How do young Spanish speakers say 'chill' or 'chill out'?

Young speakers in many countries increasingly borrow 'chill' as informal slang (pronounced 'cheel'), especially in online and gaming contexts. However, established equivalents like 'relajarse,' 'pasarla tranquilo,' or regional slang like 'tirar la hueva' (Mexico) remain more widely used in face-to-face conversation.

What is the difference between 'relajarse' and 'tranquilo'?

The verb 'relajarse' describes the action of chilling or relaxing (what you do), while 'tranquilo' is an adjective describing a state of being calm or a personality trait (what you are). You 'te relajas' (you chill) and you 'eres tranquilo' (you are a chill person).

How do I say 'Netflix and chill' in Spanish?

The phrase 'Netflix and chill' is often kept in English among younger Spanish speakers due to its cultural origin. When translated, people might say 'Netflix y relajarse' literally, though the innuendo does not carry as clearly. Some use 'Netflix y lo que surja' (Netflix and whatever comes up) to preserve the suggestive meaning.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Chill in Spanish: Relajarse

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Relajarse · verb/adjective · rreh-lah-HAHR-seh

The English slang 'chill' (meaning to relax or hang out) translates most naturally as 'relajarse' in Spanish. As an adjective describing a laid-back person, 'tranquilo' or 'relajado' works best. For the literal temperature meaning (a chill in the air), Spanish uses 'frío' or 'escalofrío.' The versatility of English 'chill' requires context to determine the correct Spanish equivalent.

Say 'relajarse' as rreh-lah-HAHR-seh, with the 'j' producing the characteristic Spanish guttural sound. Stress falls on the third syllable.

Solo quiero relajarme en casa este fin de semana.

I just want to chill at home this weekend.

Chill in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for chill, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
relajarse	chill	rreh-lah-HAHR-seh	Default, widely understood
tranquilo	chill		adjective: chill/calm person
frío	chill		literal temperature chill
relax	chill		English loanword used casually

How Native Speakers Use Relajarse

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Weekend plans

¿Quieres venir a relajarte a mi casa esta tarde?

Do you want to come chill at my place this afternoon?

Casual invitation to hang out.

Describing someone

Me cae bien porque es muy tranquilo y buena onda.

I like him because he's very chill and easy-going.

Using 'tranquilo' as the adjective.

Calming down

Relájate, no es para tanto.

Chill, it's not that big a deal.

Telling someone to calm down.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Relajarse

Using 'frío' for relaxing

Incorrect: Voy a frío en casa.

Correct: Voy a relajarme en casa.

The word 'frío' only means cold temperature in Spanish. Using it to mean 'hang out' or 'relax' is an English-only slang extension that does not transfer to Spanish.

Using 'chil' as Spanish

Incorrect: Estoy muy chil hoy.

Correct: Estoy muy relajado hoy.

The word 'chill' has not been adopted into Spanish as an adjective. Spanish speakers use 'relajado,' 'tranquilo,' or 'calmado' to describe a relaxed state.

Lock in Chill Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Relajarse used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using relajarse in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Solo quiero relajarme en casa este fin de semana. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Chill in Spanish

How do young Spanish speakers say 'chill' or 'chill out'?: Young speakers in many countries increasingly borrow 'chill' as informal slang (pronounced 'cheel'), especially in online and gaming contexts. However, established equivalents like 'relajarse,' 'pasarla tranquilo,' or regional slang like 'tirar la hueva' (Mexico) remain more widely used in face-to-face conversation.
What is the difference between 'relajarse' and 'tranquilo'?: The verb 'relajarse' describes the action of chilling or relaxing (what you do), while 'tranquilo' is an adjective describing a state of being calm or a personality trait (what you are). You 'te relajas' (you chill) and you 'eres tranquilo' (you are a chill person).
How do I say 'Netflix and chill' in Spanish?: The phrase 'Netflix and chill' is often kept in English among younger Spanish speakers due to its cultural origin. When translated, people might say 'Netflix y relajarse' literally, though the innuendo does not carry as clearly. Some use 'Netflix y lo que surja' (Netflix and whatever comes up) to preserve the suggestive meaning.