# Fine here, rude there: Spanish words that change by country

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Updated 2026-10-30 · By Jacob Pradels · HTML version: https://learnwithkin.com/spanish/words-that-change-meaning

> Some everyday Spanish words are rude in other countries. *Coger* means to catch or grab in Spain, but it's a vulgar word for sex in most of Latin America. *Concha* is a seashell, and vulgar in Argentina and Chile. *Bicho* is a bug, and vulgar in Puerto Rico. When in doubt, say *tomar* or *agarrar* instead of *coger*.

Spanish slang grew up separately in each country, and some ordinary words picked up a second meaning along the way. Nobody will be offended when a learner slips, but you'll probably get a laugh. Here are the ones worth knowing.

## Coger

The big one. In Spain *coger* is everywhere: *coger el autobús* (catch the bus), *coger el teléfono* (pick up the phone). In Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and much of Latin America, it's a vulgar word for sex.

*Saying it safely*

| Instead of | Say | Means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| coger el autobús | tomar el autobús | catch the bus |
| coger el teléfono | contestar el teléfono | answer the phone |
| coger la mano | agarrar la mano | take someone's hand |

*Tomar el autobús* is understood everywhere, Spain included. In Mexico, it's *tomar el camión*, since a bus there is a *camión*.

## The rest


| Word | Usually means | Rude in | Rude meaning |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| concha | seashell | Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru | female genitals |
| cajeta | goat's milk caramel (Mexico) | Argentina, Uruguay | female genitals |
| papaya | papaya | Cuba | female genitals |
| bicho | bug | Puerto Rico | penis |
| pico | beak, peak | Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica | penis |
| palomita | little dove, a piece of popcorn | Peru | penis |
| pinche | kitchen helper (Spain) | Mexico | damn, as a swear word |

A few of these flip both ways. *Cajeta* is a sweet everyone loves in Mexico, so an Argentine might do a double take at the dessert menu. And *pinche* in Mexico isn't about sex at all; it's just a swear word, used a lot.

## One that's just funny: guagua

In Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Canary Islands, a *guagua* is a bus. In Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, it's a baby. So "I'm getting on the guagua" lands very differently in Havana and in Santiago.

## How not to worry about it

- **Learn the safe word first.** *Tomar* for catch, *agarrar* for grab. Nobody blinks at them.
- **Listen to where you are.** If people around you say *coger* all the time, you're probably in Spain, and you can too.
- **Laugh it off.** Plenty of Spanish speakers have a story like this from another country. It's a mistake people like hearing about.

## Questions

### Is coger a bad word?

Depends where you are. In Spain it's completely normal: to catch, grab or take. In most of Latin America, including Mexico and Argentina, it's a vulgar word for sex. Use *tomar* or *agarrar* there.

### What does coger mean in Mexico?

It's a vulgar word for sex. Mexicans say *tomar* or *agarrar* for catch or take: *tomar el camión*, catch the bus.

### What does concha mean in Argentina?

It's vulgar there, a slang word for female genitals. Everywhere else it's a seashell, and in Mexico it's also a sweet bread shaped like one.

### What does guagua mean?

A bus in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Canary Islands. A baby in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia.

## Sources

- coger. Wiktionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coger
- concha. Wiktionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/concha
- guagua. Wiktionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/guagua
- Spanish entries and their regional labels. Wiktionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Regional_Spanish

## Related

- [One thing, many words: Spanish by country](https://learnwithkin.com/spanish/regional-words.md)
- [Spanish false friends](https://learnwithkin.com/spanish/false-friends.md)
- [Vosotros vs ustedes](https://learnwithkin.com/spanish/vosotros.md)

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