Lazy in Spanish | Examples & Slang
Some common ways to say lazy in Spanish are:
- Vago
- Perezoso
- Desganado
- Inactivo
- Flojo
- Parado
- Holgazán
- Haragán
All these ways to say lazy in Spanish are adjectives. Since Spanish has grammatical gender, each adjective must agree with the gender of the noun or pronoun it describes.
Adjectives must also agree with the grammatical number—singular or plural—of the nouns and pronouns they describe.
| Adjective | Masculine | Feminine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
| vago | vago | vagos | vaga | vagas |
| perezoso | perezoso | perezosos | perezosa | perezosas |
| holgazán | holgazán | holgazanes | holgazana | holgazanas |
When using the plural and both genders are implicated, use the masculine form.
How to say lazy in Spanish
There are various ways to say lazy in Spanish. They vary in their degree of formality and their usage throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Vago
Vago ( ) is a widely used word for lazy in Spanish. It’s slightly informal and implies a tendency to avoid work or activity. Vago can also mean “idle” when talking about a person. And when referring to an object, it can mean “vague” or “indistinct.”
Las chicas de ese grupo son un poco vagas. [The girls in that group are a bit lazy.]
Perezoso
Perezoso ( ) is another way to say lazy in Spanish. Perezoso can also be translated as “slothful” or “slow.” It’s more formal than “vago” and implies inactivity or sluggishness.
Es normal sentirse perezoso después de comer mucho. [It’s normal to feel lazy after eating a lot.]
Desganado
Desganado ( ) can also be used to say lazy in Spanish, though it refers to lazy in the sense of being unmotivated. Desganado literally translates as “listless” or “apathetic.” Someone who is desganado lacks interest, passion, or energy.
Maria y Juan son alumnos desganados. [Maria and Juan are apathetic students.]
Flojo
Literally, flojo ( ) means “loose” or “slack,” but it’s another common way to say lazy in Spanish. Flojo is more commonly used in Latin America than in Spain.
Los fines de semana nos ponemos flojos y no hago nada en casa. [On weekends we get lazy and don’t do anything around the house.]
Parado
Parado ( ) literally translates as “stopped,” but it can be used to mean lazy in Spain. It’s not as common in Latin America. If a person is parado, it means they’re not a self-starter.
No seas tan parado, ¡haz algo productivo!. [Don’t be so lazy; do something productive!]
Holgazán
Holgazán ( ) is a slightly more formal and old-fashioned way to say lazy in Spanish. It carries a negative connotation and suggests someone who deliberately avoids work or responsibility.
Esas niñas holgazanas tienen que limpiar su habitación. [Those lazy girls have to clean their room.]
Haragán
Haragán ( ) is another slightly formal and more old-fashioned way to say lazy in Spanish, similar to “holgazán.”
Su actitud haragana le trajo problemas en la escuela. [His lazy attitude got him in trouble in school.]
In Spanish, to communicate this meaning, you could say relajado or apacible.
For example, you could have “un día relajado” or “un diá apacible,” both of which mean “a lazy day.”
How to say lazy in Spanish slang
There are also many ways to say lazy in Spanish slang. All of these mean lazy, but some of these are more commonly used in specific Spanish-speaking countries than others.
Huevón
Huevón ( ) translates literally as “large egg” but means lazy in Spanish. While used throughout the Spanish-speaking world as slang for lazy, it’s more commonly heard in Latin America. This term is highly informal and carries a negative connotation, so it should be used carefully.
Mis hermanas son huevonas, sobre todo con la limpieza. [My sisters are lazy, especially when it comes to cleaning.]
Morón
Morón ( ) can mean lazy in Spanish, or it can mean “idiotic” or “foolish,” like the English word “moron.” It’s used in Puerto Rico and Panama.
No le queremos en nuestro grupo porque es morón y no hace nada. [We don’t want him in our group because he’s lazy and never does anything.]
Cachaciento
Cachaciento ( ) is a slang way to say lazy in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Bolivia. It means that someone or something is slow or unmotivated.
Esa actitud cachacienta no te llevará a ninguna parte. [That lazy attitude won’t get you anywhere.]
Achantado
Achantado ( ) is a slang way to say lazy in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela. If someone is achantado, they are unmotivated or apathetic.
David es un estudiante achantado. [David is an unmotivated student.]
Zángano
In Spanish, zángano ( ) is another way to say lazy. Zángano is also a drone bee. Since drone bees don’t work, this word came to also mean lazy or “unproductive.” It’s used throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Mis hijos son unos zánganos. [My children are so lazy.]
Frequently asked questions about lazy in Spanish
- How do you say lazy in Mexican Spanish?
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To say lazy in Mexican Spanish, use “flojo/a.” Spanish has grammatical gender, so use “flojo” for males and masculine nouns, and “floja” for females and feminine nouns.
Another way to say lazy in Spanish that’s popular in Mexico is “huevón.” This term is highly informal and carries a negative connotation, so it should be used carefully.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can check that the gender of your adjectives agrees with your nouns in Spanish.
- How do you say you are lazy in Spanish?
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To say “you are lazy” in Spanish, you could say “eres vago/a.” As Spanish has grammatical gender, you would say “eres vago” to males and “eres vaga” to females.
“Eres” is the informal second-person conjugation of the verb “ser” [“to be”]. “Vago/a” is an adjective that means lazy in Spanish.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can make sure you’re writing phrases like this correctly in Spanish.
- How do you say lazy in Dominican Spanish slang?
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To say lazy in Dominican Spanish slang, say “flojo/a.”
Spanish has grammatical gender. Therefore, the adjective “flojo” is only used for males and masculine nouns. For females and feminine nouns, use “floja.”
Use a QuillBot Grammar Check to make sure your Spanish nouns and adjectives agree in gender.
- What’s the meaning of vago in Spanish?
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“Vago” is lazy in Spanish.
Since Spanish has grammatical gender, “vago” is used to describe males or masculine nouns, and “vaga” is used to describe females or feminine nouns.
QuillBot’s free Translator can help you translate words like “vago” from Spanish to English.
- What’s the meaning of ganas in Spanish?
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“Ganas” in Spanish means “desire” or “enthusiasm.”
In Spanish, you use “ganas” with the verb “tener” [“to have”] to explain when you feel like doing something or not.
“Tener ganas de” translates as “I’m excited to” or “I’m looking forward to.” “No tener ganas de” means you feel lazy about doing something.
Ganas in a sentence example Tengo ganas de vacaciones. [I’m excited for vacation.]Lucia no tiene ganas de salir. [Lucia doesn’t feel like going out.]
QuillBot’s free Translator can help you translate words like this to understand their meaning in English.
