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Spanish slang is more localized than English slang and sometimes people from one Spanish-speaking country get confused talking to people from other Spanish-speaking countries.
[edit] Modismos (Slang)
[edit] Argentina
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| ¿Qué onda? |
What´s up? |
What wave? |
| ¡No hinches las bolas! |
Don´t bother me! |
Don´t fill up the balls! |
| ¡No me rompas las pelotas! |
Don´t bother me! |
Don´t break my balls! |
| Piola adj. |
Cool people |
|
| pelotudo/topo. |
idiot/asshole |
| boludo/a |
stupid |
|
| escrachado/escrachar (verbo) |
ashamed |
| te quiero mucho |
I love you |
|
| Pibe n. |
Boy |
Boy |
| Chabón |
Guy/dude |
|
| Mina |
woman |
Mine |
| Nabo |
Stupid |
(vegetal) |
| Gil adj. |
Stupid |
|
| Tacho n. |
Taxi |
Trash bin |
| Bondi n. |
City bus |
|
| Pilcha n. |
Clothes |
| Garca adj. |
Cheater/dishonest |
(inverse of cagar: to shit/to screw up) |
| Langa adj. |
Cool person |
|
| ¡Che! |
Idiomatic |
|
| Morfar v. |
To eat |
|
| Charlar v. |
To have a conversation, to chat |
|
| ¡Ojo! |
Be careful! Look out! |
Eye! |
| Dar bola v. |
To pay attention |
To give ball |
| Rajar v. |
To go away/to escape |
To crack |
| ¡Rajá! |
Go away! |
Crack! |
| Pirárselas v. |
To go away |
|
| Pirado adj. |
Crazy |
|
| Verso n. |
a lie |
a verse |
| Falopa n. |
Drugs/marijuana |
|
| Botón n. |
Squealer/tattle-tale |
Button |
| la Cana n. |
The Police |
the white hair |
| Estar en cana |
To be imprisoned |
|
| Trolo adj./n. |
Homosexual (male) |
|
| Re...(prefix) |
Very |
|
| Torrar v. |
To sleep |
|
| Guita n. |
money |
|
| Guacho adj./n. |
Son of a bitch |
Orphan |
| Guarango adj. |
Obscene |
|
| 1 Mango n. |
1 Peso (currency unit) |
|
| Baranda n. |
Bad smell |
|
| Concha n |
Vagina |
|
| Y la puta que te re parió |
And the slut/bitch that gave birth to you |
|
| pajero |
masturbator (watch out for the accent ) |
|
| el colectivo n |
the bus |
|
| el subte |
the subway |
|
| una pavada |
something stupid or easy |
|
| una gata / un gato |
prostitute |
|
| un piropo |
a flirty comment |
|
| afanar v |
to steal/rob |
|
| una fiaca |
a laziness / lack of desire to do something |
|
| una luca |
1000 pesos |
|
| laburo |
a job |
|
| chorro |
a thief |
|
| un quilombo |
a mess |
|
| ¿Qué contas? |
What's up? |
| trucho/a |
fake |
| ¡que ojete! |
How Lucky! |
what ass! |
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal translation |
| Al tiro |
Quickly/Right away |
At the shot |
| ¿Cachai? |
Do you understand?/Do you follow me? |
|
| Mino/a |
Cute guy/girl |
Mine |
| Pololo/a |
Boyfriend/girlfriend |
|
| ¿Qué onda? |
What´s up? |
What wave? |
[edit] Colombia
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| ¿Qué más? |
What´s up? |
What else? |
| ¿Qué hubo? (Quiubo) |
What´s up? |
What was there? |
| ¡No me joda! |
Don´t bother me! |
Don´t fuck me! |
| ¡No joda! |
Nuh-uh!/Get outta here! |
Don´t fuck |
| ¡Ojo! |
Be careful! Watch out! |
Eye! |
| ¡Pilas! |
Be careful! |
Batteries! |
| ¡Qué mamera! |
That´s boring! |
What a bunch of sucking! |
| ¡Qué boleta! |
How embarassing! |
What a ticket! |
| Poner los cachos |
To cheat (relationships) |
Set the horns |
| Ala |
"Jeez" |
Wing |
| Almacén |
Shop |
Warehouse |
| Andén |
Pavement, sidewalk |
Platform |
| Atorarse |
To choke |
To get stuck |
| Avión |
A clever person |
Airplane |
| Bacano |
Cool |
|
| Balaca |
Headband |
|
| Bareta |
Blunt, Joint, Weed etc. |
|
| Barra |
Peso (currency unit)
A cheerleading squad
|
Bar |
| Baúl |
Boot, trunk (of an automobile) |
Chest (furniture) |
| Birra |
Beer |
Italian for "beer" |
| Bomba |
Balloon; also fuel pump |
Bomb |
| Buzo |
Turtleneck sweater |
Diver |
| Café |
Brown (colour) |
Coffee |
| Camello |
Job, (heavy) work |
Camel |
| Cana |
Gaol, jail |
White hair |
| Caneca |
Trash basket |
|
| Cantaleta |
Repetitive scolding |
|
| Caña |
Bluff, bragging; also rhum |
Fishing rod |
| Capar |
To play truant |
To castrate |
| Carpeta |
Doily |
Folder |
| Catorce |
Favour |
Fourteen |
| Chino |
Kid, boy |
Chinese |
| Chupa |
Police officer |
Sucker |
| Colorete |
Rouge |
Lipstick |
| Cotejo |
Soccer match |
Comparison |
| Culebra |
Debt |
Snake |
| Duro |
Skillful |
Hard |
| Embarrarla |
To make a grave mistake |
To cover with mud |
| Esfero |
Pen |
Sphere (masculine form) |
| Filo |
Hunger |
Edge |
| Gonorrea |
Vile/ Disgusting person or thing |
Gonorrhea |
| Guayabo |
Hangover |
Guava tree |
| Güevón |
Dude, bro, Lazy |
Mispronunciation of "huevón" |
| Hacerse el gringo |
To feign ignorance |
To act as an American |
| Hueco |
Pothole; also gaol, jail, also a derogatory word for homosexual |
Hole (in general) |
| Huevón |
Dude, bro |
Sluggish or idiot |
| Jurgo |
Plethora, lot |
|
| Levantar |
To seduce / To beat, thrash |
To raise |
| Listo |
All right |
Ready |
| Llave |
Friend |
Key |
| Lobo |
Bad taste |
Wolf |
| Luca |
A thousand Colombian pesos |
|
| Mamar |
To bore |
To suck |
| Man |
Guy |
Man (English loanword) |
| Marica |
Dude, bro |
Queer |
| Marimba |
Marijuana |
Marimba |
| Mijo/Mija |
buddy, pal |
short for Mi Hijo/Hija, my son/ my daughter |
| Mono |
Blond(e), fair-haired |
Monkey |
| Mosca (estar mosca) |
Be clever for a while; also annoyed |
fly (as an adjective, "be fly") |
| Olla |
Place where drugs are sold |
Saucepan |
| Estar en la olla |
to be in a bad situation |
to be in the pot |
| Paja |
Lie, falsehood; also masturbation |
Hay |
| Parar bolas |
To pay attention |
To stand balls |
| Parche |
Band |
Patch |
| Pata |
Marijuana roach |
Leg |
| Pedo |
Big problem |
Fart |
| Piedra |
Anger |
Stone |
| Pilo |
Smart |
Battery (masculine form) |
| Poner bolas |
To pay attention |
To put balls |
| Poner los cachos |
To cheat (relationships) |
Set the horns |
| emputar |
to get enraged |
|
| Rascado |
Drunk |
Scratched |
| Sapo |
Meddler |
Frog |
| Sobar |
To disturb |
To handle, touch |
| Tinto |
Black coffee |
Red wine |
| Tomba |
The police |
|
| Tombo |
Police officer |
|
| Vaina |
Thing |
Scabbard |
[edit] Cuba/Puerto Rico
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| ¿Qué bolá? |
What´s up? |
What ball? |
| ¡Coño! |
What the hell! |
Cunt! |
| mate |
passionate kiss |
|
| mono |
cute/pretty |
monkey |
| bicho |
penis |
bug |
| chavo |
money |
(p.rican slang) |
[edit] México
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| ¿Qué onda? |
What's up? |
What's the wave? |
| ¿Qué huele? |
What's up? |
What smells? |
| ¡No manches! |
Get outta here! |
Don´t stain! |
| ¡No mames! |
Get outta here! |
Don't suck! |
| Fresa |
Prep |
Strawberry |
| naco |
uncouth,unrefined |
tacky, akin to oakie/newfie |
| ¿Qué pedo? |
What's up? |
What farts? |
| Mariposa |
Homosexual |
Butterfly |
| Sangrón |
Stuck up person |
A lot of blood |
| Aguas |
Watch out! |
Waters |
| Órale |
Alright |
Alright |
| Ándale |
Come on |
No translation |
| Chido |
Cool |
|
| Qué padre |
That's tight |
That father |
| Güey |
dude |
Ox |
| Sale |
Alright or go (used at the end of a thought) |
Alright |
| N'ombre |
No way |
Non |
| Mande |
What did you say? / Pardon me |
|
| ¡Vete al infierno! |
Go to hell! |
|
| Maricón |
Homosexual |
derogatory, akin to faggot |
[edit] España
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| ¡No me toques los cojones! |
Don´t bother me! |
Don´t touch my balls! |
| ¡Que pasa! |
What´s up! |
What´s going on? |
| ¡Que te den! |
Fuck you! |
May they give it to you! |
| Ni de coña! |
No way! |
|
| Molar |
To be cool |
|
| ¡Comemierdas! |
Asshole! |
Shit-eater! |
| ¡Que te calles! |
Shut up! |
May you shut up! |
| ¡Que te pires! |
Get out!/Fuck off! |
Fire up yourself! |
| ¡Coño! |
Shit! |
Cunt! |
| ¡Gilipollas! |
Asshole! |
Asshole! (Gili = idiot, Polla = Penis vulg.) |
| ¡Mierda! |
Shit! |
Shit! |
| ¡Cabrón! |
Bastard! |
Bastard! |
| Polla |
Dick/cock (penis) |
|
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal Translation |
| la firme |
true |
the solid |
| achorado |
defiant |
|
| los vidrios |
see you |
we vidriate us |
| buitrear |
to vomit |
|
| chamba |
work |
|
| Nancy Queberta |
No way! (From "Nada que ver") |
|
| foca |
shut up |
|
| florear |
to lie, weave tales |
to flower |
| palta, roche |
embarrassing |
| may |
Shut up |
|
| jerga |
slang |
syringe |
| chape |
kiss on the mouth |
catching |
| paso |
verbal text |
a pass |
| plagia |
copy |
|
| amiguero |
friendly |
friender |
| huachafo |
bad taste |
| conchudo |
brazenly bold, as in gall |
shelled |
| atorrante |
someone who does wrong things intentionally, see huachafo |
|
| chaufa |
bye (from chau, itself from the Italian ciao) |
chaufa Sino-Peruvian fried rice dish, |
| choche |
dude |
|
| chévere |
cool |
|
| bácan |
cool |
|
| choy |
cool |
|
| bicicleta |
diarrhea |
bicycle |
| supitero |
someone who farts a lot |
|
| causa |
friend |
reason/cause |
| que weno |
great, awesome, how good (que bueno) |
|
| figureti |
show off |
|
|
| resaca |
hungover |
undertow |
| que cuentas? |
what's up? |
what do you say? |
| manyas? |
get it? |
|
| bravazo |
awesome |
really wild |
|
| meter la pata |
to mess something up |
put in the foot |
| churro(a) |
handsome guy/ pretty girl |
type of food |
|
| viejo(a) |
father/ mother |
old man/ old woman |
[edit] Venezuela
| Slang |
Meaning |
Literal translation |
| Arrecochínense! |
squeeze/group together! |
pig-pen yourselves! |
| Avíspate! |
Get smart! straighten up! |
be like a wasp! |
| Caucho |
fat belly |
Rubber Tire |
| Bala fría |
Junk food/quick lunch |
Cold Bullet |
| Candela |
Awesome |
Fire |
| Chamo |
kid, boy |
| Chevere |
Cool, nice |
| Cuaima |
Jealouse/ill tempered woman |
Viper |
| Perico |
Cannabis\Marijuana |
Green parakeet |
| Ratón |
Hangover |
Mouse |
| Echar los perros |
To court someone |
Throw the dogs |
| Lata |
French kiss |
Tin Can |
| Zancudo |
mosquito |
Stiltwalker |
