Angie’s Diccionario de Argentinismos
lunfardo = argentine slang which can include changing order of syllables or can be based on Italian
words
Plata = money
la guita = the money (as well)
un mango = 1 peso
una luca = 1000 pesos
Ropa/Vestuario/Indumentaria = clothes
la pollera = skirt
la polera = turtleneck
la remera = T-shirt (manga corta/larga = short/long sleeved)
el buzo = sweatshirt
la campera = jacket
las calzas = leggings
la musculosa = tank-top
la bombacha = underwear (girl’s)
la tanga = thong
el slip/boxer = briefs/boxers
el corpiño = bra
las medias = socks
las zapatillas = sneakers
los zapatos = shoes (not sneakers)
las ojotas = flip-flops
los tacos = high heels
los suecos = clogs
la camisa = button down shirt
la chomba = polo style shirt
la camiseta = soccer jersey
el short = short shorts
la Bermuda = long shorts
el camisón = nightgown
las pantuflas = slippers
la bata = bathrobe
la cartera = purse
las lonpas = lunfardo para pantalones (you will probably never use this yourself but just if you hear itmost people say pantalones for pants)
People
un pibe/una piba = a boy/girl (adolescent aged)
los viejos = the folks (as in parents) so mi viejo is my dad and mi vieja is my mom
una mina = a woman
un tipo = a guy
una tortillera = a dyke
un puto/un trolo = a fag
una trola = a slut
un tachero = taxi driver (you can also say taxista which is more official)
un remisero = private taxi driver (off the books, like what diego’s dad does)
un nene/una nena = a little boy/a little girl
un pendejo/una pendeja = a young boy/a young girl
un hincha = soccer fan
un cheto = a stuck-up person
un cana = a cop
un guacho = (insult)
una laucha = a cheap person
un travesti/ trava = transvestite
un villero = person who lives in a villa or ‘shantytown’
un cartonero = person who rummages for recyclables
Adjectives
fachero = handsome
canchero = cool/person who shows they are an expert or have experience (tiene cancha = he has
experience/knows what he’s doing)
tarado = stupid/idiotic
boluda/boluda = literally means silly/dumb but used all the time even among friends (can be adj or
noun: un boludo is a dumb guy or a fool and una boludés is a stupid/ridiculous thing)
pelotudo/pelotuda = stupid (like boludo, can also be used as a noun)
macanudo/macanuda = nice/great
trucho = fake/imitation
porteño = describes a person who is from Buenos Aires
hincha pelotas/rompe bolas = ball breaker/annoying
copado/piola = cool
Transportation
colectivo = bus (around town)
micro/omnibus = bus (provincial)
auto = car
bicicleta (bici) = bike
moto = motorcycle or scooter
camión = truck (like 18 wheeler or large)
camioneta = pick-up truck or SUV style
subte = subway
taxi = taxi
remís = privately run radio taxi
a pata = walking (this is slang, really you can say caminando)
Verbs
morfar = to eat
transar = to kiss
garchar/coger /curtir= to fuck
laburar = to work (el laburo = job)
bancarse = to put up with
Food
los ñoquis = gnocchi
los ravioles = ravioli
los canelones = crepes wrapped around filling and covered with pasta sauce
las cintas = flat noodles (literally ribbons)
los fideos = also noodles, but rounded
los sorrentinos = filled pasta like large ravioli
las empanadas = you know that one (verdura = spinach, humita/choclo = corn, caprese =
tomato/cheese/basil, queso y cebolla)
las facturas = pastries
las medialunas de manteca/de grasa= croissants butter/lard – the butter ones are the sweet ones
el puchero = stew with corn/squash/and meat
el tenedor libre = all you can eat buffet
las tostadas = toast
un tostado = grilled ham and cheese sandwich (you can ask for a tostado de queso sin jamón)
la manteca = butter
la mermelada = jam
la parrilla/parrillada = grill/full order of grilled meats (like what diego and I ordered at the tango bar)
el dulce de leche = you know this one too- sometimes just called “dulce” if you order a dessert and they
ask: lo querés con dulce?
el postre = dessert
la frutilla = strawberry
el ananá = pineapple
el durazno = peach
la ciruela = plum
el helado granizado = chocolate chip ice cream
el budín de pan = bread pudding
la pastafrola = a sweet tart usually made with sweet potato or quince
la batata = sweet potato
el membrillo = quince
el panqueque = crepe
la galleta = cracker
la galletita = cookie
el bizcochuelo = yellow cake w/no icing
el budín = pound cake
la torta = cake
el mate = gourd or wooden/metal cup used to drink yerba mate
la bombilla = the straw used with the mate
la yerba mate = green tea
las masas finas = fancier pastries (like pettifours and that type of thing)
el sanwiche de miga = sandwich made with white or wheat sliced bread with no crust and mayonnaise
and assorted fillings (jamón y queso/tomate/queso Roquefort/huevo/lechuga y queso/etc)
el pan dulce = Italian style panettone made around xmas time
pizzas:
fugazza = pizza dough with just onions and cheese
fugazzeta = pizza dough with just onions
fugazzeta rellena = pizza filled with ham and cheese with onions on top
napolitana = pizza with sliced tomatoes and garlic and parmesan cheese
muzarela = cheese pizza
fainá = chickpea flour dough that can be eaten by the slice w/pizza
la servilleta = the napkin
un licuado = smoothie (can be with water or milk and fruit)
Miscellaneous slang words
el pucho = the cigarette
la villa = poor neighborhood
un ñoqui = gnocchi, but also used for a public employee who is only interested in paycheck
la gamba = the leg (but also meterle gamba/pata is like to put in an effort or to hurry)
la pata = the foot (literally means paw)
la facha = the face (also if you say qué facha que tiene = how good-looking he is)
olor a chivo = body odor
el chivo = the armpit
la concha = the vagina
la pija = the dick (also called poronga/pistola)
el culo/el orto = the ass (also: qué culo/qué orto can mean- how lucky)
la cola = butt/behind
las tetas = the tits
un quilombo = a mess
la pileta = the pool or the sink
un toque = a moment
guarda = watch out
How to use “vos”
Verb
hablar
soñar
comer
poner
admitir
venir
ser
ir
Tu/Imperative (regular Spanish)
tú hablas/habla
tú sueñas/sueña
tú comes/come
tú pones/pon
tú admites/admite
tú vienes/ven
tú eres/sé
tú vas/ve
Vos/Imperative (Argentine Spanish)
vos hablás/hablá
vos soñás/soñá
vos comés/comé
vos ponés/poné
vos admitís/admití
vos venís/vení
vos sos/sé
vos vas/ve
(however, in Argentina they tend to use andar more than ir- Dónde andás? is where are you going?
and Cómo andás is how’s it going? or how are you?)
In the past and other tenses, vos is just like tú- you would say Cuándo hablaste con él?/Dónde
fuiste?/Ibas a decirme algo/Serás la única persona/etc. They also tend NOT to use past participle (He
ido al banco) but instead they use preterite (Fui al banco). Also the possessive is the same: Venís a ver
a tu mama?