Spanish word of the day: Botellón

What does botellón mean?

Botellón (masculine noun, Spain) – A mass outdoor drinking session, usually among young people, where friends gather in public spaces like parks or plazas to socialize and drink alcohol they’ve brought from home. It’s a uniquely Spanish phenomenon and doesn’t have a direct equivalent in English, though you might hear comparisons to “street drinking” or “block parties”.

Example sentences with botellón

• El viernes hicimos un botellón en el parque para celebrar el fin de exámenes.
  🥤On Friday we had a botellón in the park to celebrate the end of exams.

• La policía dispersó el botellón porque había demasiada gente.
  🚓 The police broke up the botellón because there were too many people.

• En verano, los jóvenes suelen organizar botellones en la playa.
  🏖️ In summer, young people often organize botellones at the beach.

Botellón in context

If you spend time in Spain, especially in cities or university towns, you’ll hear about botellón whenever young people talk about weekend plans. It’s a popular, budget-friendly way to gather with friends before heading out to bars or clubs, since drinks are much cheaper from the supermarket than at nightlife venues. The typical botellón starts late-often around 11 p.m.-and can last for hours, with music, laughter, and plenty of socializing in the open air.

While botellón is mostly about fun, it’s also a word that comes up in news and city debates, since these gatherings can get noisy and leave behind a lot of litter. Some cities have tried to regulate or even ban botellón, while others have created special areas called botellódromos to keep the party contained. If you’re visiting Spain and someone invites you to a botellón, expect a casual, lively atmosphere-and don’t be surprised if you end up making new friends before the night is over.