“I am a sympathetic cabron”
John Benjamin Toshack
Choosing a sin that fits me was difficult. There was not a single word in English that represented me. In my mind, I had a vague idea of what the sin should be. I could not find the specific word in english; however, in my first language , it was another story. Spanish vocabulary is really wide when it comes to swearwords, and there is a word that is the vivid representation of myself. It would definitely have to be ‘cabron’, and in English vocabulary doesn’t have a similar word for it. ‘Cabron’ has various meanings, and I will be writing every single one of them, even how and when to use it.
‘Cabron’ literally means male goat, but it can also mean bastard.Goats have a reputation for eating anything; therefore, their association with the lowly likes of a “bastard.” As it is often the case in slang, negative words can get a positive spin. In English, you can tell the difference between calling something ‘shit’ as opposed to calling something ‘the shit’. So Spanish speakers use this concept too, you can name someone who is exceptionally skilled at something—a badass- cabron. But, I am not done yet because it can even be used as the word dude or to call out a friend. So, if you want to call your buddy, you might call them cabrón. If you’re looking to pick a fight with a stranger, call them cabrón. It’s funny for me when I started thinking about all the ways to say that word, and what’s even more is that I did not realize it until now that I am writing this essay, and I haven’t finished yet. Even in other countries like in Nicaragua a cabrón can mean a man whose wife is sexually unfaithful, or use it in the female form ‘cabrona’ to call someone a bitch. Use it when something is awesome or difficult. It can be used to call someone mischievous too. Depending on the way you say it, it can mean a lot of things. Like when you say ‘holy shit!’, you can use ‘Ay cabron!’ too.
Context is everything with cabrón, as it can actually mean male goat, a bastard, something awesome or difficult , someone very skilled, or a term to call your bros, someone mischievous, when something surprises you, bitch, or a cuckold. This word can be confusing to non-native Spanish speakers, and let’s not start with other swears because it happens exactly the same. I think that I use the word cabron and I feel it represents me with most of its meanings. Except the meaning of being cheated, and I don’t care if someone calls me a cabron because I am one.
