Inklingo

How to Say "rip-off" in Spanish

English → Spanish

atraco

ah-TRAH-kohaˈtɾako

nounB2informal
Use 'atraco' when you want to describe something that is outrageously expensive or a price that feels like theft.
A small pile of gold coins next to a single red apple, suggesting an unfair trade.

Examples

¡Pagar quince euros por una hamburguesa pequeña es un atraco!

Paying fifteen euros for a small burger is a rip-off!

Exclamations

Use 'es un' before atraco to emphasize that a price is crazy. 'Es un atraco' is like saying 'It's a crime!'

fusil

foo-SEELfuˈsil

nounC1informal
Use 'fusil' when referring to a copy or imitation of an artistic work, such as a song, movie, or painting, that is considered unoriginal or plagiarized.
Two identical paintings of a simple red flower sitting side-by-side on easels.

Examples

Esa canción es un fusil descarado de un éxito de los 80.

That song is a blatant rip-off of an 80s hit.

Su guion resultó ser un fusil de una película francesa.

His script turned out to be a copy of a French movie.

Using 'fusil' as a slang term

This usage comes from the verb 'fusilar', which literally means to execute by shooting, but slangily means to 'kill' or steal someone else's idea.

Don't use in formal essays

Mistake: “Writing 'Este libro es un fusil' in a university paper.”

Correction: Use 'plagio' or 'copia no autorizada' for formal academic contexts.

Price vs. Copy

The most common mistake is using 'atraco' to describe a copied work or 'fusil' to describe an expensive item. Remember, 'atraco' is about an excessive price, while 'fusil' is about imitation.

Related Translations

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