Today we will learn the most common meanings of the Spanish verb flipar. This verb is used in colloquial language and very informal settings. Our Spanish school, El Rincón del Tándem, will teach you use it like a native Spanish speaker would do 😊

There are some Spanish verbs that are only used in colloquial language. The verb flipar is on the them, and you probably have heard it a lot…especially in informal settings.

But, do you already know what exactly means and how to use it?

Our Spanish school will tell you in a nutshell…

1. Be crazy about something/ go mental for something

Spaniards use flipar to indicate that they really like something.

  • Me flipa el helado de menta = I really love mint ice cream
  • A Juan le flipa esta canción = Juan is crazy about this song

In this case, we form a sentence containing the verb flipar the same way we do with the verb gustar. See the structure below:

– Indirect Object = the person who really like something
– The Spanish verb FLIPAR
– Subject = the object that generates the feeling in the indirect object

2. To flip out, to freak out with something (a news, a fact, a situation, etc.)

In this case, the verb flipar must be followed by the prepositions CON + noun that indicate the object, fact, etc, that cause the feeling

  • Antonia flipó con lo que comentaste ayer = Antonia freaked out with what you told yesterday
  • Flipé cuando vi que había perdio el avión = I was shocked when I saw that I had missed the plane

3. To be amazed by something/a fact, a news, etc.

In this case, the Spanish verb flipar is used in verbal periphrases:

Quedarse flipado/a (reflexive form) + verb in gerund

Dejar flipado/a + noun (subject) indicating the object/fact that cause the feeling

  • Me quedé flipado viendo jugar a Cristiano Ronaldo = I was amazed by how Cristiano Ronaldo plays
  • Me dejó flipada el espectáculo de danza. No me esperaba que fuera tan bueno = I was blown away by the dance show. I didn’t expect it to be so good

4. Be out of your mind / be crazy

A person “flipa” when he/she thinks something that is very unlikely to happen, will occur.

  • Pablo flipa si crees que voy a cocinar todos los días = Pablo is crazy if he thinks that I will cook every day

5. Get stoned (fliparse – reflexive form).

  • Se flipó fumando un porro = He got stoned smoking a joint

Finally, when we want to exaggerate our feeling (astonishment, amazement, etc.) we can use the idiom: Flipar en colores

We hope this blog helped you to better understand the meanings and uses of the Spanish verb flipar.

If you want to learn more idioms to be used in colloquial language, you can go back to our previous post on idioms with echar.

Finally, our Spanish school el Rincón del Tándem provide you a friendly space to learn Spanish while having fun. Get a look at the list of our Spanish courses in Valencia to know more 😉

¡Hasta pronto!