Spanish · Insults (Aimed at a Person)
Rata
RRAH-tah · /ˈra.ta/
Thief / crook / backstabber
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"Rat"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
"Rat" — but tuned toward thieves and cheats specifically. A pickpocket is a "rata," a corrupt politician is a "rata," a friend who never pays you back is a "rata." Coarse but everyday; carries real contempt without being nuclear.
Heard in the wild
Ese político es una rata, se robó todo.
That politician's a crook — he stole everything.
Where it lands
Mexico and Latin America broadly
Quick answers
- What does "Rata" mean?
- In Spanish, "Rata" means "Thief / crook / backstabber". Literally it's "Rat". "Rat" — but tuned toward thieves and cheats specifically. A pickpocket is a "rata," a corrupt politician is a "rata," a friend who never pays you back is a "rata." Coarse but everyday; carries real contempt without being nuclear.
- Is "Rata" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "Rata"?
- Say it "RRAH-tah" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈra.ta.
Related in Spanish
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