The Quick Guide to Colombian SpanishA Colloquial Spanish Dictionary discover the local languageQuick Guide to Colombian Spanish eBookThe collection of more than 450 terms and sayings will help you become familiar with the richness of the country’s Spanish. It includes slang and colloquial expressions that you will likely run across in everyday conversations. BUY ON […]
Colombian Spanish
Colombian Spanish is a grouping of the varieties of Spanish spoken in Colombia. The term is of more geographical than linguistic relevance, since the dialects spoken in the various regions of Colombia are quite diverse. The speech of coastal areas tends to exhibit phonological innovations typical of Caribbean Spanish, while highland varieties have been historically more conservative.
The Spanish of Colombia, and especially that of Bogotá, is known for the use of "usted" between friends, family members, and others whose relationship would indicate the use of "tú" or "vos" in most other dialects. In Colombian Spanish, the diminutive forms -ico, -ica (rather than the more conventional -ito, -ita) are often used in words whose stem ends with "t".
Slang speech is frequent in popular culture, especially in the barrios of big cities. In the Paisa region and Medellín, the local slang is named "Parlache". Many slang expressions have spread outside of their original areas to become commonly understood throughout the country.
The Colombian Spanish dialects can be divided in: Paisa, Rolo or Bogotá (also called cachaco), Cundiboyacense, Caribbean (also called costeño), Valluno, Andean, Opita, Santanderean, Eastern plains or Llanero, Chocó or Pacific and Island. -Source: Wikipedia
Here are our articles that covers Colombia Spanish slang, language, expressions, dictionaries, culture, and general topics:
10 Additional Dirty Spanish Words and Phrases from Colombia
The following words and phrases didn’t make it to our top 10 list here, but you will also hear them in Colombia and certainly not in a formal Spanish class.
List of Colombian Spanish Words and Phrases
Here is a list of Colombian Spanish words and phrases with English translations. The list includes more than 500 terms.
The Most Versatile Word in Colombian Spanish: VAINA
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 […]
The 9 Components of The Colombian Bandeja Paisa: Infographic
During our trip to Bogota, Jared and I have the opportunity to try some of the traditional Colombian cuisine. Among those were the bandeja paisa. Bandeja paisa is perhaps one the most emblematic dishes of Colombia, especially popular in the Paisa region. The Paisa region is formed by the departments of Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda and […]
Colombian Spanish Street Slang: 7 Phrases and Their Surprising Real Meaning
It is often said that Colombian Spanish is the clearest, or easiest to understand for non-native speakers. However, with so many different accents within the country this is not always true. Despite the different cadences and slang words used across the different regions of Colombia there are certain Colombian Spanish street slang phrases that remain […]
10 Vulgar Spanish Slang Words and Phrases from Colombia: Infographic
You rarely learn slang terms in class, especially not the extra dirty or harsh ones. Here are 10 Colombian dirty Spanish words and phrases that you won’t hear in any proper Spanish course. I think it’s obvious why your Spanish teacher omitted words like these from the lesson plans. Use them wisely, and sparingly, unless […]
Quick Guide to Colombian Spanish: A Book for Learning Spanish from Colombia
Spanish vocabulary changes significantly from one country to the next. Yet, few people learn about this until they are in a country, stumbling through the local Spanish. Are you learning Spanish? Preparing to visit Colombia? Or even just wanting to be more familiar with its specific slang and local words? This book for learning […]
The Colombian List of Spanish Slang Expressions Every Student Should Know: INFOGRAPHIC
I am excited to share our first guest blogger post from Emilia Carrillo at Spanish 4 Teachers.Org. As an example of the power of twitter Emilia (@spanish4teacher) and I (@jaredromey) originally met through Twitter and have shared our ideas through emails, twitter and conversation. Without Twitter we would never have met, me living in Miami […]
Infographic: 25 Colombia Spanish Slang Phrases for Students
This is the infographic for the guest blog post The Colombian List of Spanish Slang Expressions Every Student Should Know by Emilia Carrillo. If you find it useful, please share, like or pin it for your friends. Infographic: 25 Colombia Spanish Slang Phrases for Students Did you like this? Click here to share it on: […]
CHONTADURO and SALMUERA: Colombia Spanish Words
This was an interesting word-find for me. I had never heard of chontaduro or salmuera until I ran across this jar of preserved fruit. Good think the jar itself offered translations. Problem is, I don’t know what a “palm fruit” is in English either. Hopefully I can taste one soon. As for salmuera, which means […]
6 Alcoholic Drinks from Colombia That You Need to Try
If you should ever find yourself in Colombia, do not forgo the opportunity to sample at least one of the following drinks. Your trip would not be complete without this experience, and partaking in a couple of rounds is the quickest way to befriend a Colombian. Need to Learn Colombian Spanish? I recommend you check […]
10 Colombian Drinks You Must Try Before You Leave
If you are traveling through Colombia, you are in for quite a treat whenever you happen to get thirsty. This country has a wide variety of traditional drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Here’s 10 must-try drinks! 5 Non-alcoholic Colombian drinks 1. Coffee Who can think of Colombia without thinking of coffee? Even if you generally […]
6 Inverse Colombia Spanish Slang Words
One of the particularities you can get in the slang of a country is the phenomenon of creating new words by inverting or changing the order of the original. These new inverted words keep the same meaning as the original one. Argentina was the first country where Jared identified 24 inverted words and dedicated a […]
palanca
In Spanish slang, 'palanca' generally refers to influence or connections someone has that can be used to gain an advantage. It's mostly used when referring to personal relationships that are used to obtain favors or benefits. Examples Spanish: Conseguí este trabajo gracias a la palanca de mi tío que es amigo del jefe. English: I […]
pimentón
In the context of Spanish slang, 'pimentón' is not a slang term. It is a standard Spanish word for 'paprika', a type of spice. However, depending on the region, it can be used to refer to a red bell pepper. Examples Spanish: Voy a agregar un poco de pimentón a la paella para darle color […]
narizona
A colloquial term used in some Spanish-speaking regions to describe someone with a large nose. It comes from the combination of the words 'nariz' (nose) and '-ona' (a suffix indicating largeness). Examples Spanish: ¡No te burles de Juan, él se siente mal por ser narizona! English: Don't make fun of Juan, he feels bad for […]
matapasiones
A term used to describe an item of clothing, usually large or unflattering, that is considered to diminish a person's physical attractiveness. It literally translates to 'passion killer'. Examples Spanish: No puedo creer que te hayas puesto ese matapasiones para tu cita. English: I can't believe you put on that passion killer for your date.
atrapalocas
Atrapalocas is a colloquial term used predominantly in Spain to refer to someone who is clumsy or tends to mess things up. It can also refer to a person who often gets confused. Examples Spanish: No dejes a Juan arreglar el coche, es un atrapalocas y puede causar más daño. English: Don't let Juan fix […]
brasilera
A colloquial term in Spanish that refers to a woman from Brazil. Examples Spanish: La brasilera que vive en mi edificio es muy amigable. English: The Brazilian woman who lives in my building is very friendly.
calzones
In slang context, 'calzones' refers to female underwear or undergarments. In literal terms, it refers to a type of Italian stuffed pizza. Examples Spanish: ¡Olvidé empacar mis calzones para el viaje! English: I forgot to pack my underwear for the trip!
pan de trigo
Literally translates to 'wheat bread'. However, this is not a slang term in Spanish. It is used to refer to the actual bread made from wheat. Examples Spanish: Para el desayuno, prefiero el pan de trigo en lugar de pan blanco. English: For breakfast, I prefer wheat bread instead of white bread.
basurero
In Spanish slang, 'basurero' typically refers to a garbage can or a dumpster. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a place or situation that is messy or chaotic. Examples Spanish: Por favor, tira la basura en el basurero. English: Please, throw the trash in the dumpster.
escamoso
A Colombian slang term used to describe someone who is sneaky, sly or tricky. Examples Spanish: No confíes en él, es muy escamoso. English: Don't trust him, he is very sneaky.
pinchado
A colloquial term primarily used in Latin America, 'pinchado' refers to someone who is infatuated or deeply in love. It can also mean someone who is obsessed with something. Examples Spanish: Juan está pinchado con Maria, no para de hablar de ella. English: Juan is infatuated with Maria, he can't stop talking about her.
cosedora
In Spanish slang, 'cosedora' usually refers to a sewing machine. However, in some contexts, it can also be used to describe a person who sews a lot or whose profession is sewing. Examples Spanish: Mi abuela es una cosedora excelente, siempre está arreglando nuestra ropa. English: My grandmother is an excellent seamstress, she is always […]
tugurios
A derogatory term used to refer to run-down, poor or undesirable places, often associated with areas of poverty or neglect. Examples Spanish: No me gusta visitar esos tugurios, siempre me siento inseguro. English: I don't like visiting those slums, I always feel unsafe.
trespuntadas
The term 'trespuntadas' is a Mexican slang term used to refer to something that is done quickly and without much care or attention to detail. Examples Spanish: Hice la tarea a trespuntadas porque no tenía mucho tiempo. English: I did the homework in a rush because I didn't have much time.
chanclas, chanclitas
A Spanish slang term (Puerto Rican) usually referring to flip-flops or casual sandals. It can also be used metaphorically to refer to discipline, as it's common in Hispanic culture to jokingly threaten to throw a 'chancla' as a form of punishment. Examples Spanish: No olvides tus chanclas para la playa. / Mi mamá me amenazó […]
maíz pira
A Venezuelan slang term referring to popcorn. It is used to describe when a situation is getting interesting or dramatic, similar to the English saying 'grab your popcorn'. Examples Spanish: Prepara el maíz pira, esto se va a poner bueno. English: Prepare the popcorn, this is going to get good.