Submitted by Alexandra DiDonato on the 2013 fall semester program in Buenos Aires, Argentina…
Being a part of a church here has been a wonderful experience for many reasons. Besides having the opportunity to worship with others who share the same beliefs as me, as a part of this group, I’ve had the opportunity to be integrated into a group with other teenagers who have been very interested in teaching me the ways of the porteño! One of their favorite things to teach me about in particular is the lunfardo (slang) and dichos (sayings) of their country. So without further ado, here’s some of my favorite things porteños like to say!
Lunfardo: These slang words are very fun, but unfortunately if you use them with Spanish speakers who aren’t from Argentina, they’re not really going to understand what you’re saying…
Che – is definitely the most porteño thing you could say. Though it can be heard all around Argentina you’ll hear it the most in the city. It’s a term that came from the famous militant Che Guevara and means basically “Hey!” or “Dude”. It’s used to call somebody’s attention or can be used as a substitute if you forget somebody’s name. Sometimes it’s even interjected into a sentence without any real purpose besides just filling some space and keeping the conversation going.
Quilombo – The Argentine’s got this from Brazil where it originally was the slave quarters in sugar plantations. However, nowadays the word’s significance has shifted and it is now used to describe a messy situation. “Que quilombo!” translates to “What a mess!” and could also be used to describe a person.
Ondas – Argentines are all about their ondas. Ondas literally translates as “waves” or “vibes.” It can be used in the context of describing if something is cool or not. This can range from situations to people or to objects.
Chamuyero(a) – is somebody who sweet talks or talks just for the sake of talking without any real purpose. No matter what situation, in general, the people here are very chamuyero!
Dichos: These sayings are much more universal, so you should be able to use these no matter what country the person you’re speaking to is from!
Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan – Where there once was fire, ashes remain.
Panza llena, corazón contento – Full tummy, happy heart!
A caballo regalado no se le mires los dientes – Don’t look at the teeth of a gifted horse (basically accept each gift you receive without complaining!)
El amor es ciego – Love is blind.
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando – One bird in hand is worth more than one hundred flying (it’s better to have one opportunity secured than a bunch up in the air that aren’t reachable).
No matter how much vocabulary you study while you’re in school, “book Spanish” will never compare to the real Spanish that natives use everyday. It’s important to learn as much slang as you can before traveling, otherwise you’ll have much more trouble understanding!