What Does “Estar Como Una Cabra” Mean? (Crazy Like a Goat)

Hola! I’m Mónica, a Spanish teacher from Madrid. Goats jump around, climb impossible rocks and do whatever they want. So when a Spaniard says you are “like a goat”, they mean you are a little bit crazy. Here is how to use it without offending anyone.

How to use “estar como una cabra”

Spanish	English
Está como una cabra: se ha ido a vivir a una isla sin internet.	He’s nuts: he’s moved to an island with no internet.
¿Vas a nadar en el mar en enero? ¡Estás como una cabra!	You’re going swimming in the sea in January? You’re crazy!
Mi tío está como una cabra, pero es el más divertido de la familia.	My uncle is a bit mad, but he’s the funniest in the family.
Estoy como una cabra, me he apuntado a un maratón.	I must be crazy, I’ve signed up for a marathon.

Notice the verb: it’s estar, not ser. Spaniards say está como una cabra, even when the person has been crazy all their life. Grammar rules, meet real Spanish.

Is it offensive?

Not usually. It’s informal and playful, the way you’d say “he’s bonkers” in English. You can say it about friends, family or yourself. Just don’t use it to talk about real mental health problems: it’s for craziness in the fun sense.

Why a goat?

Nobody is 100% sure, but the most common explanation is the goat’s behaviour: sudden jumps, climbing walls and cliffs, running for no reason. Anyone who has seen goats in the mountains of Spain understands it immediately.

The extended version: “como una chota”

In Spain you’ll also hear estar como una chota. A chota is a young goat, and it means exactly the same. Some people even say estar como una cabra loca to make it stronger.

Similar expressions

Expression	Meaning
Estar como una chota	Same as como una cabra (Spain)
Estar como una regadera	To be nuts (literally “like a watering can”)
Estar chalado / chiflado	To be crazy, cuckoo
Le falta un tornillo	He has a screw loose
Estar mal de la cabeza	To be not right in the head (stronger)
Estar zumbado	To be crazy (Spain, informal)
Estar pirado	To be mad (informal)
Se le ha ido la olla	He’s lost it (Spain, very common)

Se le ha ido la olla deserves a special mention: it’s what Spaniards say when someone suddenly does something crazy. ¿Te has comprado una moto? ¡Se te ha ido la olla!

FAQ

What does “cabra” mean in Spanish?

Cabra means goat. In slang, estar como una cabra means to be crazy.

Is “estar como una cabra” used in Latin America?

People understand it, but it’s much more typical of Spain. In Mexico you’ll hear estar loco or estar zafado.

Can I say it about myself?

Yes, and Spaniards do it all the time: Estoy como una cabra, lo sé. (I’m crazy, I know.)

More Spanish expressions from Spain

This article is part of my series on real Spanish expressions, the ones Spaniards use every day and textbooks never teach:

• Ponerse las pilas
• Costar un ojo de la cara
• No pasa nada
• ¡Qué fuerte!
• Estar hecho polvo
• Me importa un pepino
• Ser pan comido
• Estar en las nubes
• Tomar el pelo
• Meter la pata
• Dar la lata
• Echar una mano
• En el quinto pino
• Ojalá
• Venga
• Eres la leche
• Toma tomate, tómalo

👉 See all Spanish expressions from Spain

Expressions are the shortcut to sounding real

A Spaniard will say estás como una cabra to you the first time you do something a bit wild. Download my free guide with 100 real Spanish phrases above, and if you want to know exactly what’s stopping you from speaking, book your Spanish Speaking Roadmap call below.

— Monica Bernabe Perez

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