tocarse los cojones

toˈkaɾ.se los koˈxo.nesidiom, anatomical, behavior

What does tocarse los cojones mean? tocarse los cojones is a Spanish strong that translates to “to dick around / to do fuck all” in English.

to touch one's testicles

01

"to dick around / to do fuck all"

To be extremely lazy, avoiding work or responsibility by doing absolutely nothing.

Complaining about a useless team member: 'Lleva toda la mañana tocándose los cojones.'

Spain

Context

  • Informal settings where profanity is accepted
  • Expressing strong frustration or emphasis

Avoid

  • Professional or formal settings
  • Around elders or authority figures
  • Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations

Cultural Context

A deeply rooted idiom in Spain invoking the image of a man sitting comfortably on the sofa with a hand down his trousers, utterly unbothered by the world's demands. To accuse a colleague of 'tocándose los cojones' is to say they are dead weight. It contrasts with 'tocar los cojones' (touching *someone else's* balls), which means to annoy them. The reflexive pronoun is the difference between laziness and aggression.

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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.

3 / 5sexual, gendered slur

puta

ˈpu.ta

whore / bitch / fucking (as intensifier)

Prostitute or promiscuous woman; used as general expletive or intensifier. When combined with 'madre' becomes extremely severe.

4 / 5sexual, homophobic

puto

ˈpu.to

fucking (intensifier) / male whore / faggot

Male prostitute; homophobic slur; or intensifier similar to 'fucking'.

3 / 5class-based, intensifier

pinche

ˈpin.tʃe

fucking / damn / stupid

Kitchen helper in Spain; in Mexico, a versatile intensifier meaning 'fucking' or 'damn'.

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 / 5anatomical, character attack

pelotudo

pe.loˈtu.ðo

idiot / moron / dumbass

Stupid person, idiot. Similar to boludo but slightly more insulting in Argentina.