Socks with sandals. A map open in the middle of Puerta del Sol. A pint of sangría at 12:00. Dinner at 19:00 in an empty restaurant. And a sunburn the colour of a gamba. Congratulations: you’ve just been spotted as a guiri.
Hola, I’m Mónica, a madrileña and a Spanish teacher. I love guiris. I’ve been one myself, in Australia, for years. So let me explain what the word really means, and how to blend in.
What does guiri mean?
Guiri means a foreigner, usually a tourist, who stands out. It’s informal and very common in Spain. You’ll hear it in bars, on TV and between friends:
Esta zona está llena de guiris. → This area is full of tourists.
¡Qué guiri eres! → You’re such a tourist! (said to a friend who just ordered paella for dinner)
Este bar es para guiris. → This bar is a tourist trap.
Where does the word guiri come from?
According to the Spanish Royal Academy (RAE), guiri is a shortening of guiristino, from the Basque word for cristino: a supporter of Queen María Cristina in the 19th-century Carlist Wars. The Carlists used it for the government soldiers, then for the Guardia Civil, and over time it came to mean “outsider” and finally “foreign tourist”.
Is guiri offensive?
Usually not. Most of the time it’s playful, the way you’d joke about “tourists” back home. It depends on the tone: “un guiri muy majo” (a really nice foreigner) is friendly, while “los guiris lo han estropeado todo” (the tourists have ruined everything) is a complaint about mass tourism. If a Spaniard calls you guiri with a smile, take it as a welcome.
10 signs you’re a guiri in Spain
| Guiri move | What locals do instead |
|---|---|
| Dinner at 18:30 | Lunch at 14:00–15:00, dinner from 21:00 |
| Sangría in a bar | A caña, a vermut or a tinto de verano |
| Paella for dinner in Plaza Mayor | Paella at lunch, ideally on a Sunday, ideally in Valencia |
| “Una cerveza, por favor” | “¿Me pones una caña?” |
| Standing on the left of the Metro escalator | Stand on the right, walk on the left |
| Socks with sandals | No comment |
| Saying “grassy-ass” | “Gracias”, with a clear r |
| Waiting to be seated at a tapas bar | Go straight to the bar and catch the waiter’s eye |
| Shaking hands with everyone | Two kisses (dos besos) among friends |
| Walking in the sun at 16:00 in August | Siesta, shade, or a terraza |
How not to be a guiri (in 5 words)
Vale (OK), caña (small beer), ¿me pones…? (can I have…?), perdona (excuse me, to get attention) and ¡qué guay! (how cool!). Use them and you’ll get served faster and smiled at more. More here: how to order tapas in Madrid like a local and things to do in Madrid like a local.
Coming to Madrid? Don’t be a guiri.
Get my free No-Guiris Madrid guide: real tapas bars, cool barrios, secret spots and the Spanish you need at every stop.
Get the free guide →FAQ
What does guiri mean in Spanish?
Guiri is a colloquial Spanish word for a foreign tourist, especially from northern Europe, the UK or the US. It’s usually teasing or affectionate.
Is guiri a bad word?
Not usually. It’s informal and often friendly. Only the tone can make it negative, for example when people complain about mass tourism.
Where does guiri come from?
The RAE says it comes from guiristino, the Basque word for cristino, a supporter of Queen María Cristina in the 19th-century Carlist Wars.
What is a guiri in Madrid?
A tourist who stands out: dinner at 18:30, sangría, a map in Puerta del Sol. My free No-Guiris Madrid guide shows you how to do Madrid like a local.
— Monica Bernabe Perez
$20 symbolic price · 30 minutes · with Mónica
Want to speak Spanish like this, not just read it?
Book your Spanish Speaking Roadmap call (symbolic price: $20). We find what is blocking you and the fastest way to start speaking real Spanish.
Book my call ($20) →