estar en boga
verbCEFR B2
What does “estar en boga” mean in English?
to be in vogue, to be fashionable
to be in vogue, to be fashionable (formal; written register; intellectual or methodological trends)
Example sentences
El enfoque constructivista sigue en boga en los círculos pedagógicos más progresistas.
The constructivist approach remains in vogue in the most progressive educational circles.
En los años noventa estaba en boga la idea de que el libre mercado resolvería todos los problemas sociales.
In the nineties, the idea that the free market would solve all social problems was in vogue.
Los métodos ágiles están en boga en el sector tecnológico desde hace más de una década.
Agile methods have been in vogue in the tech sector for more than a decade.
How to use it
Estar en boga means 'to be fashionable', 'to be in vogue', 'to be the current trend'. It is formal to neutral in register, used more in written Spanish than spoken. Construction: estar en boga (often followed by entre/en + context: 'estar en boga entre los especialistas'). Contrast with estar de moda (informal synonym) and cobrar fuerza (to gain momentum — implies growing trend, not peak fashionability). The noun la boga rarely appears alone.
Common mistake
Estar en boga ≠ estar de moda (to be fashionable in everyday contexts). En boga is more formal and often used for intellectual or methodological trends. Don't confuse with cobrar fuerza (gaining ground) — estar en boga means already at the height of popularity. Used in writing; prefer estar de moda in spoken informal contexts.