Gringo Lingo, History and Culture, Learning Spanish in Buenos Aires

Walking down the streets of Buenos Aires, keen observers may notice little hole-in-the-wall shops with a banner saying, Quiniela. These little huts are the offices of a special lottery where locals bet on numbers and test their luck. If you’re like me and you don’t have a lucky number, Quiniela is the right game for you. No need to keep betting on the same favorites, as the tradition of this game is to remember your dreams and play the numbers that correspond. The chart below lists the numbers and the dreams with which they are associated. While Quiniela is played in other countries as well, the dream association is a practice unique to Buenos Aires.

Most of the dream associations are quite clear. For example, those who dream of a vast seascape at night would choose lucky number 1, el agua. Or those who dream of a fetching young lady would choose lucky number 15, la niña bonita.

The meanings behind other Quiniela numbers are more cryptic, however, as their meanings have been culled from local slang (lunfardo). The best example is lucky 55, el gallego. Ever since immigrants from Galicia, Spain arrived at the Port of Buenos Aires, los gallegos have been ridiculed and stereotyped for being rude, hard-headed brutes. This stereotype has stemmed the tides of time, and is now used as a colloquial term meaning, a crass or stubborn ruffian.

Interestingly, the Quiniela lottery has played an important role in society since the early days of tango. Street hoodlums used the numbers as a coded slang to throw off the cops, and subsequently these codes appeared in the stories told though tango song lyrics. Translated below is the last phrase of the song, “Por culpa del escolazo” (The fault of horse race winners’ list). These lines by Roberto Grela-Cerere highlight a sentiment of hope and illusion mirrored in this game of luck as in real life:

Y, hay que darse el gusto, total… en unas de esa viene el 9, llama al 13 y nos manda al 94. Qué 17…!

[And, you have to indulge…in one of these come the 19 (stream), then the 13 (bad luck) and sends us to the 94 (cemetery). What 17 (misfortune)!]

So ladies, next time you hear a Porteño (Buenos Aires resident) slyly referring to you in slang as a 15 (pretty young girl), you can look at him and say, “Che 22, andate un poquito a la 71!” (Hey, crazy guy, go eat shit!).

Ojo! (Caution!) Keep in mind if you are in a restaurant and the mozo refers to you as a 15 or worse as a 78 (prostitute), they are most likely referring to your table number. So save yourself from the lunfardo fail, and don’t take it personally!

Below is a list of numbers and the dreams they are associated with. Review the list and comment below. Create your own Spanish pick up lines, insults and phrases in slang with these Quiniela numbers and win yourself a 72 (surprise).

Number Sueño (Spanish) Dream (English) 00 Huevos Eggs 01 Agua Water 02 Niño Little boy 03 San Cono Saint Cono 04 Cama Bed 05 Gato Cat 06 Perro Dog 07 Revólver Revolver 08 Incendio Fire 09 Arroyo Stream 10 La leche Milk 11 Minero Miner 12 Soldado Soldier 13 La yeta Bad luck 14 Borracho The drunk 15 Niña bonita Pretty young girl 16 Anillo Ring 17 Desgracia Misfortune 18 Sangre Blood 19 Pescado Fish 20 La fiesta The party 21 La Mujer The woman 22 El Loco The crazy guy 23 Mariposa Butterfly 24 Caballo Horse 25 Gallina Hen/ Chicken 26 La misa The mass (religious) 27 El peine The comb 28 El cerro The hill 29 San Pedro Saint Peter 30 Santa Rosa Virgen Stanta Rosa 31 La luz The light 32 Dinero Money 33 Christo Christ 34 Cabeza Head 35 Pajarito Little bird 36 Manteca Butter 37 Dentista Dentist 38 Aceite Oil 39 Lluvia Rain 40 Cura Priest 41 Cuchillo Knife 42 Zapatilla Shoe 43 Balcón Balcony 44 La cárcel Jail 45 El vino Wine 46 Tomates Tomatoes 47 Muerto Death 48 Muerte que habla Speaking with the deceased 49 La carne Meat 50 El pan Bread 51 Serrucho Saw 52 Madre Mother 53 El barco Boat 54 La vaca Cow 55 Los Gallegos People from Galicia (gross/rude)hard headed 56 La caída Falling 57 Jorobado Hunchback 58 Ahogado Drowed 59 Planta Plant 60 Virgen Virgin 61 Escopeta Shotgun 62 Indundación Flood 63 Casamiento Marriage/ Wedding 64 Llanto A cry/ weeping 65 Cazador Hunter 66 Lombrices Worm 67 Víbora Viper 68 Sobrinos Nephews 69 Vicios Vices 70 Muerto sueño Seeing dead people 71 Excrementos Excrement 72 Sorpresa Surprise 73 Hospital Hospital 74 Gente negra Black people 75 Payaso Clown 76 Llamas Llamas 77 Las piernes Legs 78 Ramera Prostitute 79 Ladrón Theif 80 La bocha Boche ball 81 Flores Flowers 82 Pelea Fight 83 Mal tiempo Bad weather 84 Iglesia Church 85 Linterna Flashlight 86 Humo Smoke 87 Piojos Lice 88 El Papa The Pope 89 La rata Rat 90 El miedo Fear 91 Excusado Excused 92 Médico Doctor 93 Enamorado Lover 94 Cementerio Cemetery 95 Anteojos Eyeglasses 96 Marido Husband 97 La mesa Table 98 Lavandera Laundress 99 Hermano Brother

Madi Lang is a private concierge and Buenos Aires trip planner who helps create unique and tailor made itineraries for Argentina bound travelers.