How do you say “A big shot” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is un pez gordo, which literally means “a fat fish”. English speakers use a big shot to mean an important or powerful person. A close Spanish match for a powerful or important person. It can be used with a teasing or critical tone. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
un pez gordo
/um pes ˈɡoɾðo/
- Literal meaning
- “a fat fish”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
“Un pez gordo” is someone with influence. It is often used about people at the top of businesses or institutions.
Although it appears in reports about crime, it does not mean criminal by itself. The sentence supplies that information.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Some big shot from the record label is coming to our gig.
Spanish
Un pez gordo de la discográfica viene a nuestro concierto.
English
Since winning one prize, he thinks he’s a big shot.
Spanish
Desde que ganó un solo premio, se cree un pez gordo.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-13