Colombian Slang

Parcero / Parcera

Bro, dude, girl

(Parcero / a is what you can call a friend or acquaintance in Colombia. Colombians like to say it to anyone they meet.)

Quiubo, parce?

What's up bro?

(Quiubo is a contraction of que hubo (what's been going on?). Parce is a shortened version of parcero / a. Colombians will sometimes simply say Quiubo when they want to say 'whats up?' Parce can be used with any person your age or to whom you don't need to express additional respect.

Mi llave / llaveria / llavero

My (close) friend

(Literal meaning is key. Colombians call their close friends llaves (keys) "Lo saque del llavero" I unfriended him.)

El parche

The crew, homies

(Literal mean is the patch. Slang meaning is your group of friends.)

Parchando

Hanging out

Desparchado

Bored

(Opposite of parchando and it means 'not doing anything'. Estoy en casa desparchado.)

Polas

Beers

(Named after a heroine Policarpa Salaverrieta Rios who helped gain independence from Spain. Bavaria Brewing made a beer La Pola named for her. Paseme unas polas pues parces or Well hand me some beers dude)

Rumbiar

To party

(Can be spelled rumbear also. Vamos a rumbiar or Let's go out.)

Rumba

The party itself

(La rumba esta buena means the party's good)

Chango

To go dancing

(This word is only used in Cali. The name comes from a famous Salsa club in Cali called Chango.)

Toque

A concert or band

(Literal meaning is touch. Tocar means to play an instrument. El toque is the band itself and can also be used to refer to a concert.)

Jincho / Jincha

To be drunk

(Esta jincha or She's drunk.)

Guayabo

To be hung over

(Literally is guava tree. Tengo un guayabo que me mata or I have a hangover that's killing me.)

Guaro

Aguardiente

(This is Colombia's national alcoholic drink and different regions in the country have their own versions. Fire water.)

Un chorro

A swig (of alcohol)

(You can use this phrase to refer to the swig or the alcohol itself. Regalame un chorro de ese guarro or Gimme a swig of that aguardiente. Vamanos a comprar un chorro or Let's get buy a little booze.)

A la orden

At your service

(This is a way to offer to help you. If it is offered before the service it's in the form of a question. If it's offered after service its an exclamation. Vendors will use it as a mean of getting your attention ... as if to say "Can I help you?" or "Are you being helped?")

Lucas

Colombian pesos

(One luca is one peso and 20 lucas is 20 pesos)

Billete

Dollars or money

(Billete is bill which is a common Spanish word. It can mean ticket like boleto or bills as in money. Colombians say billete for money all the time and they dont use a plural form. "No tengo billete")

Plata

Money

(This literally means silver but it's similar to billete in Colombia and is used exactly the same way....also not pluralized. "Papi necesito plata")

Una chuspa

A plastic bag

(Chuspa is Colombian way of saying bolsa or funda or plastica.)

La olla

The slums

(This is literally the pot but it's really describing the slums, the ghetto or the hood in slang.)

Los tombos

The police

(Only original to Colombia. Ya vienen los tombos or the cops are coming)

Abrase

To leave, scatter or get out

(Literal meaning is to open up. There are different ways to use this expression. Bueno pues me abro - Okay I'm leaving. Abrase! Leave! as if to say meanly to get out.)

Dar papaya

To ask for it

(The literal meaning is to give papaya. It basically means don't give them a reason to rob you. It also means dont let yourself get taken advantage of. In Colombia a papaya is anything that has value to you like jewelry, your iPhone etc. If you want to keep these from being stolen act smart and hide them in any major city which is normal.)

Sapo / Sapa

A rat, snitch or busybody

(Literal meaning is frog. This is a person who cannot keep a secret. "Usted le dijo a mama que sali anoche que sapa!" or "You told mom I went out last night you're such a snitch!)

Te caigo

To stop or drop by

(Literal meaning is to fall. "Llamme manana y te caigo" or "Call me tomorrow and I'll stop by.")

Entucar

To kiss

(Colombian use only and it means make out. "Ese chico te quiere entucar." or "That boy wants to kiss you.")

Estar tragado / a

To be head over heals in love

("Ella me trago" or "She's got me love struck." "El esta tragado" or "He's head over heals")

Gallinear

To woo

(Literal meaning is to rooster. It's usually said about a male that woos a female just like in English. This is mostly a masculine saying because of the rooster reference.)

Caer

To flirt

(Literal meaning is to fall. "Vaya caigale a esa chica" or "Go hit on that chick.")

Que chimba

That's cool!

Algo mas chimbo

Something so cheap, dull or useless

La chimba, hermano!

No way brother!!

Que gonorrea

Various meanings

(Literal meaning is what gonorrhea. This could be a positive or negative remark depending on the context. Somebody could say "Mira este gonorrea" or "Look at this dude." If somebody's acting silly you could say "Que gonorrea". Or if time is not on your side and you're rushed you say "Que gonorrea!")

Es una nota

It's awesome / real good!

(Literal meaning is it's a note. This expression can be used to describe a person or an instance. "Ella es una nota baillando." or "She's awesome at dancing.")

Paila

Too bad!

(Literally means a ceramic or metal pan. "Me olvide el deber en la casa. Que de malas pailla."" or "I forgot my homework at the house. What bad luck - oh well.")

Estar moscas

Be alert!

(Literal meaning is to be flies or like flies. This means to be quick and swift as they fly. Be alert. Be on point.)

Berranquisimo

Off the heezy! Cool!

(Literal meaning is a wild boar. This is only used in Colombia.)

Un catorce

A favor

(Literally means a fourteen. "Hagame un catorce." or "Do me a favor.")

Mamar gallo

Loligagging or procrastinating

(Literal meaning is suck a rooster. "Deje de mamar gallo." or "Stop loligagging.")

Chiviado

Bootleg or fake

("Este DVD esta chiviado hombre." or "This DVD is fake man.")

Cachivaches

Thingamabobs or thingy

(This is always used in plural. "Tengo muchos cachivaches que necesito acomodar." or "I have a lot of junk to organize.")

Chucha

Bad BO

(Chucha is funny as it has different meanings in other Spanish-speaking countries. "Huelo mala chucha." or "I smell bad." "Tienes chucha" or "You have BO")

Pecueca

Smelly feet

(This is a word native to Colombia. "Tengo pecueca." or "I have smelly feet." "Tienes pecueca." "You have smelly feet.")

Fuchile

Ew

(Fuchile is used to denote smell only! Don't use it to describe something visually gross.)

Guacala

Gross

(Similar to fuchile, guacala is shouted when something is unpleasant. Anything nasty that isn't a foul smell can be guacala.)

Chichi

To urinate

(Commonly means pee pee. "Necesito hacer chichi." or "I need to take a whiz." "Vaya a hacer chichi" or "Go make pee pee.")

Un bollo

Poop

(Literal meaning is a bun. "Pise un bollo." or "I stepped on a piece of poop.")

O que?

Or what?

(The words o and que are official Spanish words but put together in a short, quippy sentence they become a Colombian thing. "Estas bien o que?" or "Are you okay or what?" "Comemos o que?" or "Are we eating or what?")

Vaina

Thing

(Literal meaning is a covering, case or sheath. In Colombia and many other parts of Latin America his word is used to describe anything. "Que es esa vaina?" or "What is that thing?" "Que vaina es esa?" or "What the heck is that?" "Ayer comi una vaina tan deliciosa pero no se que era." or "Yesterday I ate something so delicious but I don't know what it was.")

Foquiado / a

Passed out

(There is no literal meaning. "Marta esta foquiada sigue durmiendo." or "Marta is passed out, she's still sleeping.")

Rancho

Home

(Literal meaning is a ranch. To Colombians a ranch is their home. "Me voy pa el rancho." or I'm going home.")

Chino

Child

(Literally means Chinese person but in Colombia this is how you refer to children or kids. You could say "hijos" but this works also. "Mis chinos siempre se comportan mal." or "My kids are always misbehaving.")

Camello

Job

(Literally means camel. Here a camello usually means a job that requires a lot of manual labor. "Ese camello me cansa." or "This job tires me.")

Pieza

Bedroom

(Literal meaning is piece. "Pasa a la pieza por favor." or "Pass to the bedroom please.")

Un tinto

A black coffee

(Literally means a tint or taint or dye. Spaniards say tinto when referring to a glass of red wine....vino tinto. Colombians are referring to coffee however. "Me gustaria un tinto por favor." or "I would like black coffee please.")

Cuadremos

To schedule

(Literal meaning is to square up. Colombians will say cuadremos when they say they want to organize, schedule a date or meet-up with you. "Cuadremos algo para manana." or "Let's plan something for tomorrow.")

Embarrar

To mess up or ruin

(Literal meaning is smear. This should be conjugated depending on the situation. "Yo lo embarre!" or "I messed it up." "Ella embrro su chance con ese man." or "She ruined her chance with that dude.")

Para bola

To give attention to

(Literal meaning is to stand ball. "No le pares bola." or "Ignore him." "Por que no me paras bola?" or "Why aren't you paying attention to me?")

Cascar

To hit, to smack to give whooping

(Literal meaning is helmet or casing or shell. This is what parents say to their children when they misbehave. "Si no paras te voy a cascar." or "If you dont cut that out I'm going to give you a whooping.")

Nombre de dios

Name of God

(Colombian children are taught to say this to their elders the minute they say hello or goodbye. "Hola mama nombre de dios." or "Hi mom in the name of God." "Chau papi nombre de dios." or "Bye daddy in the name of God.")

Un berraco / Una berraca

A go-getter

(Literal meaning is a wild boar. "Tu hermano es un berraco! Me cae bien." or "Your brother is the best, I really like him.")

Bobo / a

Silly

("No seas tan boba." or "Don't be silly")

Gordo / a

Fat

(This is a term of endearment among friends and family. If you ad the letters is to the end of the word it becomes unisex. "Ven aqui mi gordis." "Come here my little fatty." "Llama a nuestra gorda." or "Call our daughter.")

Mono / a

Light-skinned, fair-haired

(Literally means monkey. In Spain this is a way to call somebody cute or pretty. In Colombia the word is used to describe a light-skinned and fair-haired person. Typically a blonde - pretty or not - can be considered "mono" or "mona".)

Pelota

Idiot

(Literal meaning is ball. Although this is a feminine word pelota is said to both men and women who are idiots. "Que pelota que eres." or "What an idiot you are.")

Canson / a

Annoying

(Literal meaning is tiresome. Canson derives from cansado or cansada but Colombians use the adjective to illustrate the person who tires them. "Esa nina es tan cansona." or "This girl is annoying.")

Lobo / a

Trashy

(Literal meaning is wolf. "Mira a esa mujer que loba con ese traje." or "Look at that woman so tacky with that outfit.")

Juicioso / a

Well-behaved

("Por favor sean juiciosas." or "Please behave.)

Maluco / a

Sick or ill

("Comi esa sopa pero ahora me siento maluco." or "I ate that soup but now I feel sick.)

Tener buena pinta

To be good-looking, handsome

(Literal meaning is to have good paint. "Tener buena pinta" is a popular Colombian phrase that's also said elsewhere in LATAM. This is only used when referring to men by men or women. "Si ese man tiene buena pinta." or "That guy's good looking.")

Huevon

Dummy

("Que heuvada!" or "Darn" "Me vale hueva." or "I could care less." "No seas un huevon." "Dont be a dummy!")

Miercoles

Shoot

(Literally means Wednesday. It's just a lighter way to shit or mierda)

Juepucha

Dang!

(Similar to English when one says heck or gosh instead of a stronger word. "Ay yai yai juepucha." or "Aww sun of a gun.")

Juemadre

Darn!

(It's like saying "mother lover" instead of a stronger version of that phrase.)

Malparido / a

Bastard

(Literally means born bad. Parir is to give birth. Mal means bad. Only use it when it's a serious situation.)

La cague

I screwed it up

("Juepucha, la cague." or "Darn I screwed up.")

Emberracarse

To be miffed

(Colombians use this word like berraco to depict angry people. "Ella se emberraco porque llegue muy tarde." or "She was angry because I arrive too late.")