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mara

mah-rah/ˈmaɾa/

gang

Also: organized crime group
NounfB2slang
Central America
A group of young people standing together in a city alleyway wearing matching bandanas.

📝 In Action

Las autoridades están trabajando para reducir la influencia de la mara.

B2

The authorities are working to reduce the influence of the gang.

Muchos jóvenes intentan escapar de la mara en sus barrios.

B2

Many young people try to escape the gang in their neighborhoods.

La palabra 'mara' tiene un peso muy fuerte en El Salvador.

C1

The word 'mara' has a very strong weight in El Salvador.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • miembro de la mara – gang member
  • violencia de maras – gang violence

the crowd

Also: the guys/the folks
NounfB1informal
El SalvadorHonduras
A happy group of friends laughing and talking together in a park.

📝 In Action

¡Viene toda la mara para la fiesta!

B1

The whole crowd is coming to the party!

Hola mara, ¿cómo están?

A2

Hey guys, how are you all doing?

A esa mara le gusta mucho el fútbol.

B1

That group of folks really likes soccer.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • gente (people)
  • grupo (group)
  • plebe (the folks (regional))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • toda la mara – the whole crowd / everyone

Patagonian mara

Also: Patagonian hare
NounfC2
Argentina
A Patagonian mara sitting on the dry ground, looking like a mix between a rabbit and a deer.

📝 In Action

La mara patagónica parece un conejo con patas largas.

C1

The Patagonian mara looks like a rabbit with long legs.

Vimos varias maras corriendo por la estepa.

C2

We saw several maras running across the steppe.

La mara es una especie monógama.

C2

The mara is a monogamous species.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • liebre patagónica (Patagonian hare)

Common Collocations

  • mara patagónica – Patagonian mara

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "mara" in Spanish:

gang→patagonian hare→patagonian mara→the crowd→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: mara

Question 1 of 3

In El Salvador, if someone says '¡Hola mara!', what do they mean?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
marero(gang member) — Noun
marabunta(swarm of ants / overwhelming crowd) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
caraclaraparara
📚 Etymology▼

The 'gang' meaning is a shortening of 'marabunta,' a word for a massive, destructive swarm of ants. The 'animal' meaning comes from indigenous languages of southern South America.

First recorded: Mid-20th century (for the gang context).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to use the word 'mara'?

In El Salvador and Honduras, it is common slang for 'friends,' but in most other countries, it strictly refers to violent gangs. Use it with caution if you aren't sure of the local vibe!

Is 'marero' the same as 'mara'?

No. 'La mara' is the group or gang itself. 'Un marero' is an individual person who belongs to that gang.

Can 'mara' mean a sea or ocean?

No, that is 'mar' (masculine or feminine). 'Mara' is a separate word and never refers to the ocean.