7 Terms to Define

Spanish Slang And Their

Meanings

By WWW.SPEAKINGLATINO.COM

Real World SpanishWhen you are learning Spanish nobody tells you that the language can be extremely different from one country to the next. I remember asking how to say CAKE in school. Although the teacher answered TORTA, it would have been better to mention that the word varies from country to country, but TORTA would probably get you close in many places. The truth is TORTA is wrong in several countries but is a good starting point.

-Jared RomeyAuthor and Creator of

www.SpeakingLatino.com

Real World SpanishI started collecting and translating Spanish slang in 2003. I had already lived in Mexico, Chile and Argentina as well as traveled to other Spanish-speaking countries. When I arrived to Puerto Rico it amazed me how different the language was from the other countries I knew, even with my previous country experiences.

My Definition of Spanish Slang

To me, Spanish slang is a collection of the words and phrases used locally (in a country, region or city) that will not be understand throughout the Spanish-speaking world. This includes typical slang terms as well as everyday words that will not be easily understood elsewhere.

(slang or jargon)1. Argot o jerga

Argot o jerga (slang or jargon)

“A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.” Another synonym in English is lingo. – Source: Oxford Dictionary

Example: “Pasto” is Spanish slang for marijuana

(colloquial language)2. Coloquialismo

Coloquialismo(colloquial language)

It is the informal language used in everyday conversations; it is the words and phrases used in casual conversations that are not used in formal situations like, for example, a speech or business letter.Example: “Vamos pa’l monte.” is the colloquial expression and pronunciation for “Vamos para la montaña.”

(words from the Americas)3. Americanismos

Americanismos(words from the Americas)

Americanismos can be categorized in two ways:Words passed from an indigenous American language to another language.

Example: avocado or aguacate, hurricane or huracán, hammock or hamaca

Words or expressions created in the Americas that integrate into the Spanish language

Example: revolú in Puerto Rico and agüite in El Salvador

• Within Americanismos, you may further identify words with specific countries such as dominicanismos, chilenismos, mexicanismos, etc.

• The concept of americanismo is not only limited to the vocabulary or lexicon. It also includes phonetics, grammar and semantic variations of an American country. – Source: Diccionario Austral de la Lengua Española

(Spanish words from English)

4. Anglicismos &

angloamericanismos

Anglicismos & angloamericanismos(Spanish words from English)

English is one of the languages that most influences Spanish today. Spanish words that come from the English are called anglicismos. Angloamericanismos is also a more specific term for the words that come from US English and are adapted into Spanish. Example: basquetbol (basketball), fórmula (baby’s formula), tuit (a tweet) and bloguero (a blogger)

(idioms)5. Modismos

Modismos(idioms)

It is a phrase that has a figurative meaning or whose meaning is not clear from the words that form it. People often confuse modismos with proverbs, but they aren’t the same (see proverb explanation next).Example: “Hay que consultarlo con la almohada” is the equivalent idiom of “Let me sleep on it.”

(refrains or proverbs)6. Refrán o proverbio

Refrán or proverbio(refrains or proverbs)

“A simple and concrete saying, popularly known and repeated, that expresses a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical.” - Source: Wikipedia

Proverbs can’t be conjugated.Example: “Más vale pájaro en mano, que cien volando” is the Spanish proverb for “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. The literal translation is “Worth more is a bird in the hand than 100 flying.”

(dialect)7. Dialecto

Dialecto(dialect)

A dialect is a regional variation of a language. The term also applies to regional speech patterns, grammar and vocabulary.

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