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📖2 definitions
📚 cojo has 2 definitions
A young boy struggling to walk while leaning heavily on a wooden crutch.

cojo

KOH-hoh

AdjectivemB1
lame?unable to walk easily due to injury,limping?describing the movement
Also:wobbly?describing an object, like a table or chair,crippled?less common, can be offensive

📝 In Action

El perro estaba cojo después de la caída.

A2

The dog was limping after the fall.

Esta silla está coja; no te sientes en ella.

B1

This chair is wobbly; don't sit on it.

Se levantó y se fue, aunque parecía un poco cojo.

B2

He got up and left, even though he seemed a little lame.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tullido (disabled (often used as a noun))
  • rengo (lame (common in Latin America))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • quedar cojo – to become lame/to end up limping

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

Like most Spanish adjectives, 'cojo' changes its ending to match the thing it describes: 'cojo' (masculine singular), 'coja' (feminine singular), 'cojos' (masculine plural), 'cojas' (feminine plural).

⭐ Usage Tips

Use with Care

When referring to people, 'cojo' can be seen as outdated or insensitive. It's often safer to use phrases like 'una persona que cojea' (a person who limps) or 'tiene dificultades para caminar' (has difficulty walking).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cojo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'cojo' as the first-person action (I grab)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

coger(to take/grab) - verb
cojera(limp (noun)) - noun
cojear(to limp (verb)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'cojo' sound like it should be spelled with a 'g' (cogo)?

The base verb is 'coger' (with a 'g'). When the 'g' comes immediately before an 'o' or 'a', Spanish spelling rules require it to change to a 'j' (like in 'cojo') to keep the strong 'H' sound, otherwise it would sound like 'co-go' (with a soft G), which is incorrect for this verb.

Is the adjective 'cojo' offensive?

It can be. While it literally means 'lame' or 'limping,' many people prefer descriptive phrases like 'una persona que cojea' (a person who limps) to avoid using the direct adjective, which some find overly blunt or insensitive.