pega

PEH-gahˈpe.ɣa

“pega” means “glue” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:

glue🔊A2Noun

adhesive substance

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drawback🔊B1Noun

disadvantage or complication

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magpie🔊B2Noun

the black and white bird

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he/she/it sticks🔊A1Verb

present tense, third person singular

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glue

Also: paste, adhesive

NounfA2

SpainChile

A simple, open bottle of white liquid adhesive glue, with a large drop hanging from the nozzle, ready to fall.

📝 In Action

Se me rompió la taza, ¿tienes un poco de pega?

My mug broke, do you have some glue?

Esta pega es muy fuerte y seca rápido.

This adhesive is very strong and dries quickly.

Word Connections

Synonyms

pegamento (glue)
adhesivo (adhesive)

Common Collocations

pega rápida – quick-drying glue
echar pega – to apply glue

drawback

Also: hitch, snag

NounfB1informal

Spain

A small, simple character walking along a smooth path, encountering a single, large, immovable gray boulder completely blocking the way forward, illustrating a setback.

📝 In Action

La única pega de este trabajo es el horario nocturno.

The only drawback of this job is the night schedule.

Si no fuera por esa pega, lo compraría ahora mismo.

If it weren't for that hitch, I would buy it right now.

Word Connections

Synonyms

desventaja (disadvantage)
problema (problem)

Antonyms

ventaja (advantage)

Common Collocations

poner una pega – to raise an objection

magpie

NounfB2

📝 In Action

La pega es conocida por ser muy inteligente y ruidosa.

The magpie is known for being very intelligent and noisy.

Cuidado, a las pegas les gusta robar objetos brillantes.

Be careful, magpies like to steal shiny objects.

Word Connections

Synonyms

urraca (magpie (more common synonym))

he/she/it sticks, he/she/it hits

Also: stick! (formal), hit! (formal)

VerbA1regular (with spelling change in certain forms) ar

A bright red paper square firmly stuck to a flat, simple yellow wall, illustrating the act of adhering.

infinitivepegar

gerundpegando

past Participlepegado

📝 In Action

Mi hermano siempre pega chicles debajo de la mesa.

My brother always sticks gum under the table.

El sol pega muy fuerte al mediodía.

The sun hits very strongly at noon.

Siéntese y pega el sello a la carta, por favor (Usted).

Sit down and stick the stamp on the letter, please (Formal You).

Word Connections

Synonyms

adherir (to adhere)
golpear (to hit)

Antonyms

despegar (to unstick/take off)

Common Collocations

pegar un grito – to shout/scream

Idioms & Expressions

pegar ojo – to get a wink of sleep (usually in the negative: no pegar ojo)

Indicative

Present

yopego

túpegas

él/ella/ustedpega

nosotrospegamos

vosotrospegáis

ellos/ellas/ustedespegan

Imperfect

yopegaba

túpegabas

él/ella/ustedpegaba

nosotrospegábamos

vosotrospegabais

ellos/ellas/ustedespegaban

Preterite

yopegué

túpegaste

él/ella/ustedpegó

nosotrospegamos

vosotrospegasteis

ellos/ellas/ustedespegaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yopegue

túpegues

él/ella/ustedpegue

nosotrospeguemos

vosotrospeguéis

ellos/ellas/ustedespeguen

Imperfect Subjunctive

yopegara/pegase

túpegaras/pegases

él/ella/ustedpegara/pegase

nosotrospegáramos/pegásemos

vosotrospegarais/pegaseis

ellos/ellas/ustedespegaran/pegasen

View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pega" in Spanish:

adhesive→drawback→glue→hitch→magpie→paste→snag→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pega

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pega' as a noun meaning 'drawback'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

pegar(to stick, to hit) — Verb

pegamento(glue) — Noun

pegadizo(sticky, catchy) — Adjective

🎵 Rhymes▼

entrega ciega

📚 Etymology▼

The word 'pega' (glue/drawback) is a back-formation from the verb 'pegar,' which came from Vulgar Latin *picāre*, meaning 'to pierce' or 'to fix,' linking the idea of sticking things together. The meaning 'drawback' likely evolved from the idea of something 'sticking' or getting in the way.

First recorded: 15th century (as the verb form)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pegarCatalan: pegar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pega' the same as 'pegamento'?

'Pega' and 'pegamento' both mean 'glue' or 'adhesive.' 'Pegamento' is the standard word used everywhere, while 'pega' is a very common, slightly more informal synonym, especially in Spain and parts of the Caribbean.

Why does 'pega' sometimes mean 'drawback'?

This informal meaning, common in Spain, comes from the idea of something 'sticking' or 'catching' and getting in the way of a smooth process. It describes a small problem or difficulty that adheres to a situation.