Esa palabra para los cojones suena demasiado vulgar en la consulta.
That word for the testicles sounds too vulgar in the clinic.
La capitana mostró cojones en el último minuto.
The captain showed guts in the final minute.
Similar words
huevos
arrestos
demonios
audacia
pelotas
mierda
carajo
arrojo
coraje
bolas
Meanings
Testicles
noun
anatomy
slang
The testicles, named with a blunt vulgar word used mainly in informal speech.
Examples
El golpe en los cojones lo dejó sin aire.
The hit to the testicles knocked the wind out of him.
El médico le preguntó si sentía dolor en los cojones.
The doctor asked whether he felt pain in his testicles.
En una charla formal, dijo testículos en vez de cojones.
In a formal talk, he said testicles instead of balls.
La protección evitó una lesión grave en los cojones.
The guard prevented a serious injury to the testicles.
Esa palabra para los cojones suena demasiado vulgar en la consulta.
That word for the testicles sounds too vulgar in the clinic.
Similar words
testículos
huevos
bolas
pelotas
cocos
criadillas
Guts and nerve
noun
character
slang
Bold courage or nerve, especially the readiness to do something risky, defiant, or difficult.
Examples
Hay que tener cojones para denunciar al jefe.
It takes guts to report the boss.
Le faltaron cojones para decir la verdad.
He lacked the nerve to tell the truth.
La capitana mostró cojones en el último minuto.
The captain showed guts in the final minute.
No confundas tener cojones con ser imprudente.
Do not confuse having guts with being reckless.
Tuvo cojones para volver a intentarlo.
She had the guts to try again.
Similar words
valor
coraje
agallas
arrestos
arrojo
audacia
Vulgar exclamation
interjection
emotion
slang
A strong swear word used to show surprise, anger, frustration, or disbelief.
Examples
¡Cojones, se me olvidaron las llaves!
Damn, I forgot my keys!
¿Qué cojones haces aquí tan tarde?
What the hell are you doing here so late?
¡Los cojones! No pienso pagar otra vez.
Like hell I am paying again.
¡Cojones con el ruido de la calle!
Damn that street noise!
Al ver la factura, soltó un cojones entre dientes.
When he saw the bill, he muttered a damn under his breath.
Similar words
carajo
coño
joder
mierda
hostia
demonios
Etymology
From Spanish cojón, from Vulgar Latin coleo, coleonis, a word for a testicle. The plural developed the same figurative link between male anatomy and courage found in English balls.
FAQ
What does cojones mean?
Cojones literally means testicles and figuratively means guts, nerve, or courage.
Is cojones vulgar?
Yes. Cojones is coarse slang, especially in the anatomical and swear-word uses.
What is the singular of cojones?
The singular is cojón, one testicle.
What does tener cojones mean?
Tener cojones means to have guts or nerve, not just to have testicles.
Can cojones be an interjection?
Yes. Cojones can stand alone as a vulgar outburst of anger, surprise, or disbelief.
What is a polite alternative to cojones?
For the body part, testículos is the neutral choice. For courage, valor or coraje is safer.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
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Contribution
Breezy Curlew
Aug 14
Cojonudo is a trap for English speakers because in Spain it often just means excellent. Cojudo/cojuda is another story in parts of Latin America, there it can be an insult, so dont tidy them all into one family in your notes.
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Contribution
Quiet Impala
Aug 6
me salió de cojones and me salió de los cojones are not cousins you want to confuse. First one, the result was great. Second one, I did it because I felt like it, maybe with a bit of screw you in there
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Contribution
Rustic Hippo
Aug 1
Los cojones by itself can be a refusal. If someone says vas a pagar otra vez and the answer is los cojones, the feel is like hell I am.
1
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Spry Pika
Jul 31
A woman can tener un par de cojones too.
2
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Contribution
Soft Otter
Jul 30
Por mis cojones is stubbornness. Like, I am doing it because I damn well want to, not because it is brave.
1
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Witty Bunting
Jul 28
My Mexican family understands cojones but almost always says huevos or bolas for these idioms. If I say hasta los cojones at home it sounds like I learnt Spanish from a Spaniard on tv
1
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Peppy Swallow
Jul 30
same in Peru, we get it but huevos/huevón do more daily work
0
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Mossy Cricket
Jul 22
Manda cojones is not about sending anything anywhere. More like, can you believe this nonsense? very Spain to my ear
2
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Contribution
Fresh Marmot
Jul 21
careful with tocar. me toca los cojones means it pisses me off, but se toca los cojones means he sits around doing nothing. One little pronoun changes the whole insult, and learners get caught by that a lot
4
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Contribution
Lofty Jay
Jul 21
No tienes cojones is usually a dare, not a neutral comment about courage. In a bar it can sound like come on, prove it. In a meeting it sounds aggressive as hell.
2
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Contribution
Soft Pangolin
Jul 18
de cojones goes both ways in Spain, good or awful
3
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Plucky Sandpiper
Jul 20
yep, hacía un frío de cojones is not praising the weather