Sometimes, even native Spanish speakers can get tripped up by words and phrases used in other countries. A good friend of mine, Jorge is from Colombia but moved to Argentina to go to school. His Spanish and English are both impeccable, so I take great joy in any of his minor slip ups. It just […]
Argentine Spanish
Argentina is a Spanish-speaking country — the fourth largest after Mexico, Spain, and Colombia. Based on the 2010 national census and supporting research, there are about 40.9 million Spanish speakers in Argentina (almost the entire population).
Argentines are amongst the few Spanish-speaking countries (like Uruguay, El Salvador, and Honduras) that universally use what is known as voseo —the use of the pronoun vos instead of tú (the familiar "you"). The most prevalent dialect is Rioplatense, whose speakers are located primarily in the basin of the Río de la Plata.
Italian immigration influenced Lunfardo, the slang spoken in the Río de la Plata region, permeating the vernacular vocabulary of other regions as well. -Source: Wikipedia
Here are all our Argentine Spanish articles that includes slang, lunfardo, culture and other general topics:
The Harshest Argentina Spanish Street Slang Insult: AALRPMQTRP
AALRPMQTRP Try saying that three times fast. I bet you didn’t learn the pronunciation rules for that many consonants in a row! Okay, okay, I’ll come clean. This is not a Spanish word, it is actually an acronym for the worst Argentine insult you can dish out: Andáte a la re puta madre que te re […]
Argentina Spanish Lesson: How to Conjugate the Vos Form
If you have never been to Argentina, chances are you have never even heard of the vos form. It is not to be confused with the vosotros form, which is native to Spain and also frequently ignored in the classroom. The vos form is native to Argentina and is interchangeable with tú. While Argentinians will understand […]
Learning Argentina Spanish: ¿ME TENÉS?
The first time my Argentine friend asked me ¿me tenés? I was a little confused. By that time, I was at least used to the vos form conjugation of “tener,” but the direct translation “You have me?” left me drawing a blank. Luckily, I was able to figure this out through context because she was shoving […]
SUBÍS: Learning Argentina Spanish for Going Up and Getting On
Just like in any language, Spanish has many words that have multiple meanings. The word “SUBIR” has several different meanings such as to go up, to get on, to climb up, to raise and many others along the same lines. Usually, you can figure it out from context, but the other day I came across […]
20 Argentina Slang Words in Spanish for MONEY
Money is an important topic in Argentina, more so than other countries. With its yo-yo economy, high inflation, corrupt system and long-term monetary and debt problems, it is a daily topic of conversation for everyone. As someone employed for a short time by the much-hated (in Argentina) International Monetary Fund (IMF) I love hopping into […]
Really Argentine or a Fake? 3 More Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions
Mobile viewers: watch this video here http://youtu.be/5Gc4tim4EmUThis is the second part of the post Really Argentine or a Fake? For gestures 1 to 4 see the first part: Really Argentine or a Fake? 4 Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions. Really Argentine or a Fake? Part 2 5. ANDÁ (A CAGAR) Gesture: hand open, facing body, […]
Really Argentine or a Fake? 4 Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions
Mobile viewers: watch this video here http://youtu.be/5Gc4tim4EmUJust got in to Buenos Aires and feeling out of place? Gestures and body language in Argentina, more so than in many other countries, are an obligatory part of communication. Use these gestures to fit right in and communicate with the locals. Really Argentine or a Fake? Part […]
3 Tips to Improve your Argentina Spanish Grammar
As with other local Spanish languages, Argentine Spanish includes some deviations from typical Spanish grammar. These rules will help you begin to better understand Argentinians. 1. Vos: In Argentina, the tu form of verbs is not used. Instead, vos is the term that is used to mean “you”. For instance, instead of the typical Spanish […]
Reverse Lunfardo: 25 Argentina Spanish Slang Words
Spend just a short time in Argentina, or even just around Argentinians, discussing their language and you are bound to hear the word lunfardo. Don’t worry, you weren’t asleep for that part of your Spanish class. Frankly, almost nobody outside of Argentina knows what it is either. Lunfardo began as a unique slang developed by […]
3 Great Songs To Help You Crack the Argentinian Spanish Dialect
With these songs you will be able to listen to, learn and practice the Argentinian Spanish accent, voseo and lunfardo. Listen and watch the videos!
11 Argentine Spanish Phrases With PEDO (Spanish for Fart)
Pedo is probably one of the most versatile words in Argentina. Pedo literally translates to “a fart,” but colloquially it also has the meaning of “a problem.” Here are some examples of Argentine slang phrases that use the word pedo.
ESTAR DE PIRATA: Argentine Spanish Expression
This drawing illustrates the Argentine Spanish expression estar de pirata. It is featured in the book Speaking Argento: A Guide to Spanish from Argentina. ESTAR DE PIRATA: Argentine Spanish Expression • Literal translation: Being a pirate • Meaning: 1) to go out with male friends to pick up girls and cheat on your wife or […]
BICICLETEAR: Argentine Spanish Slang Word
Here is the illustration, meaning and example of the Argentine Spanish slang word “bicicletear.”
List of Argentine Spanish Slang and Colloquial Spanish Words Used by Locals
This list of Argentine Spanish slang and colloquial Spanish words used by locals includes more than 1,500 terms with English definitions.
Argentina Spanish Clothing Words Flashcards
Every Spanish-speaking country has its own set of common words for specific topics. It is important to familiarize and know these while traveling abroad. Even if you are a native Spanish-speaker you might find some words completely new for you. Here is a list of 20 Argentina Spanish clothing words. They are presented in […]
The Meaning of the Argentine Spanish Slang Word BOLUDO in English
Every country has a flag, food and symbols that identify them. But what about a single word? During the 6th International Congress of the Spanish Language (VI Congreso Internacional de la Lengua Española) celebrated in Panama, the blog Papeles Perdidos, created by the newspaper El País, published an atlas of the representative words of Spanish-speaking […]
Crime Words in Spanish Flashcards: 33 Argentina Spanish Expressions
Talking about criminal activities in a Spanish-speaking country will force you to get a deeper knowledge of the local words. Crime words in Spanish vary among countries and Argentina is not the exception. What you think should be a simple, common word might hold a double meaning. So pay attention to these examples! Here is […]
VIANDAS: Argentina Spanish Slang Word
Have you ever run across the word viandas? It is generally translated “root vegetables” or “tubers,” referring to potatoes, sweet potatoes, yuca and other similar vegetables that grow underground. In Argentina, however, the meaning is completely different. The word vianda in Argentina refers to a prepared meal, a lunch or dinner box that a child […]
VENDER UN BUZÓN: Argentina Spanish Slang Expression
Have you heard the expression vender un buzón in Argentina? The Argentina Spanish expression vender un buzón literally translates to “to sell a mailbox” and means to cheat or scam someone. Similar English idioms are “pull the wool over their eyes” and “to sell someone the Brooklyn Bridge.” So, what’s the story behind this Argentine […]
What is an AFTER OFFICE in Argentina?
If you have ever been to Argentina and spent a little time around the locals, it is likely you have heard the phrase “after office”. This is particularly true if you were there living or working as this is a term often used by professionals. So what does the term after office really mean? After […]
BOLUDO: The Most Important Argentina Spanish Slang Word
The word boludo in Argentina is one of the most useful and most common words you will learn. It may be a strong insult or a term of great affection used among close friends. Several variations to the word also exist. BOLUDO Basics When used in an insulting way, BOLUDO means something like idiot, dumbass, […]
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HACER HUEVO: Argentina Spanish Slang Expression
Let’s be honest. I bet you would like to hacer huevo every day. I’m not talking about making eggs daily, I am talking about the Argentina Spanish slang expression hacer huevo that means to not do anything or screw off. Take a look at the above illustration from my book Speaking Argento and don’t tell […]
BILLETERA MATA GALÁN: Argentina Spanish Slang Expression
If you are looking for the English translation of the Argentina Spanish slang expression billetera mata galán, here is the answer. billetera mata galán: money gets you more chicks than good looks, literally “wallet kills a nice-looking man”. For example: Se casó con un hombre 15 años mayor y bien feo. Claro, billetera mata galán. […]
Looking For An Argentina Spanish Slang Dictionary? Check Out These 3 Options
It doesn’t matter if you know or don’t know Spanish, if you decide to visit Argentina you will need help understanding their colloquial language. In the past, many foreigners or expats have gone through this same situation resulting in the publication of dictionaries and guides that define the local Spanish vocabulary in English. Here I […]
Resources to Learn Argentine Spanish Slang
Articles, books, videos, websites and pod casts you can use as a reference to learn Argentina Spanish slang. Check out this mega collection of resources to learn basic Spanish and Spanish slang. This extensive collection of resources to learn Spanish and how to speak Spanish save hours and hours of your time on your way to achieving Spanish fluency.
Argentina Blue Dollar Exchange Rate
What is the Argentina Blue Dollar? In Argentina the currency is known as the peso. This peso trades against the US Dollar and other currencies at a rate that is monitored and controlled closely by the Argentine government. This is to keep as much of the country’s dollar reserves as possible. The government currently employs […]
Argentina Accent Pronunciation Videos
Videos to Learn an Argentina Accent in Spanish Here are four videos that teach and demonstrate an Argentina Accent in Spanish. The first three are a mini-course to an Argentine Accent while the last video is a humorous impression by an American of an accent from Argentina. Course of Three Videos that Teach an Argentine […]
35 Argentine Spanish Verb Phrases with ESTAR
In Spanish the verb ESTAR is one of the most common verbs used. For this reason it is one of the first to learn. The same is true for Argentine Spanish where ESTAR is part of over 30 different verb phrases: List of Argentine Spanish ESTAR Verbs 1. estar a pleno – to be utterly […]