Inklingo

How to Say "pals" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “pals” is “amigos” — use 'amigos' for general, everyday friendships when you mean 'friends' or 'pals' in a neutral and widely understood way..

amigos🔊A1

Use 'amigos' for general, everyday friendships when you mean 'friends' or 'pals' in a neutral and widely understood way.

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camaradas🔊A2

Choose 'camaradas' for a very informal and slightly more dated or group-oriented sense of 'pals,' often implying shared activities or camaraderie.

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colegas🔊A2

Use 'colegas' specifically when referring to friends from work or a professional environment, akin to 'workmates' or 'colleagues' who are also friends.

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gordos🔊A2

'Gordos' is an affectionate and very informal nickname used for a group of close male friends, meaning 'guys' or 'pals' in a loving way.

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patas🔊B2

Use 'patas' in casual settings to refer to your mates or casual friends, often implying a group you go out with regularly.

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viejas🔊B2

'Viejas' is an informal term specifically used for close female friends or a group of girlfriends, translating to 'girls' or 'pals'.

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English → Spanish

amigos

/ah-MEE-gohs//aˈmiɣos/

nounA1informal
Use 'amigos' for general, everyday friendships when you mean 'friends' or 'pals' in a neutral and widely understood way.
A diverse group of three young people laughing and walking together outdoors.

Examples

Mis amigos y yo vamos al cine esta noche.

My friends and I are going to the movies tonight.

Ellos son mis mejores amigos desde la infancia.

They have been my best friends since childhood.

Hice muchos amigos nuevos en mi viaje a Colombia.

I made a lot of new friends on my trip to Colombia.

The Mixed-Group Rule

In Spanish, if a group of friends includes even one male person, you must use the masculine plural form 'amigos'. The word 'amigas' is only for groups of all females.

Forgetting the Mixed-Group Rule

Mistake: “Seeing a group of five women and one man and saying 'mis amigas'.”

Correction: Always use 'mis amigos' for a mixed-gender group. Think of the '-o' ending as the default for groups unless you're 100% sure everyone is female.

camaradas

/kah-mah-RAH-dahs//kamaˈɾaðas/

nounA2very informal
Choose 'camaradas' for a very informal and slightly more dated or group-oriented sense of 'pals,' often implying shared activities or camaraderie.
Two children smiling and holding hands while walking together on a grassy hill, symbolizing close companionship and friendship.

Examples

Mis camaradas de la escuela me ayudaron con el proyecto.

My pals from school helped me with the project.

¡Hola, camaradas! ¿Qué vamos a hacer esta noche?

Hey, buddies! What are we going to do tonight?

A Noun for Everyone

The singular form, 'camarada', can be used for both men ('el camarada') and women ('la camarada') because the meaning refers to the relationship, not the gender ending.

colegas

koh-LEH-gahs/koˈle.ɣas/

nounA2informal (Spain)
Use 'colegas' specifically when referring to friends from work or a professional environment, akin to 'workmates' or 'colleagues' who are also friends.
A simple illustration showing two professional peers, one pointing at a document they are both holding, symbolizing collaboration.

Examples

Mis colegas de trabajo organizaron una fiesta sorpresa.

My work pals organized a surprise party.

Ella es una de mis colegas más respetadas en la universidad.

She is one of my most respected colleagues at the university.

¿Vas a invitar a todos tus colegas a la conferencia?

Are you going to invite all your associates to the conference?

Gender Flexibility

The word 'colega' (and its plural 'colegas') does not change its ending to indicate gender. Instead, the article tells you who is being discussed: 'el colega' (male) or 'la colega' (female).

Confusing 'Colega' and 'Amigo'

Mistake: “Using 'colega' when you mean a close personal friend.”

Correction: 'Colega' implies a professional or academic relationship. Use 'amigos' (friends) or 'conocidos' (acquaintances) for personal relationships.

gordos

/GOHR-dohs//ˈɡoɾðos/

nounA2affectionate plural nickname
'Gordos' is an affectionate and very informal nickname used for a group of close male friends, meaning 'guys' or 'pals' in a loving way.
A group of three large, happy men standing together in a park.

Examples

¡Hola, gordos! ¿Cómo estáis?

Hey, pals! How are you doing?

Esos gordos son mis primos.

Those big guys are my cousins.

Nouns from Adjectives

In Spanish, you can turn a describing word like 'fat' into a person word like 'fat guy' just by putting 'los' (the) in front of it.

patas

PAH-tas/ˈpatas/

nounB2casual friends
Use 'patas' in casual settings to refer to your mates or casual friends, often implying a group you go out with regularly.
A group of three cartoonish, smiling figures standing side-by-side with arms around each other's shoulders, depicting close friendship.

Examples

Esta noche salimos de copas con las patas.

Tonight we're going out for drinks with our pals/mates.

Él y yo somos patas desde el colegio.

He and I have been buddies since school.

Context is Key

When used in this slang sense, 'patas' refers to people, but it maintains its feminine form. Don't worry about changing it based on the gender of your friends.

viejas

vee-EHH-hahs/ˈbje.xas/

nounB2informal term for close friends
'Viejas' is an informal term specifically used for close female friends or a group of girlfriends, translating to 'girls' or 'pals'.
A colorful illustration of three young female friends sitting around a small table, laughing and enjoying a snack together.

Examples

Voy a salir con mis viejas esta noche.

I'm going out with my pals tonight.

¿Dónde están las viejas? Llevan horas de retraso.

Where are the girls? They are hours late.

Possessive Use

This slang meaning is almost always used with a possessive word, like 'mis' (my) or 'tus' (your), to show close connection: 'mis viejas'.

Don't confuse general friends with work friends

The most common mistake is using 'colegas' when you mean general friends. Remember, 'colegas' specifically refers to friends from a work or professional context, while 'amigos' is the all-purpose word for friends or pals.

Related Translations

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