Written by local instructorsUpdated September 2026
Surfing has its own language, and it is mostly English
Most of these words were coined in Hawaii, California, Australia and South Africa, and they travelled with the sport instead of being translated. That is why a Spanish surfer in Famara shouts the same thing at a close-out as an Australian does, and why a beginner who has never heard the words can feel lost on their first morning.
Below is our glossary: a short list of the words you actually need on day one, then everything else from A to Z.
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A wave with a peak breaking left and right. It has the shape of the letter A, therefore it’s called an A-Frame.
Aerial
A trick in which you jump off the top of a wave with your board and land on a wall, continuing the ride. It is often combined with a rotation around your own axis. It can be executed in 360 or 720 degrees. When it is popped out in the backside, it is called the Alley Ооp . At the moment these tricks are considered the most difficult in surfing and are performed well by only a few professional surfers.
B
Term
What it means
Backdoor
Catching a wave from the opposite side of the peak to get straight into the barrel created by the falling lip. On many high-level waves, this is the way people surf. Beginners should avoid this kind of surf spots, in order not to get hurt.
Backside
Surfing position with your back to the wave.
Barrel
A barrel is the most hollow and radical part of the wave. It can be near the power pocket or further along the wave where the ground temporarily becomes shallower and then deeper again, allowing the surfer to literally get covered by the crashing lip and get out. Usually, it requires wind from the shoreside to make the wall hold up better, allowing you to get barreled. This surfing manoeuvre requires a lot of skills and ocean knowledge.
Beach Break
A surf spot where waves crash on a sandy bottom. The advantages of these spots are safety, as the bottom is soft, and the availability of lifeguards and surf schools. On the downside, sandbanks are in constant motion and are not always as easy to read as reef breaks. In addition, the currents are often strong and swimmers should stay within sight of the lifeguards. Beach breaks can be calm, like Lacanau or our home spot Famara, or they can be very strong and totally unsuitable for beginners, like Puerto Escondido.
Blown-Out
Bad surfing conditions due to the wind. It’s either blowing too much or from the wrong direction, making the surf unpleasant or even impossible.
Bottom Turn
The bottom turn will most probably be your first manoeuvre in surfing. That’s the base of everything. The turn is made at the bottom of the wave. It can be executed front side, like on the example photo, or backside, with your back showing towards the face of the wave.
Break
A break is called a place where waves break. It can be any kind of surf spot.
C
Term
What it means
Carve
Carve is a turn on the face of the wave whereby one of the rails of the board is submerged in the water.
Caught Inside
Being caught or stuck between the shoreline and the breaking waves.
Channel
A channel is a current pushing you through a deeper water area where waves hardly break, making it easier to paddle out.
Choppy
Rough, bumpy waves due to wind conditions.
Close-Out
When a wave breaks at once covering the whole face of the wave, making the ride impossible. Аvoid close-outs.
Curl
The top part of a wave breaks towards the shoulder of the wave.
Cutback
A cutback is a manoeuvre, where you turn the board back towards the pocket, ideally hit the curling lip and turn back into the wall. This basic manoeuvre gives you speed for the next turn.
D
Term
What it means
Dawn Patrol
Sunrise surf check
Deck
The top part of a surfboard is called Deck.
Ding
Damage done to your surfboard by dropping, collision etc.; dings should be dried out and repaired to prevent the surfboard from filling with water.
Drop-In
To get in the right of way of a surfer who is already surfing a wave.
Duck-Dive
The technique of getting through the waves and getting to the line-up. Just before the broken wave is about to give you a punch, you push the nose under the water, then the tail, and finish it diving to our board. Important is to dive deeply and to stick to your board until you get out on the other side. Duck dives are usually performed on shortboards.
E
Term
What it means
Eskimo Roll
The technique of rolling over with a surfboard gets a surfer through a wave without being washed to shore. Eskimo Rolls are usually performed on longboards and funboards ; the same as Turtle Rolls.
F
Term
What it means
Face
The surfable part of a wave, that is just about to break. The face of a wave is the place for turns and manoeuvres.
Fins
Rudderlike devices attached to the bottom of a surfboard. Fins provide the ability to steer and give the board speed and direction. Fins are usually used in sets of three (see Thruster ).
Fish
A rounded, short and wide surfboard design , that is easy to paddle and allows to surf mushy waves, while allowing manoeuvrability and speed (5-6ft).
Flat
Tiny or no waves at all. We are so happy to be based in one most swell consistent places in Europe. Flat days are extremely rare in Lanzarote .
Foamies
Foamies are soft beginner surfboards constructed out of foam (7-9ft). Very safe and easy to surf. Beginners should always start to learn how to surf on a Foamie. Watch out, surf schools , where the lessons take place on hard boards, should not be considered as professional.
Front-Side
The position when surfing a wave facing the wall with your chest.
Funboard
A medium-length surfboard with a round nose usually ranging from 6’8 to 7’10 feet long.
G
Term
What it means
Glassy
The smooth surface of a wave, when no wind disrupts. Perfect surf conditions.
Goofy Foot
Surfing with the right foot forward on the board.
Gnarly
Heavy, big and dangerous surf. Extreme conditions.
Green Room
The inside of a barrelling wave. The place to be.
Green Wave
An unbroken wave that has hit a sand bank or reef, opens room for a ride. Groundswell Swell that travelled a long way through the ocean, created by storms offshore and usually creating powerful waves.
Grom
A young surfer; aka grommet.
Gun
A big, pointy surfboard made specifically for big wave surfing and usually designed for a specific wave (i.e Mavericks gun or Waimea Gun); aka rhino chaser.
H
Term
What it means
Hang Five
Riding a longboard with 5 toes off the nose of the board.
Hang Loose
A Hawaiian expression for an easy-going attitude; see shaka.
Hang-Ten
Riding a longboard with all 10 toes off the nose of the board.
Heat
A competitive period held in surf contest.
Hollow waves
Barrels, tubes.
Hybrid
A surfboard design that combines the high performance of a shortboard with the width, tail, and sometimes nose of a fish. A hybrid is a good choice for mushy waves or for surfer seeking extra volume.
I
Term
What it means
Impact Zone
Impact zone is where the waves break. Avoid the impact zone when paddling out.
Inside
Anywhere between breaking waves and shoreline.
K
Term
What it means
Kick-Out
To go over or through the back of the wave when ending a ride.
Kook
A surfer, acting inappropriately according to surfing etiquette . Usually, a kook has a very low surfing level , absolutely clueless about being a hassle or even a hazard for other surfers in the water. Furthermore, a kook can be somebody, who doesn’t understand surfing culture or lifestyle .
L
Term
What it means
Left-hander
A wave breaking to the left from the surfer’s perspective.
Line-Up
The spot where the waves break. Surfers line up in order to catch waves.
Lines
The lines of waves, approaching the shore.
Lip
The part of the wave that pitches out as it breaks; is where most of the power is located.
Localism
The aggression of local surfers toward non-local surfers. How to avoid localism? Read our article about Surfing Etiquette .
Locals
Local surfers. The guys usually know their home spots best. Always respect local surfers when you travel.
Longboard
Long surfboard, 9 ft or more with a round nose. Longboarding is the classic style of surfing.
M
Term
What it means
Messy
Irregular, unpredictable surfing conditions.
Mush
Non-powerful waves, too soft to surf.
N
Term
What it means
Nose
The front part of the surfboards, differs with shapes.
Nose-dive
Digging in with the nose of your surfboard into the water is usually performed by beginner surfers after or during the take-off.
O
Term
What it means
Offshore
The best wind for surfing. The wind is blowing from the shore into the ocean, slowing down the wave, making it hollower and smoothing its surface. Perfect for barrels.
Onshore
Wind blowing from the ocean to the shore, usually destroying the waves, creating chop.
Overhead
Approximated wave height measured on surfer’s height. The lip of an overhead wave is slightly higher than the surfer on the wave. In conclusion, double overhead waves would be twice the surfer’s height.
P
Term
What it means
Peak
The highest part of a breaking wave creates both left and right shoulders to ride.
Pit
The most hollow part of a barrelling wave.
Pitted
When a surfer gets barrelled.
Pocket
The pocket also called the wave pocket is the most powerful and steepest part of the wave, just next to the breaking lip. Progressive surfers surf very close to the pocket, in order to execute more radical manoeuvres, generating more speed.
Point-Break
Point-break is called a type of wave which breaks on land or rocks which are part of the coastline. Waves usually wrap around a point break. In conclusion, point breaks can be either left or right.
Pop-Up
The move a surfer performs to get into a standing position on the surfboard and surf the wave.
Pumping
Great surf conditions. Doesn’t have to be big, but nice and consistent.
Q
Term
What it means
Quiver
Basically, a quiver means surfboards. On one side, it can be the surfer’s private surfboard collection. In the same way, a quiver means the complete range of a certain surfboard model in all available sizes or shapes.
R
Term
What it means
Rails
The sides or edges of the surfboard. The thickness of the rails has a huge impact on the buoyancy of the surfboard and its manoeuvrability.
Reformer
A wave created by a previously broken bigger wave further out. The white water of a broken wave continues travelling towards the shore. When it hits the next sandbank or reef, it begins to reform and break again. That’s a reforming wave. Usually, it’s much smaller and weaker than the previously broken mother wave. This makes reformers very popular amongst beginner surfers .
Regular-Footed
Surfing with your left foot forward (opposite: goofy).
Right-hander
A wave breaking to the right from the surfer’s perspective.
Right of way
Priority for a wave is given to the surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave.
Riptide
A strong surface current flowing from the shoreline into the sea aka rip current or rip.
Rocker
The curve of the surfboard from nose to tail, or from one rail to another. Low rocker makes paddling easier, good for fat beachy waves. More rocker makes the board more manoeuvrable. Equally important are the nose and the tail rocker. Nose rocker, f.e. prevents nosediving in hollow waves. More info about rockers in surfboard design .
S
Term
What it means
Section
A segment or part of a wave. A section can be fast, slow, hollow, fat, or close out. A wave usually has several sections.
Set
A group of waves, heading towards the shore.
Shaka
A Hawaiian hand gesture used by surfers to express “hello”; “cool”; “great”; is done by extending their thumb and pinkie finger.
Shape
When talking about a wave: A term describing the quality of a wave as it breaks. When talking about surfboards : A shape means the design of the surfboard.
Shaper
A designer and producer making custom-made surfboards. Check out some of them: Al Merrick , Pyzel , Timmy Patterson , Dylan Longbottom , Mark Phipps , Jeff Doc
Shorebreak
Usually unsurfable waves, breaking right at the shore.
Shortboard
A short surfboard ranges from 5 to 7 feet, usually with a pointed nose, designed for performance surfing with radical manoeuvres.
Shove-It
Moving the surfboard 180° or 360° under the surfer while riding.
Sick
Awesome, impressive. Sick, also can be called amazing surfing conditions or a very radical and nicely performed manoeuvre.
Slotted
A surfer, perfectly situated inside a barrel.
Snaking
Paddling around, under or over another surfer to get right of way; a way of “stealing” a wave. When you snake someone, most probably you won’t make yourself popular among other surfers in the water.
Softboard
Beginner surfboard; see Foamies.
Soup
The foam of a wave or whitewater . Comes usually straight after the washing machine.
Spat-Out
When a surfer exits a barrel getting pushed from the back by the water splash from inside of the barrel.
Spit
Water is sprayed out from the inside of a barrel as the wave breaks.
Stick
A stick is another word for a surfboard.
Stoked
Pumped, extremely happy or excited. The Stoke is also excitement or enthusiasm.
Stringer
The small wood band incorporated along the board, acting as a spine. One of the main components of a surfboard is essential for the solidity of the surfboard.
Swell
Basically swell refers to water masses, travelling through the ocean. The swell can come from different directions and can be differentiated into groundswell or wind swell. Swell influences wave height, shape and power.
T
Term
What it means
Tail
The back end of a surfboard.
Take-Off
Catching a wave.
Thruster
A three-fin surfboard design created in 1982 by Simon Anderson; the most common fin setup today allowing control and maneuverability.
Tube
Same as a Barrel , the hollow part of a curling wave.
Turtle Roll
The technique of rolling over with a surfboard that gets a surfer through a wave without being washed to shore; see also Eskimo Roll .
W
Term
What it means
Wall
Another word for a face of the wave.
Washing Machine
Being rolled-around underwater by a breaking wave.
Wave Hog
A surfer, unwilling to share waves.
Wax
A substance used to rub on the deck of a surfboard for better grip.
White Water
The foam of a breaking wave.
Wipe-Out
Falling off a wave while surfing it.
Worked
Being knocked off a wave and going through the washing machine.
Half of these words only click once you are standing in the water hearing them used. Book a surf lesson and you will pick up the vocabulary without studying it — and if you are starting from zero, the beginner course includes board, wetsuit and the words that go with them.
★★★★★
I spent about a week taking surf lessons! I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience! The instructors are very patient and knowledgeable, they're right there with you in the water, they give you real-time feedback, and they support you every step of the way to give you the best advice! The instructors are very kind and always have a smile on their faces. I highly recommend them; you'll leave with a smile!
LLou Miguel AntonyAugust 2026
★★★★★
3rd visit here, this time for the kids. Great lessons again from people who teach well. Sent my son on the intermediate lessons, had him taking off in some big swell, huge boost to confidence
Jjules ralphOctober 2026
★★★★★
Excellent service from the lady who works there! We rented boards and the experience was fantastic!! Definitely recommend to anyone who is visiting!
MMeena AgarMay 2026
★★★★★
What an amazing and unforgettable experience\! 🌊🏄♂️
My 9\-year\-old son took just two surfing lessons, and we were absolutely thrilled with the results\! The instructor was incredibly friendly, patient, encouraging, and supportive\. He really helped my son build his confidence, and after only two lessons, he managed to surf on his own\! Absolutely amazing\!
I highly recommend booking a lesson here, especially for children\. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience and the beautiful memories\. We will definitely be back\! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mmarta paceOctober 2026
★★★★★
Absolutely perfect experience for my 10 year old son and 14 year old nephew. They learned a lot and had a wonderful time. Everyone at Red Star is great to interact with, and the instructors are great with kids. We will definitely be back for more lessons in the future. Highly recommend!
SSarah GrayOctober 2026
★★★★★
The guys at RSS gave us a great week of surfing and fun in Famara. We were a group of 8 people, staying in their accomodation and taking the half day and full day surf lessons in their school. They divide everyone into groups based on their level and give so much attention to everyone. The progression can really be felt each day.
Relaxed atmosphere, good waves and a really good time. Thanks to the entire team, we'll be coming back soon!🤙☀️🌊
TToma MajicOctober 2026
★★★★★
Amazing team !!!!
Unbelievable spot !!!
Wonderful housing in the beach house !
A treasure !
Want to come back asap to learn more from Gerry, Umberto et Mariano !
Best classes ever !
Will never forget : Stance ! Balance!
Positioning ! Timing ! Looking where I wanna go !
Gerry, I swear I won’t lie to myself
Thanks mates
See you soon
AAlexandre POctober 2026
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the amazing surf lesson! It was my very first time surfing, and I had such a great experience. You made us feel welcome and helped us enjoy every moment. We’ll definitely remember it! 🌊🏄
PPFEIFFER MathiasSeptember 2026
★★★★★
We had such a great experience today! My sister and I took a surf lesson and absolutely loved it. The instructors were super friendly, patient and really good at explaining everything. We felt very comfortable and had so much fun during the lesson. We would definitely recommend this surf school to anyone looking for a fun and enjoyable surf experience!
AAnouk VerboomSeptember 2026
★★★★★
"The teachers are very nice, there is good teaching methodology that respects everyone's pace and there's no pressure. Thank you very much to Mariano for his good mood and for allowing me to finish the courses on a success. I can't wait to come back."
FFlora .ClaireAugust 2026
★★★★★
We booked on to a two day course and could not fault the quality of the instructors across the days we were there. You cannot fault the scenary when out surfing with Famara cliffs in the background! We really appreciated the community vibes this surf school had created which made our trip highly memorable.
MMinh NguyenJune 2026
★★★★★
We had a 2-hour lesson with the Red Star Surf guys on Friday and it was fantastic! We were surfing for the first time and the guys did a great job of getting us up on the boards and going on our first day. They were also very safety conscious. Would definitely go to them again.
AAndrew MullinsApril 2026
Frequently asked questions
What does “grom” mean?
A young surfer, usually under sixteen. Short for grommet, and not an insult — groms are often the best surfers in the water.
What is the difference between regular and goofy?
Regular means you surf with your left foot forward, goofy with your right foot forward. Neither is better; it is simply which feels natural when you stand up.
What does “caught inside” mean?
Being stuck between the breaking waves and the beach while sets keep coming. The way out is to stay calm, hold your board correctly and duck dive or push through.
What is a barrel or green room?
The hollow tube formed when the lip of the wave throws over the face. Riding inside it is what most surfers spend years chasing.
Are surfing terms the same in Spanish?
Mostly yes. In Lanzarote you will hear the English words used directly — pico, serie and espuma exist, but drop-in, line-up, take-off and close-out are said exactly as they are.
Do I need to know the slang to take a lesson?
No. Your instructor will explain everything as you go, in your own language. This page just means fewer blank looks on the first morning.
A wave with a peak breaking left and right. It has the shape of the letter A, therefore it’s called an A-Frame.
Surfing position with your back to the wave.
The bottom turn will most probably be your first manoeuvre in surfing. That’s the base of everything. The turn is made at the bottom of the wave. It can be executed front side, like on the example photo, or backside, with your back showing towards the face of the wave.
Carve is a turn on the face of the wave whereby one of the rails of the board is submerged in the water.
Rough, bumpy waves due to wind conditions.
A cutback is a manoeuvre, where you turn the board back towards the pocket, ideally hit the curling lip and turn back into the wall. This basic manoeuvre gives you speed for the next turn.
To get in the right of way of a surfer who is already surfing a wave.
Foamies are soft beginner surfboards constructed out of foam (7-9ft). Very safe and easy to surf. Beginners should always start to learn how to surf on a Foamie. Watch out, surf schools , where the lessons take place on hard boards, should not be considered as professional.
The inside of a barrelling wave. The place to be.
To go over or through the back of the wave when ending a ride.
A wave breaking to the left from the surfer’s perspective.
Approximated wave height measured on surfer’s height. The lip of an overhead wave is slightly higher than the surfer on the wave. In conclusion, double overhead waves would be twice the surfer’s height.
The highest part of a breaking wave creates both left and right shoulders to ride.
The most hollow part of a barrelling wave.
Moving the surfboard 180° or 360° under the surfer while riding.
Pumped, extremely happy or excited. The Stoke is also excitement or enthusiasm.
Same as a Barrel , the hollow part of a curling wave.