Every country and even every city has its idiosyncrasy, its phrases that make it unique and that ultimately identify the people who live in it. Argentina, and Buenos Aires, has many typical expressions that people who are not from here do not understand and if they want to translate them into their own language, they end up even more confused. Check out these 10 typical expressions of Buenos Aires because they do not resist the slightest translation.
1. Me extraña araña
Who doesn’t use this phrase to express surprise? But more than surprise, this porteño phrase is used to express the lack of confidence of the person who asks us something. For example, if your boss asks you if you finished your last report (and you were confident enough or it was Friday and you already feel beyond everything) you could answer with “Me extraña araña” while opening your arms to emphasize the gesture.
If afterwards the relationship with your boss changes, we are not responsible (maybe, too much confidence with the “I miss Spider”).
Of course, if you work abroad and they communicate in English, this typical expression translated into English becomes “I miss me spider“. If someone understands you, congratulations.
2. Throwing fruit
Who hasn’t “thrown” or “sent” fruit at some time. This typical Argentine expression has nothing to do with literally sending or throwing fruit, but has many synonyms, all also very Argentine: zanatear, chamullar or versear with one of them.
To put it in another way that everyone understands, Tirar Fruta means to talk about something as if you know a lot about it when it is not true. And between lying and throwing fruit, there is a fine line.
In exams is where most fruit is thrown away. Don’t throw away fruit literally said in Miami, for example, would surprise anyone but Messi.
3. Being a Boleta
Is it good to be a boleta? And, the truth is that it is not. If someone tells you that you are a boleta, it is because you are going to end badly. You offended someone and that someone plans to do something about it: you are a boleta.
What does Sos Boleta mean? You did something bad or ugly to someone and you know that the consequences for you are going to be bad or very bad: it is because you are a boleta.
One of the issues with this typical Buenos Aires phrase is that usually the person who is boleta doesn’t know it.
You are ticket or You are invoice, its English translation, would simply make us look like someone who doesn’t know how to conjugate even one verb. Please do not use it with your friends in English, only if you want to perplex them.
4. Va como piña
What does the typical phrase “Va como piña” mean? When it goes like a pineapple, it goes really well. One thing fits perfectly with the other and they go together ideally.
Can two people go together like pineapples? Not so much. This typical Buenos Aires phrase is used more with things than with people. For example: pizza and coke go like pineapple, pool and beers, go like pineapple.
If we take it to English, the phrase “It goes like pineapple” doesn’t lead us anywhere, only to ask “How does a pineapple go?
5. In case the butterflies
In case the butterflies or Por si las moscas is one of the great typical porteño phrases. Buenos Aires natives do a lot of things just in case the butterflies. Lest it be too late.
Do something just in case, just in case. So when you want to get ahead of a situation, do that something just in case.
6. Apa la papa
A synonym for this typical Buenos Aires phrase is Guarda! although this other typical porteño phrase doesn’t say anything to the non-Buenos Aires speaker either.
If you hear the phrase very often, you will realize that it expresses surprise and also to be careful. Why then in Buenos Aires don’t they just say ¡Cuarda! Because we don’t. Because here we go against the current and if something is easy, we complicate it.
7. Move on to something else butterfly
When you are in Buenos Aires and you want to do something else, change the subject, or make it clear that that someone fell in love very quickly, then freely say “A otra cosa mariposa“. If you go out at night and you want to be funny in one of the bars in Palermo where there are also many tourists and foreigners, say “To another thing butterfly“, to see if anyone understands you.
8. Papita pal loro
What would this typical Buenos Aires phrase be like in other languages? To say that something is Papita pal loro means that something is very easy, for whatever context.
Saying “Little potatoe for the parrot“, brings to mind the image of a little green parrot eating potato, but no translation is literal because there is no relation between this typical porteño phrase and parrots (which are a plague in Buenos Aires).
9. He’s missing candy in the jar
This phrase is not an insult, but it is almost like telling you that you are a fool. Synonyms that are also typical porteño expressions and phrases? No tiene los patitos en fila, le falta un hervor, and one of the most graphic: No le llega agua al tanque.
There are no typical Argentine expressions as loquacious as these.
10. Doing something because he painted
If you have ever heard this typical expression and didn’t understand it, you should know that in Buenos Aires doing something because it was painted means that you did it because the opportunity arose, no more, no less. The opportunity arose and you took advantage of it to do something.
In English, do something because “it painted” and in Portuguese, simply “porque pintou”.
How would these typical expressions of Buenos Aires and Argentina be in your country, and translated literally into your language?
You may also be interested in: 5 places in Buenos Aires where to find the best buffet breakfast
Follow us on IG or FB to know what’s going on in Buenos Aires at any time and in any place.