|
How
to sound like a Guatemalan
without learning Spanish |
Yeah, yeah. So you've been to classes and you
know your subjunctive from your preterit. But next time you're
at the cantina you may notice that it's all USELESS. Fear not,
dear friend. We here at XelaWho have gone the distance for you,
braving these mean streets, getting sloppy drunk in entirely
too many cantinas and asking stupid question after stupid question
just to help you fit in. Blood, sweat and tears have been shed,
and livers have been destroyed, to provide you with this list...
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AUGUST
2008
Buena onda/mala onda: The equivalent of “cool”
in the US, but the Guatemaltecos have taken it one step further to include
a negative version. Example: “Que buena onda es XelaWho”
or “Antigua es mala onda comparada a Xela.”
Chapín(a): Yet another term to denote your Guatemalan
pride, chapín is an additional self-referential phrase for guatemalteco.
Chócale: Essentially the next wave of high-five,
this is especially useful if you work with kids, as it’s way cooler
than “dáme cinco”.
Chucho: Who knows where this word for dog comes from,
but there are so many on the street maybe they were looking for something
more interesting than perro. Also applicable to men. Example: “The
chucho from last night never called me.”
Fufurufo/a: Possibly the most fun way to call someone
elitist or a snob.
Güiro/a: While this word is essentially the same
as “rascal,” only use it with kids and parents you know
really well.
Híjole: “Oops” or “I forgot”.
Don’t forget the accompanying finger snap.
Huevón(a): A lazy person, possibly unemployed,
possibly just doesn’t like waking up in the morning.
Patojo/a: 1. Teenager, adolescent. 2. What you think
you still are since you don’t have a real job even though you’re
26.
Puchica: “Wow!” For things good or bad.
Ladies, now you’ll understand what all those men are yelling at
you.
Ubícate: Possibly the most useful term on the
list, this word is all you need at places like The Roca Negra or any
street where single, young guatemaltecos lurk. Practice telling those
hopefuls and more seedy types to “get lost” by telling them
to “find themselves”.
PAST ONDAS...
MAY
2008
This month, we'll learn how to conjugate "vos" - the
most informal and personal form of "you".
Conjugating vos in the present tense
-AR, -ER and -IR verbs are conjugated into the present tense by dropping
the "r" and adding " -ás," " -és"
or " -ís," respectively. The only irregular verbs that
don' t follow this pattern are ser (sos) and ir (vas).
Examples:
Chupás bastante, vos.
Vos tenés huevos.
Conjugating vos using commands
-AR, -ER and -IR verbs are conjugated in commands by dropping the "
r" and adding " -á," " -é" or
" -í," respectively. The only irregular verb that doesn'
t follow this pattern is ir (andá).
Examples:
¡Vení vos!
Andá con ganas, vos.
Conjugating vos in all other tenses
Use the same conjugation as you would for " tu," but add the
word " vos" before or after the verb.
Examples:
¿Vos cervecearás conmigo manana, no?
¿Que hiciste con mi hermana, vos? ¡A la gran!
APRIL
2008
Costar un ojo de la cara
LITERAL MEANING: To cost an eye from the face
ACTUAL MEANING: To cost an arm and a leg (to be expensive)
Ser aguafiestas
LITERAL MEANING: To be a party waterer
ACTUAL MEANING: To be a party pooper
Hacerle entrada
LITERAL MEANING: To make an entrance
ACTUAL MEANING: To try to put someone in the mood
Importarse un pedo
LITERAL MEANING: To care a fart about something
ACTUAL MEANING: To not care about something
MARCH
2008
Agarrar con las manos en la masa
LITERAL MEANING: To catch someone with their hands
in the cornmeal
ACTUAL MEANING: To catch someone red-handed
Agarrar la onda
LITERAL MEANING: To catch the wave
ACTUAL MEANING: To figure it out
Aplanar calles
LITERAL MEANING: To level or flatten the streets
ACTUAL MEANING: To wonder aimlessly or to hang out
Dar carita
LITERAL MEANING: To give a little face
ACTUAL MEANING: To show off
Dar cuerda
LITERAL MEANING: To give rope
ACTUAL MEANING: To pull someone' s leg or to deceive
Estar como chorizo en tienda
LITERAL MEANING: To be like a sausage in a store
ACTUAL MEANING: To be in love
FEBRUARY
2008
Our special Valentine' s Day edition of ¿Qué
Onda Vos? will explore
Guatemalan slang pertaining to amorous relationships
Media Naranja = boyfriend or girlfriend (when the relationship is going
well)
Media Limón = boyfriend or girlfriend (when the relationship
is going badly)
Saliendo = dating with no commitment
Novios = dating with a commitment
Prometido = fiance
Suegros = in-laws (mother and father-in-law)
Mujeriego = womanizer
Cazagringa = Guatemalan man who targets foreign girls, often blondes.
Calentahuevos = tease
Agarre = fling or affair
Trincarse = to make out
JANUARY
2008
Dejar con los colochos
LITERAL MEANING: To leave with the curly-haired people
ACTUAL MEANING: To stand someone up
Echar chispas
LITERAL MEANING: To give off sparks
ACTUAL MEANING: To be pissed off
Sacar las uñas
LITERAL MEANING: To take out one' s fingernails
ACTUAL MEANING: To show one' s true colors
Ser como los de Coban, quein solo comen y se van
LITERAL MEANING: To eat and run
ACTUAL MEANING: To be like the people from Coban, who
only eat and go
Comerse el mandato
LITERAL MEANING: To eat the order
ACTUAL MEANING: To have premarital sex
Ser muy viernes
LITERAL MEANING: To be very Friday
ACTUAL MEANING: To be really old
DECEMBER
2007
No ser ni chicha ni limonada
LITERAL MEANING: To be neither liquor nor lemonade
ACTUAL MEANING: To not have a definite religión
Bajo de agua
LITERAL MEANING: Under the water
ACTUAL MEANING: Under the table (to pay someone illegally/secretly)
Consultar con la almohada
LITERAL MEANING: To consult with the pillow
ACTUAL MEANING: To sleep on it/To think it over
Ser dos que tres
LITERAL MEANING: To be two that three
ACTUAL MEANING: To be okay/To be so-so
Estar de malas pulgas
LITERAL MEANING: To be of bad fleas
ACTUAL MEANING: To be cranky
Quemar la pan
LITERAL MEANING: To burn the bread
ACTUAL MEANING: To cheat on someone
NOVEMBER
2007
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho
LITERAL MEANING: From the word to the deed there
is much space.
ACTUAL MEANING: Actions speak louder than words.
Dios le da de comer al que no tiene dientes
LITERAL MEANING: God gives food to those without
teeth.
ACTUAL MEANING: Opportunities arise for those who don’t
want them.
Donde fuego hubo, cenizas quedan
LITERAL MEANING: Where there was fire, ashes remain.
ACTUAL MEANING: Bad feelings always remain after a relationship
ends.
El lunes ni las gallinas ponen
LITERAL MEANING: On Monday, the chickens don’t
even lay eggs.
ACTUAL MEANING: Nobody can get it together on Mondays.
El que al cielo escupe, en la cara le cae
LITERAL MEANING: He who spits into the sky gets
it in the face.
ACTUAL MEANING: What goes around comes around.
Dar una jaboneada
LITERAL MEANING: To give (someone) a soaping.
ACTUAL MEANING: To reprimand someone verbally.
OCTOBER
2007
¡A huevos!
LITERAL MEANING: To eggs!
ACTUAL MEANING: Hell yeah!
¡Que huevos!
LITERAL MEANING: What eggs!
ACTUAL MEANING: How rude!
¡Que bien de a huevo!
LITERAL MEANING: [Doesn' t translate well]
ACTUAL MEANING: What a cool guy/girl!
¡Come huevo!
LITERAL MEANING: Eat eggs!
ACTUAL MEANING: Eat [expletive]!
Huevos
LITERAL MEANING: Eggs
ACTUAL MEANING: Testicles
Huevón
LITERAL MEANING: Large egg
ACTUAL MEANING: Lazy person
Huevudo
LITERAL MEANING: None
ACTUAL MEANING: Brave person
A puro huevo
LITERAL MEANING: [Doesn' t translate well]
ACTUAL MEANING: To be obligated to do something
JUNE
2007
Esa queda hasta el quinto infierno
LITERAL MEANING: That’s located in the fifth
hell.
ACTUAL MEANING: That’s very far away.
¡Que higados!
LITERAL MEANING: What a liver!
ACTUAL MEANING: That’s very brave!
Ser lleno de babosadas
LITERAL MEANING: To be full of dribble.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be a liar.
Tener los pantalones bien puestos
LITERAL MEANING: To have the pants well located.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be in control.
Estoy como La China
LITERAL MEANING: I’m like the Chinawoman.
ACTUAL MEANING: I’m very angry.
PAST ONDAS...
MAY
2007
Tú crees que es solo de soplar y hacer botellas
LITERAL MEANING: You think you can make bottles just
by blowing.
ACTUAL MEANING: You think that by just talking you’ll
get things done.
Te voy a poner el dedo
LITERAL MEANING: I’m going to put the finger
on you.
ACTUAL MEANING: I’m going to turn you in (to
the authorities).
Es solo hacerlo y escupir en la calle
LITERAL MEANING: You just do it and spit in the street.
ACTUAL MEANING: Once it’s done, it’s done.
Eso lo hago con la punta del chile
LITERAL MEANING: I can do that with the point of a
chile.
ACTUAL MEANING: That’s easy.
Eres pura lata
LITERAL MEANING: You’re pure tin.
ACTUAL MEANING: You’re a pain in the ass.
APRIL
2007
Dar las nalgas
LITERAL MEANING: To give the buttcheeks.
ACTUAL MEANING: To get one's ass kicked.
Taco de ojo
LITERAL MEANING: Eye taco.
ACTUAL MEANING: Eye candy.
Hacer una cagada
LITERAL MEANING: To make a shit.
ACTUAL MEANING: To make an ass of oneself.
A huevos
LITERAL MEANING: To eggs.
ACTUAL MEANING: For sure.
Meter la yuca
LITERAL MEANING: To put the yuca (root) inside.
ACTUAL MEANING: To make something difficult.
MARCH
2007
Es la tos con flema
LITERAL MEANING: It's the cough with phlegm.
ACTUAL MEANING: It's awesome.
Ser cabrón para...
LITERAL MEANING: To be an asshole for...
ACTUAL MEANING: To be good at...
Andar de rollo
LITERAL MEANING: To walk from roll.
ACTUAL MEANING: To do nothing.
Cagarse en la olla
LITERAL MEANING: To shit oneself in the pot.
ACTUAL MEANING: To ruin everything.
Me la pela
LITERAL MEANING: It peels me.
ACTUAL MEANING: It doesn't matter to me.
FEBRUARY
2007
Estar chucho por...
LITERAL MEANING: To be puppy for...
ACTUAL MEANING: To really like...
Estar pilas para...
LITERAL MEANING: To be batteries for...
ACTUAL MEANING: To be good at...
Vos sos pura lata
LITERAL MEANING: You are pure can
ACTUAL MEANING: You're an ass
Ser codo
LITERAL MEANING: To be elbow.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be stingy.
No te hagas!
LITERAL MEANING: Don't do yourself!
ACTUAL MEANING: Don't bullshit me!
JANUARY
2007
Hacer droga
LITERAL MEANING: To make drug.
ACTUAL MEANING: To destroy or ruin.
Irse de espaldas
LITERAL MEANING: To go from backs.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be shocked.
Meter la pata
LITERAL MEANING: To put the foot in.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be wrong.
Estar para balazos
LITERAL MEANING: To be for bullet shots.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be angry.
Andar a mostaza
LITERAL MEANING: To walk to mustard.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very drunk.
DECEMBER
2006
Dar el piojo
LITERAL MEANING: To give the leech.
ACTUAL MEANING: To fail miserably.
De un par de balazos
LITERAL MEANING: Of a pair of bullet shots.
ACTUAL MEANING: Very quickly.
En Paleta
LITERAL MEANING: In wooden spoons.
ACTUAL MEANING: Abundantly.
Fregar la pita
LITERAL MEANING: To damage the cactus.
ACTUAL MEANING: To have fun.
Hasta el Quinto Infierno
LITERAL MEANING: Until the fifth hell.
ACTUAL MEANING: Very far away.
NOVEMBER
2006
Caer como la patada
LITERAL MEANING: To fall like the kicking.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be extremely unpleasant.
A caer penca
LITERAL MEANING: To fall like a leaf.
ACTUAL MEANING: To lose by a large margin.
Como la gran flauta
LITERAL MEANING: Like the big flute.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very angry.
Costar un bigote
LITERAL MEANING: To cost a moustache.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very difficult.
Creerse la mamá de Tarzan
LITERAL MEANING: To believe yourself to be the mother
of Tarzan.
ACTUAL MEANING: To think that you're very important.
OCTOBER
2006
El que entre la miel anda algo se le pega
LITERAL MEANING: Something sticks to those who walk
in honey.
ACTUAL MEANING: People take on the habits of those
around them.
Lo que de noche se hace, de día aparece
LITERAL MEANING: What is done in the night appears
in the day.
ACTUAL MEANING: Secret deeds always come to light.
Llevar bien puestos los pantalones
LITERAL MEANING: To have the pants firmly in place.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be in charge.
Aplanar calles
LITERAL MEANING: To flatten streets.
ACTUAL MEANING: To weander aimlessly.
Estar como los ocho cuartos
LITERAL MEANING: To be like the eight quarters.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very angry.
SEPTEMBER
2006
A la fuerza, ni la comida es buena
LITERAL MEANING: Forced, not even food is good.
ACTUAL MEANING: Don’t get pressured into doing
things.
A la ley de Cristo (cada quien con su pisto)
LITERAL MEANING: The law of Christ (each with their
own money).
ACTUAL MEANING: For each person to pay their share.
A la madrugada, Dios ayuda
LITERAL MEANING: In the early morning, God helps.
ACTUAL MEANING: Getting up early leads to success.
A cada coche se le llega su sábado
LITERAL MEANING: To each pig arrives their Saturday.
ACTUAL MEANING: You get what you deserve.
El pez por su boca muere
LITERAL MEANING: The fish dies by its mouth.
ACTUAL MEANING: To say something you shouldn’t.
AUGUST
2006
No ser chicha ni limonada
LITERAL MEANING: To be neither corn liquor nor lemonade.
ACTUAL MEANING: To not have a religion.
No tener ni donde caer muerto
LITERAL MEANING: To not even have a place to fall dead.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be broke.
Por si las moscas
LITERAL MEANING: For if there are flies.
ACTUAL MEANING: Just in case.
Taparse con la misma chamarra
LITERAL MEANING: To cover themselves with the same
blanket.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be alike.
Tener los ojos secos de no ver a alguien
LITERAL MEANING: To have dry eyes from not seeing someone.
ACTUAL MEANING: To not have seen someone for a long
time.
JULY
2006
El que va a la villa, pierda la silla
LITERAL MEANING: He who goes to the village loses his
seat.
ACTUAL MEANING: You stand, you lose.
Zapatero a tus zapatos
LITERAL MEANING: Shoemaker to your shoes.
ACTUAL MEANING: Stick with what you know.
Colgar los tenis
LITERAL MEANING: To hang up the runners.
ACTUAL MEANING: To die.
Hacerse de la vista gorda
LITERAL MEANING: Take the fat view.
ACTUAL MEANING: To look the other way.
Meter la cuchara
LITERAL MEANING: To insert the spoon.
ACTUAL MEANING: To butt in to a conversation.
JUNE
2006
El que no llora, no mama
LITERAL MEANING: He who doesn’t cry, doesn’t
get breastfed.
ACTUAL MEANING: You have to ask for something in order
to get it.
En boca cerrada no entran moscas
LITERAL MEANING: Flies don’t enter open
mouths.
ACTUAL MEANING: Gossiping always brings problems.
Hierba mala, nunca muere
LITERAL MEANING: Bad weeds never die.
ACTUAL MEANING: Bad things are much hrder to get rid
of than good.
Hombre casado, ni frito ni asado
LITERAL MEANING: Married men? Not fried or grilled.
ACTUAL MEANING: I don’t go out with married men.
Músico pagado no toca bien
LITERAL MEANING: An already paid musician doesn’t
play well .
ACTUAL MEANING: Paying for a service upfront leads
to disappointment.
MAY
2006
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho
LITERAL MEANING: From the word to the deed there
is much space.
ACTUAL MEANING: Actions speak louder than words.
Dios le da de comer al que no tiene dientes
LITERAL MEANING: God gives food to those without
teeth.
ACTUAL MEANING: Opportunities arise for those who don’t
want them.
Donde fuego hubo, cenizas quedan
LITERAL MEANING: Where there was fire, ashes remain.
ACTUAL MEANING: Bad feelings always remain after a relationship
ends.
El lunes ni las gallinas ponen
LITERAL MEANING: On Monday, the chickens don’t
even lay eggs.
ACTUAL MEANING: Nobody can get it together on Mondays.
El que al cielo escupe, en la cara le cae
LITERAL MEANING: He who spits into the sky gets
it in the face.
ACTUAL MEANING: What goes around comes around.
APRIL
2006
¿Que onda vos? Es tu santo hoy, ¿verdad?
(“Santo” means birthday)
Si, pero quería pasarlo papaloteando.
(“Papalotear” is to hang out)
¡Vos! Tenes que ser mas Parrandero.
(“Parrandero” means party animal)
No tengo ganas de chupar, vos.
(“Chupar” is to slam beers)
Pero no te preocupes, ya tenemos un Quitagoma.
(Quitagoma is whatever food one eats to get rid of a hangover)
MARCH
2006
Qué pasa vos. ¿Estás en pelota o traes ropa
invisible?
(to “Estar en pelota” or “en cueros”
means “to be naked”)
Estoy dando carita de mi cuerpo
(“Dar carita” is “to show off”)
Mueve el esqueleto para qué pueda ver!
(“Mover el Esqueleto” means to “shake your
booty”)
Balla; lo haré de gorra para ti
(“de Gorra” is “for free”)
¿No me echas flores vos, verdad?
(“Echar flores” means “to flirt”)
FEBRUARY
2006
Ser muy viernes
LITERAL MEANING: To be very Friday.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very old.
Sudar la gota gorda
LITERAL MEANING: To sweat the fat drop.
ACTUAL MEANING: To panic.
Tener cuello
LITERAL MEANING: To have neck.
ACTUAL MEANING: To have influence with people in power.
Tener la cantina abierta
LITERAL MEANING: To have the bar open.
ACTUAL MEANING: To have your zipper undone.
Cuando eras huevo, yo ya volaba
LITERAL MEANING: When you were an egg I was flying.
ACTUAL MEANING: You’re less experienced than me.
JANUARY
2006
Quemar el rancho
LITERAL MEANING: To burn the ranch.
ACTUAL MEANING: To cheat on your lover.
¿Qué mosca te picó?
LITERAL MEANING: Which fly bit you?
ACTUAL MEANING: What’s wrong with you?
Sacar las palabras con cuchara
LITERAL MEANING: To extract the words with a spoon.
ACTUAL MEANING: To drag information out of someone.
Ser como los de Coban, que sólo comen y se van
LITERAL MEANING: To be like those from Coban, who only eat
and go.
ACTUAL MEANING: To eat and run.
Ser de la vida alegre
LITERAL MEANING: To be in the happy life.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be a prostitute
DECEMBER
2005
No tener ni conciencia buena
LITERAL MEANING: To not have even a good conscience.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be completely without money.
No tener pelos en la lengua
LITERAL MEANING: To not have hairs on the tongue.
ACTUAL MEANING: To speak one’s mind.
Pagar el pato
LITERAL MEANING: To pay the duck.
ACTUAL MEANING: To pay for someone else’s mistake.
Pan comido
LITERAL MEANING: Eaten bread.
ACTUAL MEANING: Easily done.
Ponerse las pilas
LITERAL MEANING: To put in the batteries.
ACTUAL MEANING: To get motivated.
NOVEMBER
2005
Hacerse un queso
LITERAL MEANING: To make a cheese of one’s self.
ACTUAL MEANING: To dance wildly.
Levantarse con el pie izquierdo
LITERAL MEANING: To get up with the left foot.
ACTUAL MEANING: To awake in a bad mood.
Mover el esqueleto
LITERAL MEANING: To move the skeleton.
ACTUAL MEANING: To dance.
No poder ver ni en pintura a alguien
LITERAL MEANING: To be unable to even see a picture
of someone.
ACTUAL MEANING: To hate someone.
No saber ni papa
LITERAL MEANING: To not know even a potato.
ACTUAL MEANING: To know nothing about a subject.
OCTOBER
2005
Deber hasta el bigote
LITERAL MEANING: To owe up to the moustache.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be deep in debt.
Echar chispas
LITERAL MEANING: To throw sparks.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be very angry.
Estar como chorizo en la tienda
LITERAL MEANING: To be like sausage in the store.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be madly in love.
Estar como Dios manda
LITERAL MEANING: To be like God sends.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be a virgin.
Estar de malas pulgas
LITERAL MEANING: To be of bad fleas.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be in a bad mood.
SEPTEMBER
2005
Buscar pelos en la sopa
LITERAL MEANING: To look for hairs in the soup.
ACTUAL MEANING: To look for faults in things even if
they’re fine.
Consultar con la almohada
LITERAL MEANING: Consult with the pillow.
ACTUAL MEANING: To think about it overnight, or “sleep
on it”.
Dar una jaboneada
LITERAL MEANING: To give (someone) a soaping.
ACTUAL MEANING: To reprimand someone verbally.
Darse su paquete
LITERAL MEANING: To give the packet.
ACTUAL MEANING: To show off.
Dejar con los colochos hechos
LITERAL MEANING: Leave (someone) with their curls made.
ACTUAL MEANING: To stand someone up or leave them waiting.
Miguel
de Cervantes:
