Languages aren’t steady, they’re in permanent evolution. Every day, even if we don’t notice it, languages are being modified: many expressions and words go into disuse when new words are incorporated; generally, adopted from foreign languages.

Spanish is the second language with more native speakers in the world after mandarin, according to Ethnologue. It’s the official language in twenty countries, and the Republic of Colombia is one of them.

Colombians use the pronoun usted (formal in the rest of the countries) as informal treat. They also have very particular idioms. In this article, we’re going to cover ten of them.

You’ll also listen to each slang word repeated in a sentence. The person repeating the phrases appears in our Gritty Spanish stories!

1. Chimba

Understanding the word chimba is complicated because it has many meanings in the daily life. The Brief Dictionary of Colombianisms defines it, in first place as vagina. But besides this meaning, the dictionary shows the most popular: Chimba means good, pretty, and lousy.

Example:

“¡Qué chimba de libro!”

“What a lousy book!”

Also, the word can mean something like “no way” when used with the conjunction ni.

For an example, in can be translated to the following:

“Yo no le doy ni chimba”

“I don’t give a damn”

Finally, luck also enters into the meanings of this word. If someone says

“Me salvé de chimba”, which means that the person speaking was luckily saved.

2. Arrecharse (to be horny)

If a person is arrecha in Colombia, it’s because they are horny or has a strong sexual desire.

Example:

“Carlos necesita a alguien para calmar su arrechera”.

“Carlos needs someone in order to get his rocks off”

In the westerns departments of Colombia, near the border with Venezuela, the word has another meaning. To be “arrecho” in those places means being upset,

For an example:

“Valeria está arrecha porque lleva semanas sin comer pizza”

“Valeria is upset because she hasn’t eaten pizza in weeks”

Finally, to be or do something arrecho means being an incredible person or going through a situation: ¡Tú si eres arrecha!

3. Quíubo —¿qué hubo?— (what’s up)

It’s the initial greet of many Colombians say. It’s a way to begin a conversation between two persons. Usually, both words, qué and hubo, literally translate to ‘what was/were’ are usually merged due to how quickly they are pronounced, resulting in quíubo.

For an example:

“¡Quíubo parcero! ¿Cómo me le va?”

“What’s up man! How are you?”

4. ¡Qué oso! (what a shame!)

Make the ‘oso’ in Colombia is making a fool of yourself. There is a legend that says that the origin of the expression is related to the pirouettes that the circus bears did, but no etymologists or linguist hasn’t been able to verify it.

For an example:

“Usted ayer hizo un oso enorme”

“Yesterday you made a big fool of yourself”

The expression is also useful to make fun of the nonsense of other people.

Example:

“¡Qué oso el que hizo David cuando se cayó por las escaleras!”

“David made a fool of himself when he tripped down the stairs!”

5. Parcero (buddy, dude)

It’s without a doubt, one of the most popular Colombian word. It has several attributed origins. The first of them says that the word could come from the Portuguese word parceiro. The meaning of this word in Brazil is the same as the Colombian one.

Another of its origins could be in the Spanish word aparcería (sharecropping), which is defined by the Real Academia Española as “treatment or agreement of those who go to the part in a farm“, usually between the owner and the aparcero (sharecropper). This origin is more realistic, because the sharecropping was very common in the department of Antioquia in Colombia.

The word parcero is informal and always used in a loving way. In many countries, we found equivalents as cuate in Mexico or pana in Venezuela. It can perfectly be substituted by friend and may be shortened with the word parce or add the diminutive parcerito.

For an example:

“Francisco es mi parcero y lo quiero mucho”

“Francisco is my buddy and I love him”

Or

“¡Venga para acá parce!”

“Come here dude!”

There is a drunk Colombian voice character in Gritty Spanish: Parte II that says this word a lot, “Parce“.

6. Bacano (nice, cool, good)

When something is chévere or good, is something bacano. We mentioned this in the blog about 7 Dominican slang words, It’s also very popular in Colombia and other Latin American countries as well.

If you prepare arepas and the persons who eats them say…

For an example:

“¡Qué zapatos tan bacanos tenés!”

“You have really cool shoes!”

Obviously it’s because your arepas are amazing. It could be said that the equivalent of this word in Spain is guay. In the Venezuelan and Colombian Caribbean cost chévere and in Mexico padre or chido.

But the things aren’t the only one who receives this adjective.

If someone want to say someone is a very cool person, the can use the following:

Example:

“Luisa es una mujer muy bacana”

“Luisa is a cool girl woman”

7. Sapo (gossipy, snoop)

If you’re sapo or lambón, it’s because you are a gossip or a snoop. For example, if “Samuel es el más sapo de todos” it means that Samuel is the gossipiest in the group.

Example:

“Samuel es como una mujer, es el más sapo de todos”

“Samuel is just like a woman, he is the gossipiest one of everyone”

8. Mamera – Annoyance or laziness

Surely you have many activities to do today that give you mamera, that is, annoyance or laziness.

For an example:

“No quiero hacer el trabajo, ¡qué mamera!”

“I don’t want to do the work, what an annoying job!”

When you want to talk about someone being annoyed, it can also be a mamera.

Example:

“Juan, Manuel está una mamera hoy.”

“Juan, Manuel is very annoyed today.”

9. Berraco

Do not be surprised if you also see verraco written, because there is a linguistic diatribe about which letter should be used. But with no doubts someone, berraco, is astonishing and brave.

For an example:

“Hugo es un berraco, fue el mejor promedio de su salón”

“Hugo is amazing, he has the best grades in his class.”

Berraquera is the typical quality of the berracos people, but it can also be the tantrum of children.

Another meaning is something complicated/difficult:

“Entrar a esa universidad es muy berraco”

“Entering into that university is very difficult.”

Finally, if you are being berraco, you’re most likely very angry.

10. Dar papaya

It’s a tacit law in Colombia, “No des papaya”.

It means, don’t expose yourself to danger and don’t make it easy for thieves. Being imprudent, forgetting common sense and lower your guard is dar papaya.

This is what a Colombian will say to you if you are putting yourself in a position where you become vulnerable to be taken advantage of.

“Dar papaya” literally means, “To give papaya”. It’s said that Colombians love papayas, and if they are in a room full of Colombians, then it will be gone in an instant.

The first time I visited Cartagena and I mentioned to the guy who I rented an apartment from that a cab driver overcharged me like crazy, because I never agreed on the price before he took me to a couple of spots, he gave me this little talk about, “Dar papaya”… Colombians are awesomeeeeeee by the way.

Example:

“Juan, te estoy diciendo parce, no dés papaya en la calle, por favor esconde tu iPhone 7.”

“Juan, I am telling you bro, don’t be vulnerable in the street, please hide your iPhone.”

And that it for today!

If you wanna sound more like an authentic Colombian, those are some great words to know. Please check out our fun post about Colombian curse words here!