Lunfardo is Argentine slang that often appears in tango lyrics, understanding these words are essential for understanding many tango lyrics. In this blog post we will start by explaining the origin of Lunfardo, then we will explain to you the meaning of 20 lunfardo words that are highly related to tango. Related article: 20 most common Spanish words in tango, explained ​What is "Lunfardo" in tango Lunfardo appeared in Buenos Aires and Montevideo (the capitals of Argentina and Uruguay) during the second half of the 19th century due to the Italian immigration. The word “lunfardo” comes from the language “Lombardo” and other dialects spoken during those times in the north of Italy and some Swiss cities. Lunfardo was also influenced by the French, the English, the Galician, the Portuguese, and other languages. ​The prisoners​ created lunfardos as a secret language so that guards would not understand what they were talking about. Many of its expressions came with the arrival of European immigrants (mainly Italians) and other words actually came from the Argentine Pampa. Some lunfardo words were created by switching around the syllable of the words—similar to Pig Latin for adults. Thus in lunfardo mujer (woman) becomes “jermu”, café (coffee) turns into feca and tango changes to “gotan” (this also become the name of a well-known musical group “The Gotan project”). In the following we will explain 20 lunfardo words that are highly relevant to tango. 20 essential lunfardo words you should know for tango

1. Arrabal

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Arrabal means “suburban”, a neighbourhood far from the city and the major population. It also means poor area or a slum. The word appears in the lyrics of “Mi Buenos Aires querido” (My beloved Buenos Aires): Las ventanitas de mis calles de Arrabal, (The little window in my slum street) donde sonríe una muchachita en flor; (where a blooming young girl smiles;) quiero de nuevo yo volver a contemplar (I want to contemplate once again) aquellos ojos que acarician al mirar.. (those eyes that caress you with their gaze...)

2. Afilar The standard meaning of the word you would find in the dictionary is to “sharpen”, for example, Juan afila sus lápices (Juan sharpen his pencils). However, in Lunfardo, the word takes on another meaning: to be in love (enamorar), or to court someone (cortejar). Example: Pablo afila con esa mina pero no es muy serio. (Pablo is courting that woman but he isn’t that serious.)

3. ¡Aire! Aire means “air”, but if someone at Buenos Aires says to you in a milonga “¡Aire!”, he is actually telling you to get out from there immediately, as “¡Aire!” in Lunfardo carries the meaning of “¡Afuera!, márchate, vete” (Leave now!). An interesting fact: the literal meaning of “Buenos Aires” is “Good air”.

4. Amarguear As you may probably know, mate is a big part of Argentine culture, and the Lunfardo word “Amarguear” means “to drink a mate” (tomar mate), and more precisely, mate without sugar, as the word is very likely formed based on the adjective “amargo” (bitter).

5. Bacán Bacán in lunfardo refers to people who are wealthy and live lavishly. Sometimes it also refers to a man who keeps a concubine. In the tango song ¨“Bailarín compadrito” we can spot the word in the lyrics: “…que un día lo bailaste de lengue y sin un mango (that one day you danced it in shirt sleeves and without a dime) y ahora el mismo tango bailás hecho un bacán... (and now you dance the same tango looking like a wealthy man…”

6. Bulín

Bulín is a small room which is lived by a single man. It also refers to a place where sexual encounter occurs. We can find the word in the tango song “Mi noche triste” (My sad night): Ya no hay en el bulín (There are no longer in the room) aquellos lindos frasquitos (those pretty little bottles) adornados con moñitos (decorated with ribbons) todos de un mismo color... (all of the same color…) ​

7. Botón “Botón” in Lunfardo means police or guard. Lunfardo was in fact a secret language invented by the prisoners in Buenos Aires so that the “botón” would not understand what they are saying.

8. Bombón The Spanish word “bombón”, as you can probably guess, refers to candy, especially those that are coated with chocolate. In Argentina the word carries the double meaning of an attractive man or woman or a sweetheart. In this beautiful song “bomboncito”, the lyricist poured out his heart and expressed without hesitation how his “bomboncito”, his little sweetie has taken his heart totally, and how her love does wonder to his life. Dejame (Let me) que te diga despacito (let me tell you slowly) bomboncito… bomboncito… (my little sweetie… my little sweetie…) dueña de mi corazón. (owner of my heart.) Una vez más mi emoción (Once again my excitement) repetirá la canción (will repeat the song) milagro de tu amor (miracle of your love) y de mi amor (and of my love.) 9. Capo The lunfardo word “capo” evolved from the Latin word “caput” (head) which means “boss” or the head of an organization. In Italian it also refers to the head of a mafia. It can also be used to refer to a person which distinguish intelligence, moral or physical character.

10. Chorro “Chorro” (or “choro”) means thief, and “chorear” is the verb form of the act (to steal). The tango song “chorra” is about a man who was tricked by the lie of his lover, and in 6 months he went bankrupt and lost everything he earned from his hard work, so in the song, the man called his past lover a “chorra”: “En seis meses me fundiste el mercadito, (In six months you bankrupted my little market,) la casilla de la feria, la ganchera, el mostrador… (the stand at the fair, the hooks, the counter…) ¡Chorra! (Thief!) Me robaste hasta el amor…” (You even stole my love…)

11. Chamuyar

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Chamuyar (or chamullar) means to chat; or to have a conversation, which usually happens when a man is trying to pick up women. Sometimes it also refers to using a mix of truths and lies to achieve a goal. It is believed that chamuyar came from the word caló (from a gypsy dialect) which means to chat or to converse; or to tell an excuse for covering, for example, being late to work, or forgetting to do something. Chamuyero refers to someone who is chatty, or a liar.

12. Laburar Laburar is the synonym of “trabajar” (to work), which is believed to be derived from the Italian word “lavorare”. The noun form of the word is “laburo” (work).

13. Metejón Metejón means a crush or a crazy love. “Milonga sentimental”, a popular milonga song, tells a story of a man who went to a milonga and thought about his lover that had left him. The lyrics describe how he was mad in love and crushed by her betrayal: “Pero no es fácil cortarse (But it is not easy to cut off) los tientos de un metejón (tentacles of a crush) cuando están bien amarrados (when they are tightly attached) al palo del corazón” (to the carcass of the heart)

14. Malevo Malevo is a word originated from the latin adverb malé, which refers to “man who is a gang or a troublemaker living in the slum in Buenos Aires. The word is slowly adopted to represent the male characters in tango (and perhaps porteños in general): liberal; living a bad life with a humble root; macho and brave; believing in his own way of seeing life; seeing love as a game, but a game that he needs to play by giving his all. But whatever kind of life the malevo is leading, there’s one thing we can always be sure: he loves tango.

15. Mango Instead of referring to the yellow-skinned tropical fruit which may be your favorite in summer, “mango” in Lunfardo means money (dinero, peso). If someone says “No tengo un mango” it would mean he/she is totally broke. It is believed that “mango” is derived from the 19th Century word “Marengo” which gangs used for referring to money made from bad means or easy money. “Mango” can also be found in the lyrics of “Yira, Yira” by Carlos Gardel: …buscando ese mango (…You are finding the money) que te haga morfar… (That allows you to eat…)

16. Mina Mina is perhaps the most commonly used Lunfardo word nowadays in Buenos Aires or Montevideo. Instead of referring to a “mine” like “coal mine” or “gold mine” in standard Spanish, it means a “woman” and it comes from the Italian word “femmina” (which means female, and also girl or daughter) However, in tango “mina” sometimes carries other meanings: prostitute; woman who lives with a man; woman who has an illicit relationship with a man; a concubine; a lover. One of the most well-known tango songs in which you can find the word is “Patotero sentimental” (The sentimental gangster, Orchestra Carlos Di Sarli/Singer Roberto Rufino): Ya los años se van pasando, (Many years have passed by,) y en mi pecho no entra un querer, (but there never enter an affection in my heart,) En mi vida tuve muchas, muchas minas, (in my life I have had many, many women,) pero nunca una mujer… (but never a wife...)

17. Percanta Percanta is a femmine word which means “lover” or a “beloved woman”, and the word appears in the lyrics of “Mi noche triste” (My sad night)”: Percanta que me amuraste (Woman, you dumped me) en lo mejor de mi vida (at the prime of my life) dejandome el alma herida (leaving my soul wounded) y splin en el corazón... (and dullness in my heart...)

18. Pibe