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Cojones, from the Latin word coleo (meaning a leather bag), is a noun that certainly makes it into conversations in Spain very often.
It’s one of several Spanish slang words for testículos (testicles), a list which also includes huevos (eggs), pelotas (balls) or bolas (bowls).
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But cojones reigns supreme in Castilian Spanish, not least because, just like just like the F-word can be used in all manner of ways in English, cojones can be transformed into different nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, idioms and interjections.
It can imply something positive or negative, surprise or anger, even the number of cojones can transform the meaning completely!
Un cojón: A way of saying something is expensive (literally – one ball)
Example: Vale un cojón. It costs an arm and a leg.
Dos cojones: An exclamation to imply bravery and bravado (literally – two balls)
Example: ¡Con dos cojones! Get stuck in!/You can do it!
Tres cojones: A way of showing disdain (literally – three balls)
Example: ¡Me importa tres cojones! I couldn’t give a damn!
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Tener cojones: To be brave (literally – to have balls)
Example: Tiene los cojones bien cuadrados. He’s very brave.
No tener cojones: To be a coward (literally – to not have balls)
Example: No tienes los cojones de pegarme. You don’t have the balls to hit me.
Poner los cojones encima de la mesa: idiom for ‘to show who’s boss’ (literally – to put your balls on the table)
Example: Puso los cojones encima de la mesa. He showed them who’s in charge.
Tocar los cojones: To annoy or be annoyed by someone (literally – to touch balls)
Example: ¡No me toques los cojones, pesado! Don’t bother me, you bore!
Tocarse los cojones: To be lazy (literally – to touch one’s balls)
Example: Deja de tocarte los cojones y trabaja. Stop lazing about and work.
¡Tócate los cojones!: Exclamation to imply frustration (literally – ¡Touch your balls!)
Example: Se ha pirado. ¡Tócate los cojones! He’s left, for fuck sake!
¡Cojones! Interjection to express surprise or anger
Example: ¡Qué me dejes en paz, cojones! Leave me alone, for fuck sake!
¡Manda cojones!: Another interjection to express surprise (literally – send balls!)
Example: ¡Manda cojones! Bloody hell!
Acojonante: Adjective for ‘incredible’, ‘shocking’ or ‘frightening’
Example: ¡Fue una experiencia acojonante! It was an incredible experience!
Acojonado: Adjective for ‘scared’
Example: ¡Estoy acojonado! I’m very scared!
Acojonar: Verb for ‘to scare’
Example: ¡Deja de acojonarme! Stop scaring me!
Cojonudo: Adjective for ‘fantastic’, ‘great’
Example: Es un tío cojonudo. He’s a great guy.
Descojonarse: Verb for ‘to laugh out loud’
Example: No puedo dejar de descojonarme. I can’t stop laughing.
De cojones: Bloody well or bloody (literally – of balls)
Examples:
Me salió de cojones. It went bloody great.
Hace un calor de cojones. It’s bloody hot.
Por cojones: Definitely, without a doubt (literally – by balls)
Voy a aprobar por cojones – I’m definitely going to pass, even if it’s the last thing I do.
Hasta los cojones: Fed up (literally – up to my balls)
Example: Estoy hasta los cojones de ti. I’ve had it up to here with you.
Tener los cojones de corbata: Expression to imply one is scared (literally – to wear your balls as a tie)
Example: Llevaba los cojones de corbata cuando la vió. He was scared out of his mind when he saw her.
Cojones morados: To be cold (literally – purple balls)
Example: Tengo los cojones morados del frío que hace. My balls are frozen, it’s that cold.
No me sale de los cojones: To not want to bloody do something (literally – to not come out of the balls)
Example: No me sale de los cojones ayudarte. I don’t want to bloody help you.
READ ALSO: ¡Joder! An expert guide to correctly using the F-word in Spanish