Is Spanglish Okay? Code-Switching Explained for Learners
Is mixing English and Spanish bad for your Spanish? What linguists say about Spanglish and code-switching, and when to stay fully in Spanish.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
"Vamos al mall y luego hacemos la tarea, ¿okay?" If that sounds like your family, you've heard Spanglish. Many learners worry that mixing languages is "bad Spanish". Here's a more balanced view.
What Spanglish actually is
Spanglish includes two things:
- Code-switching: moving between languages in a conversation, or even in a sentence: "Estaba bien tired después del trabajo."
- Borrowings: English words adapted to Spanish: parquear (to park), el lonche (lunch), la troca (truck), textear (to text).
What linguists say
Researchers who study bilingual communities generally describe code-switching as a normal, rule-governed bilingual skill, not as a sign of poor language ability. Fluent bilinguals switch in predictable places, often for emphasis, identity or because one word fits better.
When it's great
- With family and friends who also speak both languages.
- For words that are simply more natural in one language in your community.
- When it keeps you speaking instead of freezing.
When to stay in Spanish
- With people who don't speak English (abuela in Oaxaca, a doctor in Madrid).
- In formal settings: work, interviews, official situations.
- When you're practicing, because switching to English can become an escape hatch.
Practice tip: describe instead of switching
When you don't know a word, try describing it in Spanish before switching: "la cosa para abrir latas" (the thing for opening cans). This builds fluency fast. See how to think in Spanish.
Common Spanglish words and standard equivalents
| Spanglish | Standard |
|---|---|
| parquear | estacionar / aparcar |
| lonche | almuerzo / comida |
| troca | camioneta |
| textear | mandar un mensaje |
| la marqueta | el mercado |
| vacunar la carpeta | aspirar la alfombra (vacuum the carpet) |
Practice: say it all in Spanish
Try rewriting these fully in Spanish:
- Voy a parquear el carro. → Voy a estacionar el carro.
- Te texteo luego. → Te mando un mensaje luego.
- Estaba bien tired. → Estaba muy cansado/a.
- ¿Vamos al mall? → ¿Vamos al centro comercial?
- Hay que hacer el laundry. → Hay que lavar la ropa.
Practice staying in Spanish
Use Lolo to practice full conversations in Spanish: if you get stuck, try describing the word or asking ¿cómo se dice…? instead of switching. Corrections afterwards show you the Spanish word you were missing. See heritage speaker common mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spanglish a real language?
It's best described as a bilingual way of speaking, with its own patterns, used by millions of people.
Will Spanglish hurt my Spanish?
Not by itself. Just make sure you also practice speaking fully in Spanish.
Is "parquear" correct Spanish?
It's widely used in the US and parts of Latin America, but estacionar is the standard term.
