Skip to content

resaca

hangover

noun rreh-SAH-kah Rare

Also means

undertow

Usage Note

Resaca has two distinct meanings: the undertow or backwash of a wave (its original nautical sense), and a hangover after drinking too much alcohol. In everyday speech the hangover sense dominates. Tengo resaca is the standard way to say 'I have a hangover' — Spanish does not use estar with resaca.

Examples

"Tengo una resaca terrible esta mañana."

Natural Translation

I have a terrible hangover this morning.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Spanish by topic