What does ‘pijo’ mean in Spain?
In Spain, pijo (pija for a woman, pijos and pijas in the plural) means posh, snobbish or preppy: someone from a well-off background who shows it in their clothes, accent or attitude. It is colloquial and usually critical or teasing, so calling someone a pijo to their face is not a compliment.
Hear it in a real scene
In the Lince app, you hear pijo / pija in a scene from El Hormiguero, “No descarto que sea pija”:
«Pero no descarto que sea pija, pero pelo conejos.» But I don't rule out that I'm posh, but I skin rabbits.
What pijo / pija means
Posh, snobbish (people) Colloquial, mildly insulting
Es un pijo describes someone who looks down on others or flaunts expensive brands. Among friends it can be gentle teasing: No seas pija.
Posh, fancy (places and things) Colloquial
Un barrio pijo, un restaurante muy pijo: expensive, exclusive and a little pretentious.
Una pijada — a silly little thing Colloquial
Una pijada is a trivial thing, a pointless gadget or a fussy detail: Eso es una pijada, no te preocupes.
Regional vulgar sense Vulgar
In Murcia and nearby areas, pijo is also a vulgar word for penis, and ¡pijo! is a very common exclamation there. Elsewhere in Spain the posh sense is the one you will hear.
Where and when you will hear it
Pijo comes with a whole stereotype: designer polo shirts, a particular drawl and certain neighbourhoods, such as Madrid’s Salamanca district.
Latin America has its own equivalents, such as fresa in Mexico and cheto in Argentina.
Examples from everyday Spain Spanish
- Mis primos son un poco pijos.My cousins are a bit posh.
- Viven en un barrio muy pijo de Madrid.They live in a very posh part of Madrid.
- No seas pija, que los bocadillos de este bar están buenísimos.Don’t be such a snob, the sandwiches at this bar are great.
- Se ha comprado otra pijada para el móvil.He’s bought yet another silly gadget for his phone.
How to say it
PEE-hoh: the j is the strong throat sound of Spain Spanish, as in Scottish “loch”, and the stress is on the first syllable. Pija is PEE-hah.
Frequently asked questions
What does pijos mean?
Pijos is the plural of pijo: “posh people” or “snobs”, as in Mis primos son un poco pijos (“My cousins are a bit posh”). Pijas is the plural for women, and los pijos can mean posh people as a group.
Is pijo an insult?
Mildly. Calling someone pijo or pija is critical or teasing: it suggests they are posh, snobbish or spoiled.
Is pijo vulgar?
In Murcia and nearby areas it is also a vulgar word for penis, and ¡pijo! is used there as an exclamation. Elsewhere in Spain it simply means posh.
What is the Latin American equivalent of pijo?
In Mexico people say fresa, and in Argentina cheto.