaning:
Sé surfear, ¿no? O sea que tengo una profesión ahora.
I can surf, right? I mean, I have a profession now.
Caption 43, Costa Azul Surf Shop - Hablando con los Empleados Del Surf
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Be careful, however: The combination "o + sea" can sometimes have a totally different meaning, so always pay close attention to the context:
...sea bueno o sea malo.
...whether it's good or whether it's bad.
Caption 34, Club de las ideas - Intuición
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In Latin America, there is another use of o sea that is very popular among upper/middle-class youngsters, some of whom are considered snobby and superficial. In this case, o sea is used as a sarcastic remark that can be translated as "obviously," "duh," "come on," "give me a break," or "I mean," depending on the context. Let's observe that use in action:
¡Ay pues, obvio que va a querer!
Oh well, [it's] obvious that he is going to want to!
¡Porque nadie le dice que no a una chica popular, o sea!
Because no one says no to a popular girl, duh!
Captions 21-22, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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You may also notice that in colloquial speech, o sea is sometimes used incessantly among certain groups or individuals as a filler word in the same way that certain English-speakers (e.g. Valley girls, etc.) constantly use the word, “like.”
Finally, keep in mind that the expression, o sea, is written as two words, and it is incorrect to write it as a single word (osea means "bony"!). Furthermore, it is sometimes used as an alternative for the expression o séase, which should be also avoided.
That's all for today. We invite you to incorporate this useful expression into your vocabulary, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.
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