# bitch, whore, slut



## rcapone

Hello everybody:
I want to know what is the difference between these vulgar words:

*bitch
whore
slut
*
because in Spanish all of them are  traduced  like "PUTA".
Thanks

Beto


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## k-in-sc

Bitch is a nasty, unpleasant, contentious woman, any woman you don't like or feel threatened by, or any woman at all (for rappers)
A whore (technically) takes money for sex; a slut just sleeps around, although the line between these two is somewhat blurred. When you're insulting someone, you don't always strive for the utmost accuracy!


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## rcapone

Although the blurred line of these words, thanks a lot for you accurate answer, K.


Beto


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## elwopper

I think Bitch es "perra"
          Whore es "puta"
          Slut es "zorra"



at least it's like that in México.


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## elwopper

Although you can call your teacher,  perra/puta/zorra,  without  implying she sells  sex or she sleeps with a lot of people.


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## met_fuk

I agree with elwopper I think the same because another thing...don't could be maybe "bitch" is the most offensive and vulgar.


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## Arrius

*Bitch* referring to a woman, does not necessarily imply sexual activity, but often only unpleasantness and unreasonableness towards others, that I thought was covered by _zorra_, which is almost a literal translation. *nyc.5's* *arpia *seems good to me too, (btw welcome aboard!) but most appropriate when one is thinking mainly of the nastiness of a woman's behaviour without any sexual connotations

*Whore *is an old word for prostitute and often used in the Bible. It is sometimes heard in everyday speech, especially in a derogatory sense for a professional prostitute (which political correctness now terms _sex worker_) but mostly for an allegedly wanton or promiscuous amateur. Generally, the equivalent of_ puta_. The English word has currently considerable vogue amongst Black Americans where it has been reduced to 'ho' (plural hoes?) and seems on occasions to refer to any woman. _Golfa, _unmentioned thus far, would be another synonym.

*Slut *seems to have been taken over by the pornographic industry with the meaning of a very active and highly experimental  female sexual partner (_guarra_), but originally, it means a woman who neglects the house and herself and (at least to me) conjures up a picture of a woman in a scruffy dressing gown and fluffy bedroom slippers with her hair in curlers, a cigarette dangling from her mouth, sitting idly, listening to pop songs on the radio, in a filthy kitchen full of unwashed crockery and and unironed clothes. Intimate contact with the milkman may also be involved.


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## Outsider

One thing I've never quite understood is to what extent the word "bitch" has the connotation of "prostitute".

Because of expressions like "son of a bitch" versus "hijo de puta" in Spanish and other Romance languages, for a long time I thought that "bitch" was generally well translated as "puta". Yet some native speakers have vehemently denied to me that "bitch" means "puta".

Still, I would like some more opinions. What does everybody think? Were the natives who told me this right, or were they perhaps unconsciously being a tad euphemistic?

(My question was inspired by a recent thread in the English Only forum, but I thought it was best suited for a bilingual forum.)


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## -MilicianA-

I would say bitch is the same as puta in some contexts, for example when talking about a teacher, "that bitch gave us another assignment", "la puta esa nos ha dado otro trabajo".

In that context it has no sexual connotation. With sexual connotation, however, a bitch can be a woman that's somewhat slutty, cheap, and mean to the people around her. In this way, a son of a bitch is just like in Spanish "un hijo de puta".


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## Cracker Jack

Una pregunta.  ¿Se puede traducir bitch como arpia o víbora?


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## scotu

In AE *bitch* sometimes is used in a non-pejorative way to mean _chingona. _This may be a compliment especially if used by one woman with another. 
In the AE black culture bitch can mean "girlfriend" (non-pejorative).



> Una pregunta.  ¿Se puede traducir bitch como arpia o víbora?



Yes, crackerjack, I think these would be good translations for the traditional use of the word.


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## Arrius

*a son of a bitch is just like in Spanish "un hijo de puta".* MilicianA

I agree. However, it may be worth pointing out that that _son of a bitch_ is used frequently in the USA but seldom in the UK.  So common is it in the States that it is often abbreviated to S.O.B. It has never been part of my own vocabulary however annoyed I get. There are plenty of British equivalents. Strangely enough, in the very American lyrics from Bernstein's "West Side Story" the term is applied to a female. I suppose that whereas _hija de puta_ is easily said when angry _daughter etc._ is not. 

My father is a bastard, 
*My ma's an S.O.B.* 
My grandpa's always plastered, 
My grandma pushes tea. 
My sister wears a mustache, 
My brother wears a dress. 
Goodness gracious, that's why I'm a mess!


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## -MilicianA-

I myself have very little experience with the British English; all my statements are based on AE. However, the reason why in Spanish you can say hija de puta is because in Spanish you have gender, in English we just have arbitrary words that through conditioning may have acquired a gender-slanted meaning. That's why for us it would sound weird to say daughter of a bitch. But that at the side.

I agree that S.O.B. can be used for a woman, I would even say for non-animate objects (this paper is a son-of-a-bitch) and exactly _because of that_ I think it is also considered more a general statement of having the characteristic of "being lousy, messed up". As far as I know, in Spanish the latter isn't applied.


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## k-in-sc

I don't think you would ever refer to a woman as an SOB. "West Side Story" is 50 years old, and song lyrics often push the limits of usage. Also, note that there is a lot of gender-bending in those lyrics.


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## Outsider

Thank you all very much for your replies.


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## miguelopoulos

Existe otra palabra que nadie ha mencionado creo, ramera y fulana son sinónimos de whore, exclusivamente para la que cobra por tener sexo.
There are two other words you can use to say whore in spanish: ramera and fulana, referred only to the woman that takes money for having sex.
Deu


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## rcapone

To made all this clear (or obscure, who knows...) in Argentina we don't say *perra* or *zorra* as pejorative but in the 80's we would say *yegua* (filly) meaning the same than bitch in English


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## elcarnicero88

“*Bitch*” no es una traducción precisa de la palabra “puta”, ya que no implica nada sexual. Es una palabra ofensiva para una mujer que, en la mayoría de los casos, implica un carácter desagradable, sangrón, enojón, y/o antipático. (Algunas voceras feministas han dicho que la palabra conlleva connotaciones sexistas, alegando que procede de una cosmovisión machista en la que es aplicada a cualquier mujer no sumisa.)

  A menudo la frase “*hijo de puta*” se ha traducido como “son of a bitch”, y viceversa, simplemente porque es la aproximación más cercana que existe. No obstante, esto no significa que “bitch” debería de traducirse como “puta”; es una traducción únicamente en el sentido muy general de que es un insulto que se dirige a una mujer. 

  Recordemos que, en cuanto a los insultos, cada cultura tiene sus palabras ofensivas que conllevan toda una mentalidad cultural específica. Es muy significativo que, en Sudamérica y España, la acusación ofensiva es que el prójimo es “hijo de puta”; o sea, que su madre vendió su cuerpo voluntariamente. En cambio, en México, se le acusa al adversario de ser un “hijo de la chingada”, el producto de un acto violento de violación. Octavio Paz escribió un ensayo entero, “Los Hijos de la Malinche”, al respecto, analizando el significado cultural de dicho insulto muy mexicano. Es un capítulo del libro El Laberinto de la Soledad; pueden leer el ensayo aquí:

http://lanic.utexas.edu/lance/courses/restricted/shumway/paz01.html


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## BB214

I know that rappers use "bitch" to describe a girlfriend. It still not appropriate for a man to say that to woman and a sign of disrespectful.


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## thelordbaby

Well...there's another word : hooker.


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## elcarnicero88

Of course "bitch" is a sign of disrespect. See comments above.

"Hooker" is a more light-sounding term than "whore". To some, it sounds downright comical. It is seldom used as an insult--more frequently, it is used simply in reference to a prostitute. I've rarely heard someone say "that girl is a hooker" in order to insult a girl's promiscuity; far more common is use of the phrase "whore". i.e. "don't date that girl, she's a total whore. She's gotten with every guy in town."


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## yonatan

What about cunt?


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## Arrius

*Cunt *se refiere, algo paradójicamente , siempre o casi siempre a un varón. Pero no tiene nada que ver con promiscuidad sino estupidez o un comportamiento malvado.


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## rodneyp

Most of what I read above is on point (accurate). But here's a little more clarification...

*Bitch* can be used in a generic sense among men to refer to a woman. 

Man, check those bitches (girls) out, they look good. 
I need a bitch (woman, girlfriend) on the side.
See that bitch (girl) over there? I hooked up with her last week.
Let's go look at some bitches (girls) in the strip club.

And if a woman hears any of this, she will be offended. 

A *slut* is a woman who sleeps around a lot, for free. It's used in a derogative sense. All the time. Women may playfully call each other sluts, but as a guy, forget it, you can't do the same.

She's such a slut, she's slept with half the football team.
You don't want to date her, she's a slut.

A *whore* charges for sex. However, you can also use this in place of slut, which is the most common usage. Although technically this is a synonym for hooker, you don't hear it used much in that context. 

She's such a whore, she's slept with half the football team.
You don't want to date her, she's a whore.

*Hooker* is the most common word to refer to a prostitute. Hookers are also refered to as working girls. Instead of asking you if you want sex, many hookers will ask you if want a date.

You can find a bunch of hookers working the block on 12th street.
Yeah, I paid $100 for the last hooker I picked up.
(you) What's up baby? (her) Nothing, I'm out here working. You want a date? 
If you get caught with a hooker they'll put your picture in the paper and on the news. (This actually happens in some US cities)


About *S.O.B* - I've never heard it used to refer to a woman here in the US. It would sound weird. 

That SOB really pisses me off.
He's a real SOB.
That SOB stole my car!
Son of a bitch, I lost my wallet.

*Cunt* - an insult, never heard it used any other way. Can be said of men or women

She's a fucking cunt (bitch).
That cunt stole my wallet.
Dude, stop being such a fucking cunt and act like a man.

Hope this helps.


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## Arrius

*Cunt - an insult, never heard it used any other way. Can be said of men or women rodneyp*

In the States, if you say so, but it would sound very strange applied to a woman in the UK, unless the youth of Britain have also copied this American usage in my absence, as they have done so many others.


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## elcarnicero88

Arrius is right about *cunt*. In the UK, it is used almost exclusively for men, as an insult. Here in the US, on the other hand, it is the opposite--almost exclusively reserved for women, and always a very derogatory word. People in the States don't call a woman a cunt unless they mean serious, vulgar business.

When I was in England, on the other hand, I would hear men in pubs use it jokingly to refer to other men, almost like some Texans would use the phrase "bastard" or "son of a bitch", as per the Seinfeld episode:

_[Link removed]_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJz-gmy8YOc


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## Arrius

The UK usage for _cunt_ exclusively for men also applies to its partial synonyms_ prat_ and _twat_, possibly unknown in the States, though these denote extreme slliness but do not include caddishness or nastiness as does the first term.
All three may be applied to the female primary sexual characterisic.


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## Adry_betis

elwopper said:


> I think Bitch es "perra"
> Whore es "puta"
> Slut es "zorra"
> 
> 
> 
> at least it's like that in México.




¿¿¿Y cual es la diferencia entre zorra, puta y perra???   Si no tenemos ni idea, mejor no contestemos para liar al personal anda.


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## rodneyp

Arrius said:


> The UK usage for _cunt_ exclusively for men also applies to its partial synonyms_ prat_ and _twat_, possibly unknown in the States, though these denote extreme slliness but do not include caddishness or nastiness as does the first term.
> All three may be applied to the female primary sexual characterisic.


 
Twat is used in the US, but it's not heard very often.  I think it may be a bit outdated here in the US.  And I've never heard prat.


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## Arrius

*Twat is used in the US, but it's not heard very often. I think it may be a bit outdated here in the US. And I've never heard prat. rodneyp*

Compare this British joke from WW II. The setting is a sergeant inspecting a line of new recruits.
Sergeant: And what's your name?
Recruit: Arthur Pratt, Sergeant.
Sergeant (sarcastically): 'Alf a prat#? Then why don't you go and get the uvver (other) 'alf and join the WAAFs*?

N.B. 
#The London Cockney accent often pronounces _th (_as in_ thin) _as F and the _th_ in bro_th_er as bru_vv_er, and, as in most British English, does not pronounce either of the Rs in _Arthur._ It also omits initial aitches as in 'alf(though sometimes puts them in where they don't belong).

*Women's Auxiliary Air Force

(Pratt is a fairly common surname both in the UK and Ireland).

PS I recently heard for the first time ever a woman being called a cunt, a usage I disputed earlier. It was said in an American movie.
Also, I just read this in the Online Etymological Dictionary:  _Prat in British slang sense of "dolt, fool" is recorded from 1968._ This is utter nonsense - I have heard the word used in this sense throughout my life and my father, born in 1896, was wont to use it on occasions in this way.


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## jegcruz

rcapone said:


> Hello everybody:
> I want to know what is the difference between these vulgar words:
> 
> *bitch - perra, cabrona, culera*
> *whore  - puta, prostituta*
> *slut - fajinilla, culiadora, caliente*
> 
> because in Spanish all of them are traduced like "PUTA".
> Thanks
> 
> Beto


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## Arrius

Since *jegruz* has quoted the phrase in *rcapon*e's original, now rather old. post,

*because in Spanish all of them are traduced like "PUTA*",

I think it justifiable, at the risk of going off topic, to warn others that might otherwise make this not uncommon mistake, that the English word* traduced* never means_ translated (traducido_), but _defamed (calumniado_). Strangely enough, if you look up _traduce_ in our English-Spanish dictionary, you are automatically transferred to the article on the Spanish verb _traducir_ in the Spanish-English dictionary_._ Admittedly, _to traduce_ is not a common verb, perhaps a little oldfashioned but not obsolete.
N.B. Replies to this post would definitely be off topic, but I trust I may be granted an amnesty for my several earlier contributions to this thread
and present good intentions.


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## Janis Joplin

rcapone said:


> Hello everybody:
> I want to know what is the difference between these vulgar words:
> 
> *bitch
> whore
> slut
> *



A *whore* _charges for sex_.
A *slut* _sleeps with everyone_, a *bitch* _sleeps with everyone but you_.


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## elcarnicero88

Janis Joplin, in addition to playing magnificent music, has offered a nearly watertight explanation of the difference between the three words in English.


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## LordMonty

elcarnicero88 said:


> A menudo la frase “*hijo de puta*” se ha traducido como “son of a bitch”, y viceversa, simplemente porque es la aproximación más cercana que existe. No obstante, esto no significa que “bitch” debería de traducirse como “puta”; es una traducción únicamente en el sentido muy general de que es un insulto que se dirige a una mujer.



Yo tenía entendido que "bitch" era zorra. Que viene a ser más o menos lo mismo que puta en español.
Entonces la traducción de "Hijo de puta" al inglés seria más correcta siendo... "son of a whore"? xD


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## stallion

Cracker Jack said:


> Una pregunta. ¿Se puede traducir bitch como arpia o víbora?


 
No


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## stallion

En México bitch se traduciría como "cabrona" porque arpía o víbora se refiere más a una persona que es chismosa con intención de hacer daño.


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## Arrius

*Entonces la traducción de "Hijo de puta" al inglés seria más correcta siendo... "son of a whore"?* *Lord Monty*

Literalmente que sí,  pero nadie lo diría hoy en día simplemente como insulto. _Whoreson_ es aún más obsoleto. _Son of a bitch_ quiere decir _hijo de puta_ pero es americano._ Bastard_ bastaría en el Reino Unido por eso.


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## stallion

Janis Joplin said:


> A *whore* _charges for sex_.
> A *slut* _sleeps with everyone_, a *bitch* _sleeps with everyone but you_.


 
Ha, ha, ha... you're very funny!


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## alex_vkcr

rcapone said:


> To made all this clear (or obscure, who knows...) in Argentina we don't say *perra* or *zorra* as pejorative but in the 80's we would say *yegua* (filly) meaning the same thanas bitch in English


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## Arrius

In London, of difficult troublesome women one used to say, "She's a real *mare!*" (yegua) but without sexual connotations. I'm not sure if the usage has survived.


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## Leista

hola, ¿Puede alguien explicarme la diferencia entre slut and bitch? Muchas gracias.


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## Mariwave

Creo que es como cerda y puta... pero no estoy segura!espera a ver que dice un nativo


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## aurilla

Son sinónimas. 

Literalmente, "slut" es "puta" y "bitch" es "perra" o "puta". 

"Slut" es más fuerte. "Bitch" puede significar muchas cosas, dependiendo del contexto, situación o género.


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## Mattterhorn

Can you use 'bitch' to insult a man?


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## alex_vkcr

Of course you can, in fact, it's quite often!


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## Janis Joplin

Mattterhorn said:


> Can you use 'bitch' to insult a man?



Yes, but doing that implies that you're either insulting someone twice (calling him a bitch and a woman) or you're kind of joking.


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## donbeto

alex_vkcr said:


> Of course you can, in fact, it's quite often* common*!



Or ... in fact it's *done *quite often.

It's very common on the TV show "Breaking Bad".

I don't know that's it's done jokingly. In fact, I think it's doubly insulting because it suggests not only that you're a bad person, but unmanly. I'm not 100% sure of this, but that's the way I've always interpreted it.


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## k-in-sc

Bitch: weak and dominated


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## Jessila

If I'm not mistaken, "cunt" originally refers to a woman's sexual organs, right?
So then I guess that calling a man a "cunt" is actually the same as calling him a "pussy"?


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## CaseyB

For those of you in other countries, in USA;
Whore is a woman who sells her body for sexual purposes. Doesn't matter if she gets money or something else out of it. Women who are in a marriage or relationship to get money or other things is also a whore.
Bitch was originally defined as a female dog in heat(in the mood for sex). Later referring to an angry, bossy, controlling woman who complains about men too much. Now many Americans use it to call all women. Mainly started by black Americans.
Slut is a loose woman with sex.

Although there are many people who will refer these words to any or all women just because they are angry, or angry at a particular woman. The definitions are generally accepted here in the USA, and remain basically as I wrote them.


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