Are you studying Spanish and you want to impress your Colombian friend or girlfriend with some excluvise Colombian idioms?
Check out the following list of the 21 most common Colombian slang expressions and their meaning in English:
Arrunchase means somthing like cuddling. Sleeping next to someone while embracing the person
especcially on cold and rainy days in the Colombian capital.
Berraco means someone brilliant, strong, daring. Also someone enterprising and motivated.
In Colombia camellar mean to work. Literally to work like a camel.
Chevere can be translated as “cool”. Something good, extraorinary and entertaining.
Que Chimba means “great” or “awesome”.
One of the Colombian rules is “No des papaya”. It means: Don´t expose yourself, be cautious or don´t be stupid.
It means don´t make it too easy for the next to deceive you or rob you. Not telling too much about yourself in
order to prevent that someone can take advantage of you.
Example: Don´t walk around in Colombia with your cellphone or wallet in your back pocket because you would be giving papaya, you would make it too easy for the thieves to rob you. Literally: Giving papaya (fruit).
Enguayabado means having a hangover. Also “que guayabo” means what a hangover.
Guaro is a short term for the Colombia national drink “Aguardiente” which is an Anis Schnapps.
Jartera or Mamera mean boring or it sucks!. “Una persona es una mamera” when someone is a mamera,
the person is extremely unpleasant, and boring. Jartera literally means to binge on something.
Mamera is derived from the word mamar colloquial for “cock sucking”. “Que mamera” literally means “It sucks”.
Colombians use the expression “que mamera” in unplesant situations. For example “Las vacaciones se terminaron, manana empieza la escuela otra vez, que mamera” – “The holidays are over, tomorrow school starts again, it sucks!”.
Jincho means being extremely drunk.
Mecato are a snacks which are consumed during road trips.
Paila is an expression of indignation. It is also used in terms of “It´s over” or “too bad”.
“Que paila aque se comporta asi contigo” “Too bad that he treats you this way”.
Or “Ya Paila” in situations when it´s too late or referring to failure.
“Ya paila” “Now it´s too late anyway”. Paila literally means pan.
Parcero or Parce, means something like “Bro”. Literally a parcero is a gang member.
“Que mas parce? ?todo bien?” What´s going on bro? Everything alright?
Parche is a small group of friends.
Pola means beer in Colombia.
Rumbear means to party. “Rumbearse con alguin” is a vulgar expression is kissing someone.
Tenaz means something like terrible or horrible. It is also a refference to a complicated situation.
Tinto means black coffee.
Traga or tragase de alguien means to fall of love with someone. “Estar tragado de alguin” means being in with love.
Vaina means thing or unwanted thing.
For Colombians everything is “una vaina”
For example “Dame esta vaina” means “Gimme that thing!”
Vieja means something like sister. It is the female version of parce with means “brother”.
Vieja is used for all females in general but Vieja literally means “old lady”.
Register now!
Registering for this site is easy, just fill in the fields below and we will get a new account set up for you in no time.