Gandalla – Translations & Meanings in English

DefinitionGandalla is a Mexican slang adjective that is used to describe a manipulative and crafty person that takes advantage of someone else for their benefit. As a result, ‘gandalla’ can be translated as ‘crafty’, ‘scoundrel’, ‘shifty’, ‘sneaky’ or ‘underhand’. 

What Does ‘Gandalla’ Means?

  • Translation #1: ‘Gandalla’ can be translated as ‘crafty’, ‘abusive’, ‘scoundrel’, ‘shifty’, ‘sneaky’ or ‘underhand’. 

How and When to use ‘Gandalla’

  • To describe an abusive / crafty person. In Mexican informal conversations, gandalla is used to describe a person that takes advantage of someone else for their benefit. This adjective describes an manipulative or crafty person. As a result, ‘gandalla’ can have multiple translations such as: 
    • Underhand
    • Crafty
    • Selfish
    • Scoundrel 
    • Sneaky
    • Shifty 
    • Abusive
    • Manipulative

Examples of How to Use ‘Gandalla’ in Spanish

Here are some real-life examples of how to use ‘gandalla’ in your conversations. 

Describe that a person is abusive 

Gandalla is mostly used to describe a person that takes advantage of others for their own benefit or gain. This adjective doesn’t have a masculine or feminine form, but it can still be used to describe both men and women. Here is how to use it:

[Verb conjugated] + gandalla

Las nuevas vecinas se ven muy gandallas 
The new neighbors look very sneaky

No seas gandalla, déjales pastel a tus hermanos
Don’t be selfish, leave some cake for your brothers

Linda, no seas gandalla, todos tenemos que trabajar en este proyecto
Linda, don’t be manipulative, we all need to work as a team for this project

¡Qué gandalla es la vecina! Siempre pone su basura en nuestro patio
The neighbor is such a scoundrel! She’s always putting her garbage in our yard

Gonzalo y su primo son unos gandallas, ten cuidado con ellos
Gonzalo and his cousin are very shifty, be careful with them 

Who Can You Use ‘Gandalla’ With?

Gandalla is not a very flattering word to say. As a result, you need to make sure you’re applying it correctly. Additionally, this slang word is only appropriate for Mexican informal conversations. 

Synonyms: 4 Ways To Say ‘Gandalla’

  • Manchado → It’s a Mexican informal adjective that can express that a person takes advantage of others just for their benefit. Keep in mind that manchado is a very rich word and it may have other meanings. 
  • Pasado → It’s a casual adjective that means ‘to be out of line’. As a result, it can be used to describe a manipulative or crafty person. 
  • Abusivo → It’s the direct translation of ‘abusive’. ‘Abusivo’ is a standard word that you can use in both formal and informal contexts. 
  • Pasarse de listo → This expression is the direct translation of ‘to be out of line’. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts. In order to use it properly, you need to make sure to conjugate the verb.

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

Recent Posts

Pin It on Pinterest