What does ‘chungo’ mean in Spain?
In Spain, chungo is colloquial for something bad in one way or another: a dodgy street, a tough exam, a broken laptop or a situation that is not looking good. Lo veo chungo is a quick way to say that you doubt something will work out.
Hear it in a real scene
In the Lince app, you hear chungo / chunga in a scene from Raque Late Vlogs, “Estaba un poco chungo”:
«porque estaba un poco chungo.» because it was a bit dodgy.
What chungo / chunga means
Dodgy, sketchy (people and places) Colloquial
Un barrio chungo, un tío chungo: somewhere or someone that feels unsafe or untrustworthy.
Difficult, tricky Colloquial
El examen estaba chunguísimo means the exam was really hard, and lo veo chungo means “I don’t think that’s going to happen”.
Broken, in bad shape, unwell Colloquial
Things that do not work properly are chungos (tengo el móvil chungo), and so are people who feel ill: estoy un poco chungo.
Where and when you will hear it
Chungo is informal but not rude, and you will hear it all over Spain, especially from younger speakers. It comes from caló, the language of Spain’s Roma.
Speakers in Latin America rarely use chungo; they would say feo, difícil or a local word instead.
Examples from everyday Spain Spanish
- Esa calle de noche es un poco chunga.That street is a bit dodgy at night.
- Lo veo chungo: no llegamos a tiempo.It’s not looking good: we won’t make it in time.
- El examen de mates estuvo chunguísimo.The maths exam was really tough.
- Tengo el portátil chungo y no enciende.My laptop is acting up and won’t turn on.
- Me encuentro un poco chungo, creo que me voy a casa.I’m feeling a bit rough, I think I’ll head home.
How to say it
CHOON-goh: ch as in “church”, a hard g, and the stress on the first syllable. In chunguísimo the u after g is silent and the stress moves to the gui.
Frequently asked questions
Is chungo rude?
No. Chungo is informal but not offensive, so you can use it with friends and colleagues; just avoid it in formal writing.
What does lo veo chungo mean?
“I don’t think that’s going to work out” or “That doesn’t look good”. It is a common way to say a plan or situation looks difficult.