porquería
“porquería” means “filth” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
filth, mess
Also: grime, muck
📝 In Action
Limpia la cocina, ¡hay una porquería tremenda!
B1Clean the kitchen, there is a tremendous mess!
No toques eso, está lleno de porquería.
B2Don't touch that, it's full of filth.
junk, rubbish
Also: garbage, trash
📝 In Action
No compres ese teléfono, es una porquería.
B2Don't buy that phone, it's a piece of junk.
Perdí mi tiempo viendo esa porquería de película.
C1I wasted my time watching that garbage movie.
disgrace, nastiness
Also: sleaze, despicable thing
📝 In Action
El trato que recibió fue una porquería.
C1The treatment he received was despicable/a disgrace.
No puedo creer que hicieran esa porquería.
C1I can't believe they did that nasty thing.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: porquería
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'porquería' to mean 'low quality product'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the word 'puerco' (pig), combined with the suffix '-ería,' which often denotes a collection of things or a quality related to the root word. Literally, it means 'piggishness' or 'pig stuff,' which evolved into 'filth' and 'trash.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'porquería' a vulgar word?
It is informal and strong, but generally not considered a severe curse word like some others. It expresses strong disgust or disappointment, similar to saying 'filth,' 'junk,' or 'disgrace' in English.
How is 'porquería' different from 'basura'?
'Basura' strictly means 'trash' or 'garbage' (waste materials). 'Porquería' is broader; it can mean physical dirt, extremely low quality, or a despicable action. While they overlap, 'porquería' carries a stronger sense of disgust.