frikada
nerdy/geeky thing or hobby
Pronunciation
/fɾiˈka.ða/
Cultural Note
From 'friki' (Spanish adaptation of English 'freak/geek'), a 'frikada' is anything nerdy, geeky, or obsessive. The word 'friki' was adopted in the 1990s-2000s and has become completely mainstream in Spain. Unlike English where 'freak' can be harsh, 'friki' in Spanish is mostly affectionate — it's okay to be a friki now. A 'frikada' can be a nerdy purchase, a geeky conversation topic, or an obsessive hobby. Spain's version of Comic-Con is literally called 'Frikadas' by attendees. The word shows how Spanish absorbs English and makes it its own.
📝 Example Sentences
Coleccionar figuras de anime es su frikada favorita.
Collecting anime figures is their favorite nerdy hobby.
Eso es una frikada, pero me mola.
That's such a nerdy thing, but I love it.