Cheeky - para los hispanohablantes
Un poco de ayuda por favor amigos. Anoche hablaba con nuestro amigo Venezolano y usé la palabra 'descarada' / 'descarado' - pareció un poco indignado y me preguntó ¿quién me ha enseñado esa palabra? Pues, sucede que la encontré en la diccionario y cuandó comprobé, sí, mi diccionario tiene 'descarada' por 'cheeky' y lo que es más es la única sugerencia. Google también regresó 'descarado/a' for cheeky.
Bueno, cuando utilizaba la palabra 'descarada/o' solo significa 'cheeky' pero me explicó que a veces puede significar 'coqueto' (flirtatious?). Supongo que puede tener un poco de este significa en ingles pero no siempre, por ejemplo podemos usarla con niños traviesos pero me dijo Carlos no puedo usarla en la misma manera en español.
Entonces, no quiero dar la impresión equivocada a nadie. Tengo dos preguntas - qué piensa Ud (hablohispante) cuando oye la palabra descarada y si va a trasladar la palabra inglés 'cheeky' cuál palabra usaría?
Gracias de antemano por sus comentarios 
Por favor, corrija mis errores
11 Answers
Hi, Kiwi!
Tengo dos preguntas - qué piensa Ud (hablohispante) cuando oye la palabra descarada
It can mean from naughty ( also for children) to insolent, from provoker to bad-manner, from obvious to flagrant. It's a very common word and the nuance depends on how you use it
y si va a trasladar la palabra inglés 'cheeky' cuál palabra usaría?
Descarado, insolente, qué desfachatez, qué sinvergüenza
Pillo, atrevido, osado, agudo.
Evidente, claro, llamativo, obvio.
Colloquially:
Qué jeta, que morro, qué caradura, qué poca vergüenza
Qué abierto, qué echado pa'lante
Cantado, más claro que el agua.
The word I would use for "cheeky" in most situations (at least, here in the UK) is "pillín" (or even "pilluelo"), but Gekko's "diablillo" and "pícaro" would be other possible alternatives, along with "granujilla", "golfillo", or "tunante". In any case, most of the words have to be "softened" by using a diminutive in order to match the affectionate and charming connotations of "cheeky". As Gekko said, there is probably no universal perfect match, but some regional preferences can do the trick.
To me it means shameless, insolent, blatant, brazen. Actually, des + carado and bare + faced surely are inspired by the same concept.
According to the RAE, someone who speaks or behaves with shamelessness, and without modesty or respect to other people.
Cheeky is often interpreted affectionately or in a funny way, but descarado, although it does not have to be that negative (but it can be!), it is definitely not funny or cute.
Just as an update I asked a Mexican friend of ours who also teaches English how he would translate cheeky and he said that he would say pícaro - and when I told him about some of your answers he said he also liked pilluelo
Anyone else use pícaro in that sense?
Wow, great variety of choices! Excuse me, I have to ask: is "hablohispantes" really a word?
I'm sitting here thinking about it and I can't think of a word in American English that is a good translation for "cheeky". The only time you hear that word here is if you are watching a Guy Richie film or imitating a Brit.
In my dictionary I have:
descarado and caradura
But I asked for an explanation of "cheeky" in my English class yesterday and all I got were some references to "fat faces" or "bottoms".
I guess my English explanation was not good enough. 
So Cogumela & Gekko you both mentioned 'caradura' and so did our friend Carlos for that matter - is that as simple as 'cheeky' or is it closer to our 'bare faced' which would carry more of a negative connotation.
Ok so I think I'll go with Cogu's 'qué jeta' and also I'm liking 'pilluelo/a which I've seen Gekko use before but was reminded of in Lazarus' post
Thanks to all - hopefully I'll cause no confusion using those!
I mostly agree with Cogumela's opinion: tone and attitude when you say it have has much to do with how it is interpreted.
I don't know if any one word in Spanish has become as universally "mild" as cheeky. Although in some contexts, "cheek" can be fairly condemning.
Some alternatives, varying with region and, again, tone and attitude, may be: diablillo(a), or pícaro(a). I like "sinvergüenza".
And, as I have stated before, I think that Carlos is perhaps a tad conservative. He's an older fellow, after all.
Ok so now our friend has suggested muergano or muerganita as an option - but according to RAE that looks even worse to me?? Any thoughts on that word? Could uncouth and gross ever be a funny, 'cheeky' way to tease someone?
