The Galician culture is one of the most interesting of all the Spanish territory: they have their own language , their own climate and their own way of seeing the world around them.

Many of the words Galicians use may sound totally incomprehensible to other Spanish and Spanish speakers.

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Expressions and words in Galician (and their translation)

That’s why we thought it was essential to make a selection of the 70 most relevant words and expressions of the Galician language that you should know before venturing into Galician lands. We accompany them with their translation into Spanish.

1. Open.

The Spanish translation is: Abrazo.

2. Agarimo.

Agarimo means love.

3. Barallocas.

Who talks a lot, but only talks nonsense.

4. Arroiar.

When it rains a lot and doesn’t stop.

5. Broken down.

Deer. Do something spontaneous and unwise.

6. Brétema.

Fog. The sonority of this word is beautiful.

7. Enxebre.

Something pure and very authentic, without any blemish. I usually listen to it in contexts where rural is spoken about.

8. Feitiño.

It’s said a lot to little kids but also in the sense that it’s neither cute nor ugly, it’s cute, cuqui, feitiño.

9. Ledicia.

Joy.

10. Luscofusco.

It’s dusk, when the light is going out and all the shadows appear.

11. Orballo.

Another word for rain. The translator of the Xunta de Galicia defines it as “drizzle”. “When it rains very little, a dew.

12. What a shoot.

I love you.

13. Rabudo.

It’s said of an irascible and ill-tempered person.

14. Ruliña.

She is a little bird, but above all grandparents and old people usually say “miña ruliña” to you in the manner of my dear child.

15. Saudade.

It’s a kind of melancholy and longing that has to do with love.

16. Toxo.

It is a word that translates into Spanish to its common name “tojo”, but it has another meaning, “to be a toxo or to be made a toxo means to be an edge, to have a bad temper”.

17. Xeito.

Translated literally as “manner”, “skill” or “craft”, it explains that to do things successfully is to do things well and with art.

18. Ragged.

It is defined as something badly done, without meaning or importance.

19. Sense.

Doing things wisely is doing things with prudence and care.

20. Sarabia.

Hail.

21. Rosmar.

Sort of like grumbling. “Like when you protest in a low voice and you hear the angry murmur but not what you say, which is usually not good.

22. Parvo.

Dummy.

23. Nostalgia.

Missing the homeland and the home.

24. Luar.

The moonlight.

25. Backpacking.

Poking around, specifically “at something you shouldn’t”.

26. Scare.

A scarecrow. “But it is also said to people who are ungraceful or in the way.

27. Chosco.

Being half blind or cross-eyed from making an effort with your eyes.

28. Bico.

Kiss.

29. Catch in the tail.

Holding or lapping.

30. Beef bread.

Breadcrumbs or hard bread.

31. Be on the chopping block.

To be mounted, to go very well in the field of work.

32. Aínda by riba.

And even on top of that, an expression of disgust about a subject.

33. Hake bull.

The definition according to the RAG would be circular portion of meat (toro means slice).

A Galician expression that encourages us to be optimistic about the situation we are in.

36. Pigpen.

The coffee grounds in Galicia are called the pocillo.

37. A-plus.

In addition or above, move up.

38. Stuff.

It’s like the Galicians would say “that” pass me that or pass me the “thing” that, other regions can say “thing” too.

39. Pota.

In Galicia, a pot is a pot.

40. Esmagar.

Crushing or crushing, can also mean repressing depending on the context.

41. Landfill.

In certain areas of Galicia the sink is called this way, it comes from the Galician word vertedoiro.

42. Rapante.

This is the name given in Galicia to the fish that in the rest of Spain is called Gallo.

43. Fighting.

Trying to do some work without knowing how we should do it, or to tell someone who does not know how to do it.

44. Snuffing out.

Take a good swing or fall on your face.

45. Yummy.

“Do you like it? I don’t know, although it’s very tasty.” Something tasty but neither good nor bad.

46. Fozar.

“Stop poking around on the computer, you’ll ruin it for me.” In Spanish that would be something like poking and prodding.

47. Miñaxoia.

The literal translation would be “mijoya” and is used to say that someone is naive or innocent.

48. Quoted.

You tell someone they’re naive and unlucky.

49. Pailan.

That’s what they used to call someone from the countryside, a bit rough or not very smart.

50. Seica.

It would be something like “seems to be” or “is said to be”.

51. Crushed.

A botched job or a very sloppy looking job, a botched job!

52. Prea.

When someone who is dishonest, lying or untrustworthy.

53. Afouteza.

Perform any action or act without fear of danger or difficulties, this word is also part of the Galician version of the Celtic hymn of Vigo.

54. Esmorga.

I would say something like an exaggerated fun “go out for a night out,” for example.

55. Scratching.

It would be the equivalent in Spanish of breaking or spoiling “my car got cold feet”.

56. Being doente.

Doente is hurt but by adding the verb “to be” the meaning changes slightly, it would be used when something has made us feel bad or has hurt us emotionally.

57. Carallo.

The translation would be “fuck” and is used in the same context. “It’s a hot sun”

58. Larpeiro.

The person is told that he or she likes to eat a lot or is a glutton.

59. Fariña.

The translation would be “flour” and in Galicia they use it to refer to cocaine, this expression took a lot of strength throughout Spain by the television series of the same name.

60. Bolboreta.

Butterfly, a word used to describe someone who gets gawked at.

61. Lareira.

Fireplace, mainly refers to old stone fireplaces that are located in the kitchen.

62. Cheirar.

Smell or stink, you can smell good or bad but cheirar means it smells a lot.

63. Toad.

A very curious word for turtles.

64. Polbo.

Octopus, when you go to Galicia and you want to be served this dish is polbo and not octopus.

65. Pirola.

It is the term used in Galicia to talk about the penis, especially if it belongs to a boy.

66. Sucker.

When someone’s lazy or unwilling to work, he’s a jerk.

67. Pinchocarneiro.

It is used as a synonym for tadpole, but especially to refer to a cartwheel.

68. Lambecus.

It is said of one who is a “ball” or does anything to gain the favor of a third party.

69. Hair

Word used to say that someone is bald, a “pelouro” a “pelón”.

70. Trapalleiro.

It refers to when someone is a liar or a charlatan, “that boy is a trapalleiro”.