Inklingo

How to Say "liar" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mentiroso

men-tee-ROH-somentiˈroso

nounA2general
Use 'mentiroso' when referring to a person who habitually tells lies or has just told a lie.
A simple illustration of a character smiling innocently while secretly holding their hands behind their back with their fingers crossed, symbolizing a liar.

Examples

¡No le creas! Es un mentiroso.

Don't believe him! He is a liar.

Mi hijo dijo que no era un mentiroso, pero tenía chocolate en la cara.

My son said he wasn't a liar, but he had chocolate on his face.

The Female Liar

If you are referring to a woman, the noun changes to 'la mentirosa.' The concept is the same, but the word must match her gender.

cha

ch-ahtʃa

interjectionC2informal
Use 'cha' informally to express disbelief or to call someone out for being fake, often implying they are not telling the truth about something specific they just said or did.
A person with a skeptical look, one eyebrow raised, and arms crossed.

Examples

¡Cha! Tú no corriste cinco kilómetros.

Yeah, right! You didn't run five kilometers.

Dijo que es amigo de Messi. ¡Chá!

He said he's friends with Messi. Yeah, right!

¡Chá, no te creo nada!

Liar, I don't believe you at all!

The Disbelief Sound

In Chile, this word is often pronounced with a sharp, rising tone (sometimes written as 'Chá') to show you think someone is exaggerating.

Wrong Region

Mistake: “Using 'cha' to mean 'yeah right' in Mexico.”

Correction: In Mexico, people might not understand this; use '¡Ajá!' or '¡Sí, cómo no!' instead.

Using 'cha' for a habitual liar

The most common mistake is using the interjection 'cha' to describe someone who is generally untrustworthy. Remember, 'cha' is a reaction to a specific falsehood or fake behavior, not a label for a person who lies frequently.

Related Translations

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