Weed in Spanish: What It Means and the Slang You'll Actually Hear

“Weed” is English slang for cannabis, and its literal Spanish translation is “hierba” or “yerba,” the same word used for any wild plant. In Spanish-speaking countries you'll hear “hierba,” “marihuana” or local slang like “mota” (Mexico) or “faso” (Argentina), and English “weed” itself is now common among younger smokers. Here's what the word covers and how it's used across cannabis culture.

What does “weed” mean?

• Marijuana or cannabis: In its most common sense, “weed” means cannabis. It can refer to the plant itself or to the parts people actually use, mainly the leaves and the buds, whether for adult use or medical reasons. In Spanish, that's “marihuana,” “hierba” or, for the buds, “cogollos.”

Common “weed” phrases and how to say them in Spanish

• Smoking weed: The act of smoking cannabis, as in “I like to smoke weed now and then.” A Spanish speaker would say “fumar hierba,” “fumar mota” or, in Argentina, “fumar porro.”
• Medical weed: Cannabis used for therapeutic purposes, to help manage medical conditions. In Spanish: “marihuana medicinal” or “cannabis medicinal.”
• Recreational weed: Cannabis used for fun, meaning for its psychoactive effects. In Spanish: “uso recreativo” or “uso adulto.”
• Legal weed: Some places have legalized cannabis, so “legal weed” is cannabis you can lawfully buy, possess or use there. In Spanish: “marihuana legal.”
• Quality weed: High-grade cannabis, usually with big, potent buds. Spanish speakers might call it “flores de calidad” or just “buena hierba.”
• Outdoor weed: Cannabis grown outside rather than indoors. In Spanish: “marihuana de exterior.”
• Indoor weed: Cannabis grown inside, in controlled environments like greenhouses or grow tents. In Spanish: “marihuana de interior,” or simply “indoor.”

Growing weed and the vocabulary that comes with it

• How to start growing weed: If you're thinking about growing your own, you'll need to learn the basics: picking quality seeds and getting light, watering and ventilation right. In Spanish, growing is “cultivar,” and a grower is a “cultivador.”
• How to tell if a weed plant is male or female: Growers need to tell female plants from males, because only females produce quality buds. You can learn to sex your plants during the growth stage. In Spanish: “planta hembra” (female) and “planta macho” (male).
• Weed terpenes: Terpenes are the aromatic compounds in cannabis that shape its smell and flavor. Every strain has its own terpene profile, which influences both its aroma and its effects. The Spanish word is almost the same: “terpenos.”
• 4/20 weed: April 20 (4/20) has become a holiday for cannabis, a day when people light up and celebrate weed culture. Spanish speakers call it “el 420” too.
• All Weed Need Is Love: A joke on the Beatles' “All You Need Is Love,” playing with the idea that love and weed can both bring joy and chill you out.

Bottom line: “weed” is everyday English slang for cannabis, and in Spanish it translates as “hierba” or “yerba.” It's a versatile plant with both adult-use and medical applications and a rich culture around it. If you're getting into growing or consuming, it pays to know the terms and expressions that come with “weed” in both languages, so you can take part in the cannabis community with your eyes open.

What Spanish speakers call a joint around the world

1. Porro: Let's start with the most common word across Spanish-speaking countries. A “porro” is a joint.
2. Carrujo (Mexico): In Mexico, a joint is sometimes called a “carrujo.”
3. Gallo (Mexico): Another Mexican term is “gallo,” which also means a joint.
4. Troncho (Peru): In Peru, you might hear someone talk about a “troncho” when they mean a joint.
5. Yoni (Peru): Another Peruvian term is “yoni,” also used for a joint.
6. Phily (Puerto Rico): In Puerto Rico, a joint is sometimes called a “phily,” after the brand of rolling papers people often use to roll one.
7. Ciriguayo (Puerto Rico): Along the same lines, Puerto Ricans also use “ciriguayo” for a joint.
8. Malboro Racer (Colombia): In Colombia, you might hear a joint called a “Malboro Racer,” or just a “racer.”
9. Creative nicknames: Beyond the regional terms, weed culture is famous for inventing funny nicknames for joints. A few Spanish examples: “trócolo,” “chiripitifláutico,” “macgyver,” “wikijoint” and “trocoloco.”
10. Known worldwide: Some names are so iconic they're understood everywhere. Take “spliff,” used in lots of countries for a joint rolled with weed and tobacco.
11. Pop-culture names: In some places, joint nicknames riff on celebrities or pop culture. One Spanish example is “Harry Petas,” a play on Harry Potter (“peta” is Spain slang for a joint).
12. Regional flavor: The world's cultural and linguistic diversity shows up in what people call a joint. Every region has its own way of saying it, which adds some local flavor to smoking in different corners of the world.