Medellín Spanish Slang Words
Introduction
Medellín is rich in unique slang terms that reflect the culture and character of its people. Here’s a collection of 100 popular slang words and their meanings, particularly useful for anyone looking to connect with locals.
Slang Terms
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Parce / Parcero | Buddy, partner, or friend. | "Parce tengo que contarle algo." – Dude, I have something to tell you. |
| Achantado | Sad or dejected. | "Está achantado porque lo dejó la novia." – He’s blue because his girlfriend dumped him. |
| Ajetreo | Busy, or a problem. | "Qué ajetreo el que hubo hoy en el trabajo." – You have no idea how busy it was at the office today. |
| Amarrado | Stingy. | "Ese man no gasta dinero. ¡Qué amarrado!" – That guy is very cheap! |
| Bacano / Bacana | Good, fun, or cool. | "La fiesta estuvo bien bacana." – That party was awesome. |
| Botado | Easy or very cheap. | "Ese examen estaba botado." – That test was a piece of cake. |
| Boleo | Rush hour. | "¡Qué boleo la hora del almuerzo en el restaurante!" – There was a major rush at the restaurant during lunch time! |
| Cascar | To hit someone. | "Lorenzo y Miguel se cascaron." – Lorenzo and Miguel fought on the street. |
| Chanda | Selfish or poor quality. | "Ese man es muy chanda." – That guy is super self-centered. |
| Coscorria | Rude or uneducated person. | "Ese tipo tan grosero. Mera coscorria." – That man is so rude. |
| Camello | Job/Hustles. | "Después de tres meses por fin conseguí camello." – I finally found a job after three months. |
| Chambón | Poorly done. | "Este ensayo está muy chambón." – Your essay is poorly finished. |
| Charro | Funny. | "Estaba viendo un programa de chistes bastante charros." – I was watching a really funny joke show. |
| Chichigua | Worthless or insignificant. | "En mi anterior trabajo me pagaban una chichigua." – My previous job paid me ridiculously little. |
| Chiviado | Fake or non-original. | "Ese licor que tomamos ayer estaba chiviado." – That liquor from last night was diluted. |
| Cuca | Really good. | "La comida de tu abuela es bien cuca." – Your grandmother’s food is really nice. |
| Cucha / Cucho | Mom/Dad. | "Voy a buscar a mi cucha al centro comercial." – I’m going to pick up my mom at the mall. |
| Culebra | Pending debt. | "Necesito plata para pagar culebras." – I need money to pay off debts. |
| Cuchibarbi | Older woman who maintains her looks. | "Esa señora es una cuchibarbi." – That cougar got all her body done. |
| Cutupeto | Scared. | "Me da cutupeto." – I’m scared. |
| Parche | Plan or fun activity. | "¿Hay algún parche para esta noche?" – Is there any plan for tonight? |
| Parchar | To hang out. | "Hoy voy a parchar con mis parces." – I’m going to hang out with my friends. |
| Desparche | No plans. | "Nada estoy desparchada." – I have no plans. |
| Gas | Expression of disgust. | "¡Gas! Huele como si alguien se lanzó un pedo." – Agh! Somebody cut the cheese. |
| Grilla | Gold digger or easy woman. | "Ten cuidado con esa muchacha, la gente dice que es una grilla." – Be careful with that girl, people say she’s easy. |
| Guaro | Aguardiente, local liquor. | "Vamos por unos guaros bien fríos." – Let’s go for some shots. |
| Guayabo | Hangover. | "Anoche bebí mucho guaro y tengo guayabo." – I drank too much guaro and have a hangover. |
| Harto / Harta | Fed up. | "Estoy harta de tus amigos borrachos." – I’m sick of your drunken friends. |
| Epa! | Expression of agreement. | "Comemos en la noche? – Epa!" – Are we going to eat this evening? – Yeah! |
| Lucas | Money. | "No tengo lucas, no puedo salir." – I have no money, I can’t go out. |
| Maluco / Maluca | Bad or uncomfortable. | "Hoy no fui a clases porque me siento maluco." – I skipped class today because I feel sick. |
| Mamera / Jartera | Annoying. | "Qué mamera esa vieja." – That woman is very annoying. |
| Man | Dude or guy. | "Había un man en la tienda muy molesto." – There was a very upset guy at the store. |
| Mañé | Ordinary or tacky. | "Ese man es un mañé." – That man is very tacky. |
| Me regalas | Can you give me? | "¿Me regalas un poco de tu café?" – Can you give me a little bit of your coffee? |
| Mecato | Snack or candy. | "Después del almuerzo me antojé de comer mecato." – After lunch I craved something sweet. |
| Melo | All good. | "¿Cómo está todo? Todo está melo." – How’s everything? All good. |
| Mono / Mona | Affectionate term for blonde. | "Que bonita es tu amiga la mona." – How pretty is your blonde friend. |
| Ñero | Partner or poorly dressed person. | "Hola ñero, hace mucho tiempo que no nos veíamos." – Hello partner, it’s been a while. |
| Paila | Screwed or in trouble. | "Cuando mi esposa revisó mi celular, supe que yo estaba paila." – When my wife checked my cell phone, I knew I was in trouble. |
| Pichurria | Ugly or wrongfully done. | "Ese man es una pichurria." – That guy is gross. |
| Polas | Beers. | "Traje unas polas para ver el juego." – I brought some beers to watch the game. |
| Sisas | Yes. | "¿Tienes hambre?, Sisas." – Are you hungry?, Yes. |
| Taco | Traffic jam. | "Voy a llegar tarde porque estoy metida en un taco." – I’m going to be late because I’m stuck in traffic. |
| Traga | To have a crush. | "Esa chica del colegio siempre ha sido mi traga." – That girl has been my crush since high school. |
| Tetiado | Crowded. | "El metro hoy estaba tetiado." – The subway was crowded today. |
| Tombo | Police officer (informal/rude). | "Nos cayeron los tombos." – We got busted by the cops. |
| Vieja | Woman (any age). | "Ayer conocí a una vieja hermosa." – Yesterday I met a beautiful woman. |
| Visaje | Showing off. | "Mira ese man como se comporta. ¡Qué visaje!" – Look at that guy showing off. |
| Zunga | Derogatory term for a liberal woman. | "Esa mujer es una zunga." – That woman is a libertine. |
| Pelada / Pelado | Young woman or man. | "Esa pelada es bonita." – That girl is pretty. |
| Robarse | To kiss someone. | "Me robe esa pelada en la fiesta." – I kissed that girl at the party. |
| Amañarse | To be comfortable. | "Estoy muy amañado en Medellín." – I am getting very comfy in Medellín. |
| Avión | Sharp or clever person. | "¡Qué avión!" – How smart! |
| Alebrestarse | To be very upbeat or upset. | "Ese man se alebrestó." – He got really happy. |
| Bagre | Ugly woman. | "Esa novia suya es un bagre." – That girl you’re dating is ugly. |
| Barajarla más despacio | Explain something slowly. | "Barajeamela mas despacio." – Explain it to me a little slower. |
| Biyuyo | Cash. | "Haciendo ese trabajo gané mucho biyuyo." – I earned good cash doing that job. |
| Bizcocho | Pretty woman or handsome man. | "Check out that bizcochito de mujer." – Check out that girl, she’s a hottie. |
| Caer gordo/mal | Annoying or unfriendly. | "La amiga de mi novio me cae tan gorda." – My boyfriend’s friend annoys me. |
| Caí | I fell in love or got attracted to. | "Caí por esa chica." – I fell for that girl. |
| Chamizo | Good guy, gentleman. | "Eres un chamizo." – You’re a good guy. |
| Chévere | Nice or cool. | "Esa música está muy chévere." – That music is really cool. |
| Compa | Short for compañero, buddy. | "Hola compa, ¿cómo va?" – Hi buddy, how’s it going? |
| Cojo | Clumsy. | "¡Qué cojo eres!" – You are so clumsy! |
| Gorda | Affectionate term for a close friend. | "¡Hola, gorda!" – Hi, fat girl! (affectionately) |
| Mula | Stupid person. | "Ese man es muy mula." – That guy is such an idiot. |
| Palabreo | Flowery or exaggerated language. | "No me hables con palabreo." – Don’t use flowery language with me. |
| Queso | Old or out of touch person. | "Ese viejo es un queso." – That old guy is out of touch. |
| Rapear | To take or grab something. | "Voy a rapear ese libro." – I’m going to grab that book. |
| Reguero | A mess. | "¡Qué reguero hiciste!" – What a mess you made! |
| Risita | Smile. | "Me encanta tu risita." – I love your smile. |
| Salado | Unlucky person. | "Soy un salado en el amor." – I’m unlucky in love. |
| Tomarse el pelo | To tease someone. | "No me tomes el pelo." – Don’t tease me. |
| Traga | To eat. | "Hoy voy a tragar en el centro." – I’m going to eat in downtown today. |
| Tumbado | To sleep or nap. | "Me quedé tumbado toda la tarde." – I napped all afternoon. |
| Usar el celular | To text. | "Voy a usar el celular." – I’m going to text. |
| Vaina | Thing or situation. | "Esa vaina no me gusta." – I don’t like that thing. |
| Vivir en la luna | To be unaware. | "Estás viviendo en la luna." – You’re out of touch with reality. |
| Wau | Expression of surprise. | "¡Wau! Eso fue increíble." – Wow! That was amazing. |
| Zancada | To have a long stride. | "Ese man tiene zancada larga." – That guy has a long stride. |
| Zorrear | To flirt. | "Voy a zorrear a esa chica." – I’m going to flirt with that girl. |
| Chino / China | Young man/woman. | "Ese chino siempre llega tarde." – That kid is always late. |
| Tragarse | To eat quickly. | "Tragué todo el almuerzo en cinco minutos." – I scarfed down my lunch in five minutes. |
| Flaco / Flaca | Skinny guy/girl. | "Ese flaco juega muy bien." – That skinny guy plays really well. |
| Pinta | To show off or flaunt. | "Esa chica siempre está pintando." – That girl always shows off. |
| Salón | Area or zone. | "Ese salón es peligroso." – That area is dangerous. |
| Frito | To be in trouble. | "Si no estudias, vas a estar frito." – If you don’t study, you’ll be in trouble. |
| Trencito | Little train (used to refer to a group of friends). | "Estamos como un trencito." – We’re like a little train. |
| Reverso | To get into trouble. | "Te vas a meter en un reverso." – You’re getting into trouble. |
| Yuca | Problem or difficult situation. | "Esa tarea es una yuca." – That homework is a pain. |
| Zorro | Wise person or someone who knows a lot. | "Ese zorro sabe mucho." – That wise guy knows a lot. |
Conclusion
Understanding these terms can greatly enhance your experience in Medellín, helping you connect with locals and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture.