Inklingo

How to Say "cheeky" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “cheeky” is “atrevido” — use 'atrevido' when someone is being slightly rude or disrespectful, especially towards elders or authority figures, implying a lack of proper deference.

atrevido🔊B1

Use 'atrevido' when someone is being slightly rude or disrespectful, especially towards elders or authority figures, implying a lack of proper deference.

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descarado🔊B1

Choose 'descarado' for boldness that borders on disrespect, often used for children who are impudent but can also carry a playful, albeit rude, connotation.

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pillo🔊A2

Use 'pillo' to describe someone, often a child, who is playfully mischievous and a bit sassy, hinting at cleverness in their boldness.

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insolente🔊B1

Employ 'insolente' when the boldness is clearly perceived as rude and disrespectful, particularly in the tone of voice or manner of speaking.

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travieso🔊B2

Select 'travieso' for a bold or slightly rude action that is done in a funny or playful manner, often associated with a mischievous smile or prank.

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fresco🔊B2

Use 'fresco' when someone is impudent, rude, or brazen, especially when they act overly familiar or demandingly without justification.

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chulo🔊B1

Consider 'chulo' when someone is talking back, being bold, or acting cocky, often with a defiant or swaggering attitude.

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flamenco🔊C1

Use 'flamenco' for a specific, often regional, way of expressing boldness or arrogance, usually in a confrontational or argumentative context.

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English → Spanish

atrevido

ah-treh-VEE-dohatɾeˈβiðo

adjectiveB1informal
Use 'atrevido' when someone is being slightly rude or disrespectful, especially towards elders or authority figures, implying a lack of proper deference.
A small child playfully sticking their tongue out while hiding behind a wooden chair.

Examples

¡No seas atrevido! Respeta a tus mayores.

Don't be cheeky! Respect your elders.

Le hizo una pregunta muy atrevida a su jefe.

He asked his boss a very forward question.

Tone Matters

Mistake: “Using it with a boss or stranger.”

Correction: Only use it with people you know well unless you intend to be critical.

descarado

des-kah-RAH-dohdeskaˈɾaðo

adjectiveB1informal
Choose 'descarado' for boldness that borders on disrespect, often used for children who are impudent but can also carry a playful, albeit rude, connotation.
A mischievous child caught with their hand in a cookie jar, smiling widely without any regret.

Examples

Es un niño muy descarado.

He is a very cheeky boy.

Esa fue una mentira descarada.

That was a blatant lie.

Me parece un robo descarado cobrar tanto por un café.

It seems like a blatant robbery to charge so much for a coffee.

Matching the Person

Since this is an adjective, you must change the ending to match who you are talking about: 'descarado' for a man, 'descarada' for a woman, and 'descarados/as' for groups.

Placement for Emphasis

When you put 'descarado' after the noun (like 'un robo descarado'), it emphasizes how bold or obvious the action was.

Gender Mismatch

Mistake: “Ella es muy descarado.”

Correction: Ella es muy descarada. (Remember to change the 'o' to an 'a' when describing a female.)

pillo

PEE-yohˈpiʎo

adjectiveA2informal
Use 'pillo' to describe someone, often a child, who is playfully mischievous and a bit sassy, hinting at cleverness in their boldness.
A young child with bright eyes and a mischievous smile peeking out from behind a bright blue curtain, holding a single wrapped piece of candy.

Examples

Mi hijo es muy pillo; siempre encuentra dónde escondí los dulces.

My son is very mischievous; he always finds where I hid the candy.

¡Qué pillo eres! Me engañaste con esa broma.

What a cheeky person you are! You fooled me with that joke.

Gender and Number

Like many Spanish adjectives, 'pillo' must match the person or thing it describes: 'pillo' (masculine singular), 'pilla' (feminine singular), 'pillos' (masculine plural), 'pillas' (feminine plural).

insolente

in-so-LEN-tehin.so.ˈlen.te

adjectiveB1informal
Employ 'insolente' when the boldness is clearly perceived as rude and disrespectful, particularly in the tone of voice or manner of speaking.
A child sticking their tongue out at a stern guard in a uniform.

Examples

No me hables con ese tono insolente.

Don't talk to me with that disrespectful tone.

El empleado fue despedido por ser insolente con el cliente.

The employee was fired for being rude to the customer.

Su respuesta insolente sorprendió a todos en la mesa.

His cheeky response surprised everyone at the table.

Gender-Neutral Ending

This word ends in -e, which means it stays the same whether you are describing a man, a woman, or a neutral object. You don't change it to 'insolenta'.

Positioning for Emphasis

While it usually comes after the person it describes, putting it before the noun (e.g., 'el insolente niño') makes the description sound more dramatic or literary.

Avoid 'Insolenta'

Mistake: “La niña es insolenta.”

Correction: La niña es insolente. Words ending in -e in Spanish usually don't change for gender.

travieso

trah-bee-EH-sohtɾaˈβjeso

adjectiveB2informal
Select 'travieso' for a bold or slightly rude action that is done in a funny or playful manner, often associated with a mischievous smile or prank.
A person with a playful expression, winking one eye and holding a finger to their lips in a secret gesture.

Examples

Me lanzó una sonrisa traviesa antes de salir.

She gave me a naughty smile before leaving.

Sus comentarios traviesos hicieron que todos se rieran.

His cheeky comments made everyone laugh.

Placing the word

When used in a flirtatious way, 'travieso' usually comes after the thing it describes (like 'sonrisa traviesa').

fresco

FRES-kohˈfɾesko

adjectiveB2informal
Use 'fresco' when someone is impudent, rude, or brazen, especially when they act overly familiar or demandingly without justification.
A mischievous fox cub sticking its tongue out in a cheeky manner at a large, surprised owl.

Examples

Es muy fresco, le pidió dinero a su jefe el primer día.

He is very cheeky/brazen; he asked his boss for money on the first day.

¡Qué fresca! Se saltó toda la fila.

How rude/shameless! She skipped the whole line.

Using 'Ser' for Personality

When 'fresco' describes someone's personality trait (being permanently cheeky or rude), always use the verb 'ser': 'Él es fresco'.

chulo

CHOO-lohˈtʃulo

adjectiveB1informal
Consider 'chulo' when someone is talking back, being bold, or acting cocky, often with a defiant or swaggering attitude.
A peacock with its colorful feathers fanned out, standing tall.

Examples

No te pongas chulo conmigo.

Don't get cocky with me.

Es un poco chulo, se cree el mejor.

He's a bit cocky; he thinks he's the best.

Changing Attitude

Use the verb 'ponerse' (to become/to get) with 'chulo' to describe someone acting cocky in a specific moment.

Ser vs. Estar

Mistake: “Using 'ser' when someone is just being temporarily cheeky.”

Correction: Use 'ponerse chulo' for temporary behavior.

flamenco

flah-MEN-kohflaˈmeŋko

adjectiveC1informal
Use 'flamenco' for a specific, often regional, way of expressing boldness or arrogance, usually in a confrontational or argumentative context.
A small child with a playful, mischievous expression sticking their tongue out.

Examples

No te pongas flamenco conmigo, que tengo razón.

Don't get cheeky with me, because I'm right.

Llegó al bar muy flamenco, pidiendo la bebida más cara.

He arrived at the bar acting very cocky, asking for the most expensive drink.

Playful vs. Rude Cheekiness

The most common mistake is confusing playful naughtiness with outright disrespect. Words like 'pillo' and 'travieso' lean towards fun mischief, while 'atrevido', 'descarado', and 'insolente' carry a stronger sense of rudeness or impudence.

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