loco
“loco” means “crazy” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
crazy
Also: insane, mad
📝 In Action
El ruido constante me está volviendo loco.
A2The constant noise is driving me crazy.
Tuvo la loca idea de empezar un negocio sin dinero.
B1He had the crazy idea of starting a business with no money.
Después del accidente, todos pensaban que estaba loco.
B1After the accident, everyone thought he was insane.
crazy about
Also: wild, mad about
📝 In Action
Estoy loco por el chocolate.
B1I'm crazy about chocolate.
Ella está loca por él desde que lo conoció.
B1She's been crazy about him since she met him.
¡La fiesta de anoche fue una cosa loca!
B2Last night's party was a wild thing!
crazy person
Also: madman, dude / man
📝 In Action
No le hagas caso a ese loco.
B1Don't pay attention to that crazy person.
Solo un loco conduciría con esta tormenta.
B2Only a madman would drive in this storm.
¡Qué hacés, loco! ¿Todo bien?
B2What's up, man! All good?
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "loco" in Spanish:
crazy→crazy about→crazy person→hectic→insane→mad→mad about→madman→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: loco
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'loco' to mean 'crazy about' or 'passionate'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The origin is a bit of a mystery! Many experts believe it comes from the Arabic word 'láwqa', meaning 'foolish'. It then passed into Portuguese and Spanish.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important difference between 'ser loco' and 'estar loco'?
'Ser loco' describes a permanent characteristic, like saying someone is an insane person as part of their identity. 'Estar loco' describes a temporary state or action, like someone is acting crazy in a specific moment. For actions, 'estar' is almost always the right choice.
Is it offensive to call someone 'loco'?
It can be, yes. If you say 'Ese hombre es un loco' about a stranger, it's an insult. However, between close friends, '¡Hola, loco!' can be a warm, friendly greeting, especially in some parts of Latin America. Context and tone are everything!