Word of the Day:

[syngirl]

By the way why all the people are writing only vulgar and awful words? those words are not useful at all... besides the spanish language is full of beautiful words...

In day to day conversations, especially amongst young people, the conversation is full of bad words, and these are the ones that foreigners will often suspect are rude, but aren't 100% -- so it's embarrassing to ask, just in case. So better they find out here than start saying some of these things in front of their Argentine mother-in-laws.

I speak from experience the other way too -- my husband is used to watching American movies and hears me and my boss swearing on the phone to each other (we're friends, we swear about the work, not at each other). So then the first time my 70+ year old mum comes down to Argentina he's telling some story to her and starts saying "yeah and this f*#@ing guy, he was being such an a$%hole" etc etc and I'm just sinking lower and lower in my chair trying to signal him that it's not acceptable conversation in front of certain company....

 

[syngirl]

And what about barbaro ?
I guess it's a specific porteno word.

Barbaro can be either really good or really bad -- think of it as the equivalent of saying "it's THE shit" vs "it's shit" in English.

 

[syngirl]

"una verga" -- useless, bad quality (and being that this is Argentina, and many words have lots of meanings, can also be used to signify pene if used in another way (chupame...)

poronga -- you can use this kind of the way you would say "thingy" in English when fixing something, but it's also to say it's bad quality, and of course, it also signifies pene.... ah Argentina.


No me rompas las pelotas!! Don't break my balls!! (and really rrroll your rrrrr on the rrrrrompas for emphasis)



And another little expression that is kind of a lost in translation moment -- a few years ago a friend of mine hosted a "Cake Party" to raise money for a charity. Recently arrived it was only on the day of the cake party that she found herself getting ribbed by all the Argentines arriving about her "fiesta de tortas" -- tortas being a slang term for lesbians.

 

[Alzinho]

No me rompas las pelotas!! Don't break my balls!! (and really rrroll your rrrrr on the rrrrrompas for emphasis)

Ha, ha! I love this expression!
;-)

 

[fifs2]

I just took notes from this thread which is the first formal Spanish study I have done in 5 years to my shame..my new favorite word as from BsAs Herald last week is picaros (sheisters) - need I say more - it will soon be a part of your daily speak and yes, sorry almagestos it´s another negative word but when in Rome...

 

[flippinkittin]

The skin of the tomatoes is called "piel" not "cáscara"


By the way why all the people are writing only vulgar and awful words? those words are not useful at all... besides the spanish language is full of beautiful words...

I´m argentinian but I think some spanish words sounds very nice:

- Ferrocarril
- Invierno
- Iluminar
- Celeste
- Acero
- Loor
- Azul
- Ojalá
- Lúgubre
- Rocío
- Relámpago

Homework for you: translate all those words

And there´s some amerindian words very used as well... for example: Gualicho or some geographic names like: Iguazú, Catamarca, Ambargasta, Ansenuza, Nahuel Huapi, Neuquén, Humahuaca, Iruya, Chaltén, Ischigualasto... I think it´s interesting to know the meaning of those amerindian words as well...

I like the choice of words you used. I knew a few already, but can't seem to find a translation on loor. I did an image search as well b/c that usually is better than a direct translation. No dice.

There was an advertisement last winter for Barioloche or some other resort and it said Invierno with the no crossed out and SI written in its place. Loved it.

 

[Napoleon]

Today I've seen some words several times in the newspaper:

fallo- meaning "judgement" or "decision (of the court)"

endeblez- meaning "flimsy" or maybe even "wobbly"

 

[syngirl]

from today's headlines: le pegó a su amiga con un mazazo,

and:

Conmoción en Las Heras por una historia de sexo, traición y mazazos‎


So -- mazazo translates to something like "hit like a ton of bricks" or "struck a heavy blow" as far as I know, but "una maza" is a type of hammer, but as you read the stories it becomes clear they actually mean a palo de amasar, ie a rolling pin.... so I guess they are doing plays on words in the headlines? Is this right?

 

[billsfan]

Yes, "Mazazo" strictly means a hit with a maza (the big hammer) or a hit that knocks out somebody (maybe with bat or something like that, but it cannot be many other things).
A "mazazo" in a headline means whatever the editor wants They will stretch words to their limits in order to make it bolder.

 

[mini]

I like the choice of words you used. I knew a few already, but can't seem to find a translation on loor. I did an image search as well b/c that usually is better than a direct translation. No dice.

There was an advertisement last winter for Barioloche or some other resort and it said Invierno with the no crossed out and SI written in its place. Loved it.

Loor = Praise as in Praise be to the Lord.

I refere you again to my favorite translation site. The forum part is like the oracle!
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=39905
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=683452


And just to be mean: malversación = embezzlement