In other words, learning urban slang Spanish is essential to keeping up with the spoken trends, the phrases and manners of speaking, much of which can rapidly change in urban environment (although basic building blocks of Spanish slang often stay the same, and are essential reference for anyone trying to develop a complete grasp of local Spanish slang).

Hispanic phrases
Now, it is often said that one of the best ways to learn Spanish slang is to go the city where it is spoken, dive in and start swimming. Certainly, that can be a good way to learn Hispanic slang words because immersion is a helpful way to learn quickly, even for those who have no prior preparation. But the waters can be rough. Depending on the place you go to live and learn Spanish, the locals can speak—or seem to speak—incredibly quickly. Too fast to understand, which can cause embarrassment and frustration at a crucial time of cultural integration. Moving to a new country can be stressful enough as it is, so why put yourself at an unnecessary disadvantage by not learning at least some basics of Spanish urban phrases?

One of the best ways for you to learn slang words and phrases in Spanish is through the use of a Spanish urban dictionary, because it can give you real time translations of Spanish slang into English, or English slang into Spanish. Whether in the form of a book, online Web site or on your very own mobile device or even podcast that you carry with you, lessons in a Spanish Urban Dictionary can set you ahead of the pack as you integrate into a Spanish speaking culture - whether you're studying abroad, relocating for work, or even just visiting.

Spanish slang dictionary
There are several vital uses for a Spanish urban dictionary. First, this type of dictionary can be used simply as method of Spanish slang translation. If somebody says something in Spanish, and you've got a hunch that it's a "modismo" from the local Spanish dialect, you can zero in on one or two of the words you heard, and look it up in your Spanish Urban Dictionary. This type of Spanish slang translator most traditionally comes in the form of a pocketbook dictionary that you can carry with you and easily access on the sly. These books are often built like travel guidebooks: durable, and sometimes with flexible plastic encasing that makes it water resistant and ensures a longer lifetime. If you are looking for a free Spanish slang translation online or in the form of a free Spanish slang mp3 download in which you can access thousands of Spanish slang words for free online, then browse our helpful online resources listed in the footer section of this article.

Free Spanish slang translations
If you want to learn the hot lingo without paying a dime, then Spanish slang mp3 downloads are also an extremely popular form of learning cool Spanish, hip words and phrases that will show the locals that you're "in the know" - or at the very least, putting your best foot forward. Many people find that learning slang is easier with an audible software they can listen to and practice daily. Of course, many others use mp3's much in the same way that they would use a pocket Spanish Urban Dictionary: to look up slang words on the sly. Whether you are on the bus, in a taxi, people watching at an outdoor café or even at a party, an mp3 download of Spanish slang on your iPod or Zune will make it easy to quickly grasp the words being spoken. The ongoing debate of mp3 downloads versus pocket dictionaries for learning Spanish slang words is easily resolved: how do you learn best? How are you most sly when looking things up? Often people choose to both buy the pocket Spanish Urban Dictionary in conjunction with downloading free online Spanish slang translations to their mp3 player, benefiting from both the in-depth written material found in a dictionary as well as the audible translations that make it easy to understand how the slang words and phrases are spoken.

Spanish translation slang
Up to now we've been speaking about the Spanish/English slang dictionary application of the Urban Spanish Dictionary; it is an immensely useful tool for translating slang words and phrases from Spanish to English. But it may be a shock to learn that an urban slang Spanish dictionary can be equally useful to translate English slang into Spanish. It's just as much an English/Spanish slang dictionary as it is a Spanish/English slang dictionary.

Of course, this is no small feat. Designing a resource that converts the meanings of rapidly changing words from one language to another is hard enough as it is, and it's not like flipping a switch to get it to go the other way. Yes, your experience when using these translation products will no doubt feel like flipping a switch - or flipping through a few pages of your handy pocketbook - but the research and knowledge that goes into designing an English-Spanish slang dictionary is, simply put, incredible. That's why it's incredibly good news that obtaining a quick translation of English to Spanish slang is as easy as picking up a Spanish Urban Dictionary in any of its paperback or electronic, downloadable manifestations.

List of popular Spanish slang dictionaries in paperback
These books should be your first stop you want to learn Hispanic street slang, including the most current and helpful informal Spanish:
-Streetwise Spanish RECOMMENDED for learning Hispanic slang words. This is like THE ultimate Urban Dictionary—en Español.
-The Red-Hot Book of Spanish Slang
-The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms
-Street Spanish 3: The Best of Naughty Spanish
-Dirty Spanish: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!"
-Mexican Slang Plus Graffiti This is a great resource if you want to translate Mexican slang to English
-Spanish Lingo for the Savvy Gringo: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to the Language, Culture and Slang
-Talk Dirty Spanish: Beyond Mierda: The curses, slang, and street lingo you need to Know when you speak espanol (Talk Dirty)
-Dictionary of Spanish Slang (Dictionaries of Foreign Slang)

Resources
Look here to find more naughty Spanish phrases and informal Hispanic terminology:
Spanish slang dictionary University of Oregon social research project describes the slang of native Spanish speakers from Mexico and includes some of the best Mexican slang plus Peruvian slang from left wing university students in the early 1980's. (Somebody remind me: what is the slang word for "random" in Spanish?). More serious Peruvian translation online resources are provided by the Latin American and Caribbean Information Center LACC.
Streetwise Spanish
Spanish translation slang useful resource for professional translators provided by the Salem State University Library
Spanish idioms CT Spanish
Spanish expressions Wikibooks
Slang from Spain University of California at Irvine, CA
Spanish slang dictionary online Jergas. A great place to learn how to translate Mexican slang.

Find more Spanish dictionary resources here.

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