How to Say "scum" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “scum” is “basura” — use 'basura' when you want to call a person or thing worthless and despicable, similar to calling them 'rubbish' or 'trash'. It's a very strong, general insult..
basura
/ba-SOO-ra//baˈsuɾa/
Examples
Ese político es pura basura.
That politician is pure scum.
Esta película es basura, no pierdas tu tiempo.
This movie is rubbish, don't waste your time.
No compres ese teléfono, es pura basura.
Don't buy that phone, it's pure junk.
Ese hombre es una basura, trata muy mal a la gente.
That man is scum, he treats people very badly.
Describing People and Things
To say something or someone 'is trash', you use the structure 'ser una basura'. For example, 'El programa es una basura' (The show is trash).
Using 'Estar' instead of 'Ser'
Mistake: “Él está una basura.”
Correction: Él es una basura. Use 'ser' because you're describing someone's character or the essential quality of a thing, not a temporary state.
escoria
ehs-KOH-ryah/esˈko.ɾja/
Examples
Los criminales que explotan a los débiles son la escoria de la humanidad.
The criminals who exploit the weak are the scum of humanity.
Esa gente que roba a los pobres es la escoria de la sociedad.
Those people who steal from the poor are the scum of society.
No quiero tener nada que ver con esa escoria.
I don't want anything to do with that lowlife (or trash).
Feminine Insult
Even when you use 'escoria' to talk about a man or a mixed group, the word itself remains feminine: 'Él es una escoria' (He is scum).
Gender Misunderstanding
Mistake: “Using the word as masculine when referring to a man: 'Él es un escorio.'”
Correction: The word 'escoria' is a feminine noun regardless of the person's gender: 'Él es una escoria.' This happens because you are calling the person a 'piece of trash' (the waste material).
Basura vs. Escoria
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.