Colombia is a beautiful country, with great vegetation and a totally unique fauna. This beautiful country is the only one in South America that has coasts on the Pacific Ocean and also access to the Atlantic Ocean through the Caribbean Sea.

This nation has been enormously influenced by the numerous towns that have visited it since its beginnings, its inhabitants are very open to conversation and of an affable character.

Famous Colombian words and expressions

The Spanish or Castilian language has been modified in Colombia by all the social circles to refer to the situations in which their individuals were, creating new expressions that are only used in this country.

Do you want to know the most curious Colombian expressions? Below you will find the 55 most interesting Colombian words and expressions that everyone should know, and that will come in handy if you have to travel to this country and don’t want to get lost in a conversation.

  • You may be interested in: “90 sentences with double meanings (and their possible meanings)”

1. Airplane.

Crafty, alert, mentally agile person.

2. Snitch.

That something is of little value or false.

3. Stifle.

It’s used to say that a girl is ugly or not very attractive.

4. Disposable.

A word used to speak of a beggar, a street person or one who is no longer worthwhile.

5. Cuchibarbi.

This word is used to refer to a lady in her late teens who is reluctant to accept the passage of time and undergoes all sorts of surgeries in order to look much younger.

6. Let me chew on it.

Let me think about it.

7. Patch.

Not having anything productive to do.

8. Cayetano.

A person who is silent for a long time, who keeps quiet.

9. Choro.

A thief.

10. Sponge cake.

Pretty woman / good-looking man.

11. Scorpion breakfast.

Start the bad-tempered day.

12. Dancing in silence.

Very close together.

13. Snake.

A debt.

14. Throw him out.

Think of something.

15. Drop the current.

Have an intellectual discussion, think deeply.

16. Guambito.

A boy or a girl.

17. Throw the dogs out.

Wooing someone, complimenting them.

18. Cool.

Discomfort the day after drinking alcohol, in Spain would be “resaca”.

19. Make the cow.

Raising money for the common good.

20. Culicagao.

To refer to a child, immature.

21. Do the deuce.

Do me a favor.

22. Gamin.

To refer to very poor people who engage in crime or drug use.

23. Eat the story.

Believe something (which is usually a lie).

24. What’s that, crazy?

I greet you with an aggressive tone of defiance.

25. Cantaleta.

Scolding, lecturing.

26. Polas.

Pola is a word used to refer to a beer in a friend context.

27. Play.

A gig refers to a concert given by a small band usually in small locations.

28. Jincho/Jincha.

It is used to describe a person who is completely drunk and has begun to lose his or her faculties because of it.

29. A squirt.

Take a drink of an alcoholic beverage or even the whole bottle.

30. Rumbiar.

Rumbiar or rumbear is the verb derived from the word rumba, so it is used to express the act of going out and having fun.

31. Parker.

“Parcero” or simply “parce”, is the way to call a friend or an acquaintance in Colombia.

It is used to describe a person who has been drinking alcohol and is only in a mild state of intoxication.

33. The patch.

The patch is what you would call a group of friends.

34. Chicken.

It is the verb used to refer to a man who is flirting with a woman, but not in a very delicate way.

35. Fall.

It’s starting to show the interest you have in someone.

36. Lucas.

This is the name for the Colombian national currency, which is the peso.

37. Riffraff.

This is the term used to refer to a plastic bag.

38. The drums.

That’s what low-ranking cops are called.

39. Toad.

A sapa person is someone who cannot keep a secret or who, seeing an irregular situation, simply goes to an authority to report it.

40. I’m falling for you.

The verb fall in this context is used to say that a person appears at a certain time.

41. Pecueca.

It is the name used for the bad smell coming from a person’s feet.

42. Chichi.

Chichi is the word used, usually by children, to say that they have to go to the bathroom (go pee).

43. Pod.

A word used to describe any object, especially when its name is not in mind. In Spain we would say that “thing” in Colombia would say that “pod”.

44. Chinese.

It’s a word used to refer to a small child.

45. One red.

In Colombia, it is a word widely used to refer to a cup of coffee.

46. Square.

A word used to describe situations in which a situation needs to be planned or a deal needs to be struck.

47. Cascar.

“Cracking” refers to hitting, cracking someone.

48. Lobo/a.

14.
Throw him out.

Think of something.

15.
Drop the current.

Have an intellectual discussion, think deeply.

16. Guambito.

A boy or a girl.

17. Throw the dogs out.

Wooing someone, complimenting them.

18. Cool.

Discomfort the day after drinking alcohol, in Spain would be “resaca”.

19. Make the cow.

Raising money for the common good.

20. Culicagao.

To refer to a child, immature.