Gibraltar's people speak Llanito (pronounced yah-NEE-to) — a fluid mix of British English and Andalusian Spanish found nowhere else on Earth.
Llanito is the local vernacular of Gibraltar — a spontaneous switch between English and Spanish mid-sentence, unique to the Rock. It isn't just code-switching; it has its own rhythm, expressions and identity.
It's influenced by British slang, Andalusian Spanish, Genoese Italian, Haketia (Judeo-Spanish), and traces of Arabic and Maltese. You won't hear it anywhere else in the world.
Example Llanito sentence:
"Mira tío, I'm going to pillar a cerveza en el pub after work, venga?"
→ "Hey mate, I'm going to grab a beer at the pub after work, alright?"
A person from Gibraltar / the local dialect
💡Both the name of the language and the people. The 'll' is pronounced like a 'y'.
Very / really — a British intensifier
💡'That's proper tasty' or 'it's proper cold today' — everyday Gib speech.
Arranged / taken care of
💡'Don't worry, it's sorted' — you'll hear this constantly.
Look / Listen (to get attention)
💡Locals use 'Mira' to start a sentence: 'Mira, you should try the calentita.'
Come on / alright then / let's go
💡A universal expression of agreement or encouragement. 'Dale, let's do it.'
Let's go / come on
💡Used exactly as in Spanish — to urge action or express enthusiasm.
Mate / pal (literally 'uncle/aunt')
💡Casual address between friends. 'Tío, you won't believe this...'
Come on / alright / sure
💡Multi-purpose expression: agreement, encouragement, farewell. 'Venga, see you later.'
I'm telling you / you don't say
💡Used for emphasis — 'The queue was two hours, no te digo!'
To catch / grab / understand
💡'Did you pillar what he said?' — mixing Spanish verb with English sentence structure.
A growing A–Z reference of Llanito words and their English meanings. Bookmark this page for your trip.
To hell with it / forget it
Mate / pal (Andalusian)
Grandmother (also used affectionately)
Mid-morning snack
Let's go / come on
Cod (fish) — also 'a tall story'
Bug / pest (not a rude word in Gib!)
Bun / sweet bread roll
Coffee with milk
Chickpea flour pancake — national dish
Tired / fed up
Boy / mate (exclamation)
Kid / youngster (source of 'quillo')
Penis (slang) — also 'to be naked'
Prickly pear fruit
Cut / broken / done for
Come on / alright then
Nosy person
Damn / blast (mild oath)
Man / bloke (from 'muchacho')
Prawn — also 'a fool'
Slow / dim-witted person
Stuffing yourself / huge meal
To lick (from 'lamer')
Money / cash (old slang)
To pee (vulgar but common)
Lie / untruth
Young man / lad
A lazy or apathetic person
Baby / darling (term of endearment)
Not a chance / no way
Mashed / squashed
To catch / grab / understand
Boy / lad (from 'pichi')
Mate / pal (from 'chiquillo')
Pot roast — traditional Gib dish
Yeah, right / obviously
Go away / get lost (Genoese origin)
Sandwich (thick, chunky)
Girl / mate (literally 'aunt')
Mate / bloke (literally 'uncle')
Come on / alright / sure
Let's go / come on
Crazy / wild / buzzing
6 questions — how Gib are you?
What does 'Adiós' mean when said by a passing stranger in Gibraltar?
Llanito has no standardised spelling or grammar. It's spoken, not written — making it a living, evolving language.
True Llanito switches between English and Spanish mid-sentence, sometimes mid-word. It's not a pidgin — it's a full bilingual system.
Many Gibraltarian families trace roots to Genoa, Italy. Words like 'sciò' (goodbye) and 'bagnato' (wet) survive in Llanito from the 18th century.
Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) switches naturally between English and Spanish mid-broadcast — the Llanito way.
Locals count in English or Spanish interchangeably. 'Uno, two, tres, four...' mid-sentence is perfectly normal.
Gibraltar's schools teach both English and Spanish formally. Most Gibraltarians are genuinely bilingual before the age of 10.