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So you think you speak Spanish Gringo?

Ok you have your lonely planet phrase book and you have mastered the section on dating. So you think you know the lingo Gringo? Here is what they don't teach you to say in the 'Spanish for Beginners 101'!

Here we offer some vocabulary that will help you out during many of those awkward situations where the spanish class that you attended before starting your trip is anything but useful:

andar pedo: to be drunk
un apretado: pennypincher, cheap (lit.: tightly gripped)
bobo: foolish, stupid
buena onda: good vibes, good feelings (lit.: good wave)
un cabrón: bad ass (lit.: male goat)
carnal: close friend, a close relative (lit.: flesh)
chance: opportunity; perhaps (lit.: Spanglish, chance)
una chela: beer
chiflado/a: crazy, nutcase
chismosa/o: a person who gossips
chula/o: attractive person
chupar: to suck, to drink, esp. alcohol
cortar: to break up (a relationship) (lit.: to cut)
descarado: shameless
echale ganas!: make a good effort
esta canijo: a difficult situation
esta perron: the best, the coolest (lit.: big dog)
la flojera: laziness (lit.: looseness)
floja/o: lazy (lit.: loose)
fregado: ruined, destroyed
frenos: dental braces (lit.: brakes)
fresa: spoiled, a pampered person (lit.: strawberry)
gacho: unpleasant, ugly (lit.: a cow with down-turned horns)
ganas: desire, energy
un güey: friend, buddy; a fool (lit.: a steer)
guácala!: an expression of disgust, yuck
guacarear: to vomit
guera/o: a blonde, a person with a light complexion
huelepedos: a follower not a leader, brown noser (lit.: a fart smeller)
huevón/a: lazy person / layabout
interesada/o: a gold digger (lit: someone with interest)
jale: work, job (lit.: pull)
mi jefa / mi jefe: my mom / my dad (lit.: my boss)
la ley: police (lit.: the law)
latoso: bothersome; a pest (lit.: tinny)
un malandro: a criminal / a good-for-nothing
mano: brother (lit.: short for hermano, brother)
mear: to urinate
menso: fool; idiot
metiche: nosy
mi vieja / mi viejo: my old lady / my old man
mocosa/o: a snot-nosed kid
un montón: a large quantity (lit.: a mountain)
mora/o: girl / boy; young person (lit.: Moor)
una muchacha / un muchacho: girl / boy; young person
nena/e: baby (term of affectionate)
ni modo: 'tough luck'; it can't be helped (lit.: in no fashion)
no hay bronca: there's no problem
panzona: pregnant (lit.: big bellied)
un papacito: attractive man (lit.: little father)
payaso: foolish; idiot (lit.: clown)
un pedo: fart; drunkenness
querida/o: a lover (lit.: a cherished one) q
ue hubo?: what's up?
resaca: a hangover (lit.: tide)
un sics: a 6-pack of beer (lit. Spanglish, six-pack)

This volley of slang words was put together by Rick Carassai, our Peru and Bolivia destination manager. He had to hang out at seedy bars to compile this list, and he swears it was a tough assignment!

COMMENTS

John Robertson | 04 de October

Wicked little list of words that really help with the first encounters, the rest you have to just wing and rely on the Spanish conversations you will slowly acquire along the way. Chur Riki!!!!

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