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"Bang" is a noun which is often translated as "el golpe", and "slam" is a noun which is often translated as "el portazo". Learn more about the difference between "bang" and "slam" below.
bang(
bahng
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (noise)
b. el portazo (M) (of a door)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The professor went back into his office and closed the door with a bang.El profesor volvió a entrar en su despacho y cerró la puerta de un portazo.
c. el estallido (M) (of a detonation)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I came running as soon as I heard a loud bang come from the chemistry lab.Vine corriendo en cuanto oí un estallido fuerte que procedía del laboratorio de química.
d. la explosión (F) (from a gun)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The bang from the gun hurt my ears.La explosión del arma me hizo daño en los oídos.
2. (blow)
a. el golpe (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
When she saw her coming in, he burst out laughing and gave a bang on the table.Al verla entrar, soltó una carcajada y dio un golpe en la mesa.
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).
a. ¡pum!
My cousin made a shooting gesture at me with his finger and said, "bang! bang!"Mi primo hizo como si me disparara con el dedo y dijo, "¡pum! ¡pum!"
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
a. ¡pum!
Just as I pulled out of the garage, the exhaust pipe went bang!Fue a salir del garaje y el tubo de escape hizo ¡pum!
5. (colloquial) (right) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
6. (colloquial) (used to express failure) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
He thought he was going to pass that subject, but bang went his grade when he failed the exam.Creía que aprobaría esa asignatura, pero su nota se fue al garete cuando no pasó el examen.
I thought I was going to get a lot of work done out in the garden, but it rained, and bang went all my plans.Pensé que iba a hacer un montón de cosas en el jardín, pero llovió y adiós a todos mis planes.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
7. (to hit)
a. golpear
It sounds like our upstairs neighbor is banging something against the floor.Suena como si nuestro vecino de arriba estuviera golpeando algo contra el suelo.
b. golpearse
Careful, don't bang your head. The door frame is really low.Cuidado, no te golpees la cabeza. El marco de la puerta es muy bajo.
8. (to slam)
a. cerrar de golpe (a door or a drawer)
I could hear her opening and banging the drawers.Podía oírla abriendo y cerrando los cajones de golpe.
b. dar un portazo con (a door)
You woke me up when you came in last night and banged the entrance door.Me despertaste cuando entraste anoche y diste un portazo con la puerta de la entrada.
9. (vulgar) (to have sex with)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
b. coger (vulgar) (Mexico) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Mexico
The poor guy didn't know his best friend was banging his girlfriend.El pobre infeliz no sabía que su mejor amigo cogía a su novia.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
10. (to slam)
a. cerrarse de golpe
The wind made the garden gate bang loudly.El viento hizo que la puerta del jardín se cerrara de golpe con mucho estrépito.
b. dar un portazo (door)
I felt the hair on my neck stand on end, and at that precise moment, the door banged.Sentí que se me erizaba el pelo de la nuca y, en ese mismo instante, la puerta dio un portazo.
11. (to hit)
a. aporrear
I was banging on the door for ten minutes before someone answered.Me pasé diez minutos aporreando la puerta hasta que me abrieron.
b. darse
She wasn't paying attention when she was running, and she banged into a parking meter.No prestaba atención mientras corría y se dio contra un parquímetro.
12. (vulgar) (to have sex)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
b. coger (vulgar) (Mexico) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Mexico
The police caught them banging in the car.La policía los sorprendió cogiendo en el carro.
bangs
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
a. el flequillo (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
¿What'll it be? - Well, I think I'd like to have my bangs cut a little.Tú dirás. - Bueno, pues me gustaría cortarme un poco el flequillo.
b. el fleco (M) (Mexico)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Mexico
I'm going to show you how to cut different types of bangs that suit the shapes of different faces.Voy a enseñarles a cortar diferentes flecos adecuados para distintas formas de cara.
c. el cerquillo (M) (Latin America)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Can you see with those bangs in your eyes?¿Ves algo con ese cerquillo en los ojos?
d. la chasquilla (F) (Chile)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Chile
Those bangs really suit her.Esa chasquilla le queda muy bien.
e. el capul (M) (Colombia)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in Colombia
His blonde bangs gave him a certain air of innocence.Su rubio capul le daba cierto aire de inocencia.
f. la pollina (F) (Caribbean) (Venezuela)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Venezuela
Her bangs are too short for my liking.Lleva la pollina demasiado corta para mi gusto.
slam(
slahm
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (noise)
a. el portazo (M) (of door)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
They threw me out on the street and closed the door with a slam.Me echaron a la calle y cerraron la puerta de un portazo.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. cerrar de un golpe
"Stop making that noise!" she shouted, and slammed the window shut."¡Basta de ruido!" gritó y cerró la ventana de un golpe.
b. dar un portazo (door)
She got mad, slammed the door, and refused to come out for the rest of the night.Se enojó, dio un portazo y se negó a salir por el resto de la noche.
a. tirar
The senator walked into the president's office and slammed the newspaper onto the desk.El senador entró al despacho del presidente y tiró el periódico sobre el escritorio.
5. (colloquial) (to criticize)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. criticar
The scientific community slammed his study for the flaws in the experiments.La comunidad científica criticó su estudio por las fallas de los experimentos.
b. vapulear
The parents slammed the principal for how he handled the incident.Los padre vapulearon al director por el modo en que manejó el incidente.
6. (colloquial) (to defeat)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. darle una paliza a (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Barça slammed Real Madrid last night, 4-1.El Barça le dio una paliza anoche al Real Madrid, 4-1.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. cerrarse de un golpe
The window slammed shut without anyone touching it.La ventana se cerró de un golpe sin que nadie la hubiera tocado.
b. cerrarse de un portazo (door)
The door slammed when a gust of wind came.La puerta se cerró de un portazo cuando vino una ráfaga de viento.
a. estrellarse contra
A surveillance video captured the moment a plane slammed into an apartment complex.Un video de vigilancia captó el momento en que un avión se estrelló contra un complejo de apartamentos.
