Spanish word

jerga

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈxeɾɣa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounslang

Example

Esa palabra es jerga.

That word is slang.

Illustration for jerga (slang)

More examples

En las redes sociales se ve mucha jerga juvenil.

On social networks you see a lot of youth slang.

Core concept

Informal words and expressions used within a clique or profession.

Common phrases

  • jerga local

    local slang

  • jerga juvenil

    youth slang

  • jerga profesional

    professional slang

Similar words

coloquialismo: Casual words and turns of phrase used in normal spoken interaction.
registro: Formality level or manner of speaking used for a given context or audience.
modismo: Conventional phrase whose combined words create an idiomatic meaning.
argot: Specialized, secret slang used within a closed group to mark or hide meaning.

Definition in Spanish

Vocabulario coloquial propio de un grupo que señala pertenencia y facilita la comunicación interna.

Word origin

Derived from Old French jargon 'chatter', jerga denotes informal words and expressions that facilitate internal communication within a clique or profession.

Usage tips

  • Common collocations include jerga de + group (for example jerga de médicos, jerga juvenil), with the de phrase specifying who uses the slang.

Other meanings

  • argotnoun
  • jargonnoun

Opposites

  • lenguaje formalformal languagenoun
  • lenguaje estándarstandard languagenoun

Word lists with this word