hostia
“hostia” means “hit” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
hit, crash
Also: smack
📝 In Action
Se dio una hostia tremenda con la bici.
B1He had a massive crash on his bike.
Si no te callas, te vas a llevar una hostia.
B2If you don't shut up, you're going to get a smack.
Le dio una hostia a la mesa por la frustración.
C1He gave the table a hard smack out of frustration.
Damn!, Wow!
Also: Good grief!
📝 In Action
¡Hostia! Se me han olvidado las llaves en casa.
B1Damn! I forgot my keys at home.
¡Hostia, qué coche más bonito!
B2Wow, what a beautiful car!
¡Hostias! ¿Has visto eso?
B2Holy cow! Did you see that?
the Host
📝 In Action
El cura distribuyó la hostia durante la misa.
A2The priest distributed the host during mass.
La hostia consagrada se guarda en el sagrario.
B2The consecrated host is kept in the tabernacle.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hostia
Question 1 of 3
If someone in Spain says 'Este coche es la hostia', what do they mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'hostia', which referred to a victim or animal used in a sacrifice to the gods.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'hostia' a bad word?
It depends on where you are. In church, it's a normal religious word. In Spain, it's a very common but vulgar swear word. In Latin America, using it as a swear word is less common and can be seen as offensive or just very 'Spanish'.
What is a polite alternative to '¡Hostia!'?
You can use '¡Ostras!' (Oysters), '¡Ostras pedrín!', or simply '¡Vaya!' if you want to express surprise without swearing.
Can I use 'hostia' for positive things?
Yes! In Spain, calling something 'la hostia' means it's 'the best' or 'the bomb'. However, it is still very informal slang.