berraco

What it means

1. 1.

   Tough, gutsy, formidably good at something. 'Es un berraco' is high praise for someone who works relentlessly or has come through something hard.

2. 2.

   Of a task or situation: brutally difficult. 'Está berraco el examen' means the exam is a monster.

3. 3.

   Furious. Estar berraco is to be seething, and emberracarse is to lose your temper.

Literally: Boar — an uncastrated breeding pig.

Examples with translations

• Ese man es un berraco, levantó la empresa él solo.

  That guy is a machine — he built the company on his own.

• Está berraco conseguir cita con ese médico.

  Getting an appointment with that doctor is a nightmare.

• No le hable ahora que está berraco.

  Don't talk to him right now, he's furious.

  Note: Three different senses hang on tone and on the verb; 'ser berraco' praises, 'estar berraco' complains.

Where it comes from

From verraco, the standard Spanish word for a breeding boar. The animal's stubborn strength became a compliment, and its bad temper became the anger sense. Both spellings circulate; the b- form is far more common in Colombian writing even though dictionaries prefer v-. Berraquera, the abstract noun, is a national point of pride, especially in Antioquia.

Other forms

Spellings and variants:

verraco, berraquera

Similar terms:

teso, duro