loca
“loca” means “crazy” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
crazy
Also: mad, insane
📝 In Action
Mi hermana a veces está un poco loca, pero es divertida.
A2My sister is a little crazy sometimes, but she's fun.
¿Estás loca? ¡No puedes saltar desde ahí!
B1Are you crazy? You can't jump from there!
wild
Also: hectic, great
📝 In Action
La fiesta de anoche fue una noche loca.
B1Last night's party was a wild night.
Tengo una idea loca para nuestro viaje.
B1I have a crazy (great) idea for our trip.
Fue una carrera loca para llegar al aeropuerto a tiempo.
B2It was a frantic race to get to the airport on time.
crazy about
Also: mad with, dying to
📝 In Action
Estoy loca por el chocolate.
B1I'm crazy about chocolate.
Ella está loca por ir a la playa.
B1She's dying to go to the beach.
Se volvió loca de alegría cuando vio el regalo.
B2She went mad with joy when she saw the gift.
crazy woman
Also: madwoman
📝 In Action
No le hagas caso, es una loca.
B2Don't pay attention to her, she's a crazy woman.
La gente en la calle la miraba como a una loca.
C1People on the street looked at her like a madwoman.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: loca
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence implies that a woman's behavior is temporarily strange or silly, not a permanent part of her personality?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The origin of 'loco' is uncertain. Unlike many Spanish words, it doesn't come directly from Classical Latin. It might have come from a pre-Roman language on the Iberian Peninsula, possibly from a Celtic word related to 'gull'. It appeared in Spanish around the 12th century and replaced the Latin-derived word 'insano'.
First recorded: c. 1140
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'loca' and 'loco'?
'Loca' is the feminine form, used to describe women or feminine nouns (like 'la casa loca' - the crazy house). 'Loco' is the masculine form, used for men or masculine nouns (like 'el perro loco' - the crazy dog). You must make them match!
Is it offensive to call someone 'loca'?
It depends on the tone and context. Saying '¡Estás loca!' to a friend who has a wild idea is usually fine and playful. However, calling someone 'una loca' (a crazy woman) is often meant as an insult and can be very offensive.