maricón

ma.ɾiˈkonhomophobic slur, gendered insult

What does maricón mean? maricón is a Spanish severe that translates to “faggot / pussy / coward” in English.

faggot / gay man (from María)

01

"faggot / pussy / coward"

Homophobic slur for gay men; also used to call someone cowardly or unmanly regardless of sexuality.

¡No seas maricón, aguanta! (Don't be a pussy/coward, take it! - offensive)

Context

  • Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
  • Only among very close friends who share this register

Avoid

  • Professional or formal settings
  • Around elders or authority figures
  • Public spaces — will cause genuine offense
  • Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations

Cultural Context

Extremely offensive homophobic slur in most contexts, though sometimes reclaimed within LGBTQ+ communities. In Spain and Latin America, deeply insulting to straight men (implying lack of masculinity). In Colombia and Venezuela, 'marica' has been somewhat reclaimed among young men as 'dude' or 'bro', but 'maricón' remains severe. The word carries violent connotations and historical persecution of gay men. Use constitutes hate speech in many contexts.

More in Spanish 🇪🇸

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3 / 5character attack, sexual act

pajero

paˈxe.ɾo

wanker / lazy bastard / flake

Someone who masturbates a lot; figuratively, a supremely lazy person or someone who talks a lot but never follows through.

4 / 5scatological, character attack

comemierda

ˌko.meˈmjeɾ.ða

arrogant prick / stuck-up bitch / full of shit

A deeply arrogant, conceited person who thinks they are better than everyone else, or alternatively, a complete fool.

4 / 5exclamation, anatomical

la concha de la lora

la ˈkon.tʃa ðe la ˈlo.ɾa

for fuck's sake / godfuckingdammit

An exclamation of extreme frustration, surprise, or anger. It vividly expresses that a situation has gone completely wrong.

4 / 5verb, sexual

follar

foˈʎaɾ

to fuck / to shag

To have sexual intercourse. It is the absolute standard vulgar verb for sex in Spain.

2 / 5exclamation, scatological

mierda

ˈmjeɾ.ða

shit

Universal expletive expressing frustration, disappointment, or describing something of poor quality. Mild to moderate offense depending on context.

5 / 5family insult, exclamation

conchatumare / CTM

ˌkon.tʃa.tuˈma.ɾe

motherfucker / holy fuck

The ultimate expression of pain, anger, or amazement in Chile and Peru.

4 / 5anatomical, regional variant

concha

ˈkon.tʃa

cunt / pussy

Seashell in Spain and most of Latin America; vulgar slang for female genitalia in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, and parts of Mexico.

2 / 5anatomical, courage

cojones

koˈxo.nes

balls / nerve / guts

Testicles; metaphorically courage, nerve, or audacity. Also used in countless expressions indicating emphasis or frustration.