How to Say "guy" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “guy” is “tipo” — use this general, informal term for 'guy' when referring to an unspecified man in a casual conversation.
tipo
tee-pohˈtipo
Examples
Vi a un tipo extraño en la calle.
I saw a strange guy on the street.
¿Conoces a ese tipo de allá?
Do you know that guy over there?
El tipo de la tienda fue muy amable.
The guy from the store was very nice.
Not for Direct Address
Mistake: “Calling out to a stranger, '¡Oye, tipo!'”
Correction: You use 'tipo' to talk *about* a guy, but not to his face. To get someone's attention, you would say '¡Oiga!', '¡Perdone!', or '¡Disculpe!'.
chico
CHEE-koˈtʃiko
Examples
El chico juega con su perro en el jardín.
The boy is playing with his dog in the garden.
Hay un chico nuevo en mi clase de español.
There's a new guy in my Spanish class.
¡Chicos, la cena está lista!
Kids, dinner is ready!
Masculine and Feminine Forms
Use chico when talking about a boy. If you're talking about a girl, you just swap the 'o' for an 'a': chica. For a group of boys or a mixed group of boys and girls, use the plural chicos.
`Chico` vs. `Niño`
Mistake: “Using `chico` and `niño` as if they are exactly the same.”
Correction: `Niño` usually refers to a younger child (around 2-10 years old). `Chico` is more general and can be used for a young child, a teenager, or even a young man in his 20s. When in doubt, `chico` is often a safe bet.
hombre
OM-brehˈombɾe
Examples
El hombre alto lee un libro.
The tall man is reading a book.
¿Conoces a ese hombre de allí?
Do you know that man over there?
Mi hombre llega a las seis.
My husband gets here at six.
Always Masculine
The word 'hombre' is always masculine, so you'll always use 'el' or 'un' before it. For example, 'el hombre' (the man) or 'un hombre' (a man).
Mixing up 'hombre' and 'hombro'
Mistake: “Me duele el hombre.”
Correction: Me duele el hombro. (My shoulder hurts). Be careful with that one letter difference! 'Hombre' is a person, 'hombro' is a body part.
tío
Examples
Oye, tío, ¿qué hora es?
Hey dude, what time is it?
muchacho
moo-CHAH-chohmuˈtʃatʃo
Examples
El muchacho está jugando en el parque.
The boy is playing in the park.
Vi a un grupo de muchachos hablando en la esquina.
I saw a group of boys talking on the corner.
Es un buen muchacho, siempre ayuda a su familia.
He's a good lad, he always helps his family.
Changing the Ending for Girls
This word changes to 'muchacha' when you're talking about a girl. The little word in front also changes: 'el muchacho' (the boy) becomes 'la muchacha' (the girl).
Making it Plural
To talk about more than one boy, add an '-s' to make 'muchachos'. For a group of girls, it's 'muchachas'. For a mixed group of boys and girls, you use the masculine form: 'los muchachos'.
Using 'Muchacho' for an Adult Man
Mistake: “Llamé al muchacho para que arreglara la tubería.”
Correction: Llamé al hombre para que arreglara la tubería. 'Muchacho' usually refers to a boy, teenager, or very young man. Using it for a grown adult can sound a bit strange or even like you're talking down to them, unless you're much older.
chaval
cha-VALtʃaˈβal
Examples
¿Qué pasa, chaval? ¿Vienes a la fiesta?
What's up, mate? Are you coming to the party?
Oye, chaval, ¿me puedes pasar la sal?
Hey, guy, can you pass me the salt?
Direct Address
When used in this way, 'chaval' is like an exclamation or a direct address, similar to putting 'hey' or 'man' at the beginning of a sentence.
Formal Situations
Mistake: “Using 'chaval' to address an older person or someone in a professional setting.”
Correction: This word is highly informal. Use 'Señor' or 'Señora' for respect, or 'usted' for formal address.
man
mahnman
Examples
Ese man es muy buena gente.
That guy is a really nice person.
¿Viste lo que hizo el man?
Did you see what the guy did?
Mi man me invitó a cenar.
My guy (boyfriend) invited me to dinner.
A Borrowed Word
This word is taken directly from the English word 'man.' Even though it looks English, it follows Spanish grammar rules for the most part when used in conversation.
Making it Plural
In many countries like Colombia, people make this word plural by adding '-es' to the end, resulting in 'manes' (the guys).
Don't use it in Spain
Mistake: “Using 'man' to mean 'guy' in Madrid.”
Correction: In Spain, people use 'tío' or 'chaval.' Using 'man' might confuse locals or sound very foreign.
Assuming it refers to humanity
Mistake: “Using 'man' to mean 'mankind' in Spanish.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'man' is only used for a specific guy. To talk about mankind, use 'la humanidad'.
buey
bwaybwej
Examples
¡Qué onda, buey! ¿Cómo estás?
What's up, dude! How are you?
Ese buey no sabe de lo que está hablando.
That guy doesn't know what he's talking about.
No seas buey, ¡apúrate o vamos a llegar tarde!
Don't be a dummy, hurry up or we're going to be late!
The 'Güey' Variation
In modern texting and casual writing, you will almost always see this spelled as 'güey' or even 'wey'. 'Buey' is the original dictionary spelling.
Not Just for Men
Even though it is technically masculine, young people in Mexico often use it to address female friends as well.
Use with Caution
Mistake: “Using 'buey' with a teacher or a boss.”
Correction: This is strictly informal. Only use it with people your own age or close friends to avoid being disrespectful.
we
waywe
Examples
¡Qué onda, we! ¿Cómo has estado?
What's up, dude! How have you been?
Ese we de allá es el hermano de Diego.
That guy over there is Diego's brother.
No te preocupes, we, yo te ayudo.
Don't worry, man, I'll help you.
Text Speak Spelling
'We' is the shorthand version of 'güey.' It's used almost exclusively in writing like WhatsApp or Instagram to save time.
Gender Usage
While originally masculine, young people in Mexico often use it to address both male and female friends in very casual groups.
Confusion with English
Mistake: “Using 'we' to mean 'nosotros' in a Spanish sentence.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'we' is always slang for 'dude.' If you want to say 'we' as in 'us,' use 'nosotros.'
Wrong Social Setting
Mistake: “Using 'we' with a teacher or boss.”
Correction: This is very informal. Only use it with close friends of your own age.
individuo
in-dee-VEE-dwoin.diˈβi.ðwo
Examples
¿Quién es ese individuo que está mirando por la ventana?
Who is that guy looking through the window?
Llamaron a la policía por un individuo sospechoso en la calle.
They called the police about a suspicious character on the street.
sujeto
soo-HEH-tohsuˈxeto
Examples
Vimos a un sujeto sospechoso cerca de la tienda.
We saw a suspicious individual near the store.
Ese sujeto siempre llega tarde a las reuniones.
That guy always arrives late to the meetings.
La policía está buscando a un sujeto de 40 años.
The police are looking for a 40-year-old suspect.
nene
NEH-nehˈne.ne
Examples
¿Qué quieres de cenar, nene?
What do you want for dinner, honey?
Hola, nene. ¿Cómo te fue en el trabajo?
Hello, sweetheart. How was work?
pollo
POH-yoh (The 'll' sounds like 'y' in most of Latin America and Spain)ˈpoʝo
Examples
Mira qué pollo más guapo está esperando el autobús.
Look what a handsome guy is waiting for the bus. (Spain)
Mi hermana me presentó a su nuevo pollo el fin de semana.
My sister introduced me to her new boyfriend/guy friend over the weekend. (Spain)
Using Slang Regionally
Mistake: “Using 'pollo' to mean 'guy' outside of Spain.”
Correction: While understood, this usage is strongly associated with Spain. In Latin America, use 'chico' or 'chavo' instead, depending on the country.
pelado
peh-LAH-dohpeˈlaðo
Examples
Ese pelado es muy inteligente.
That kid is very smart.
Había un grupo de pelados en la esquina.
There was a group of guys on the corner.
mae
mah-ehmae
Examples
Ese mae es muy buena gente.
That guy is a very nice person.
¿Qué pasó, mae?
What happened, dude?
Había un mae vendiendo comida en la esquina.
There was a guy selling food on the corner.
Using 'Mae' for everyone
While originally masculine, younger Costa Ricans often use 'la mae' to refer to a girl, though 'el mae' is the standard default for a guy.
The 'Friendly Filler'
This word often acts as a 'comma' in conversation. It doesn't always mean 'dude'; sometimes it's just a sound used to keep the conversation flowing.
Too much of a good thing
Mistake: “Using 'mae' in a job interview or with a doctor.”
Correction: Only use it with friends or people your own age. Using it in formal settings can sound disrespectful.
Choosing Between 'Tipo', 'Hombre', and 'Individuo'
Related Translations
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