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🇦🇷 Jerga · Practice & Play

Jerga de Argentina

The 20 words and phrases you’ll hear in Argentina, with friendly pronunciation, 3 examples each, games and dialogues to practice.

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Paso 1

Las 20 · The 20 words and phrases

Argentine Spanish uses voseo ('vos tenés') nationwide and, especially around Buenos Aires, sheísmo, so 'll' and 'y' sound like 'sh'. Much of its everyday slang comes from lunfardo, the Buenos Aires street slang shaped by Italian and other immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Tap any word to see its meaning, 3 examples and a cultural note. Pronunciation: the CAPITAL syllable is stressed. 🔊 uses your device’s Spanish voice, so the accent may not match Argentina exactly.

che/CHEH/hey; used to get someone's attention or as a friendly filler

wordcasual, friendly [che]

3 examples

  • Che, ¿venís al cine esta noche?Hey, are you coming to the movies tonight?
  • Che, ¿cuánto salen los tomates?Hey, how much are the tomatoes?
  • Che, te llamo en cinco minutos.Hey, I'll call you in five minutes.

Argentina's signature word; the RAE records it for Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay (and Valencia, Spain). Origin is debated. Ernesto Guevara got his nickname 'Che' from it.

laburo/lah-BOO-roh/work; a job

wordcasual [la-bu-ro]

3 examples

  • Mañana tengo mucho laburo en la oficina.Tomorrow I have a lot of work at the office.
  • Mi viejo consiguió laburo en una panadería.My dad got a job at a bakery.
  • ¿Cómo llegás al laburo, en tren o en subte?How do you get to work, by train or subway?

Lunfardo, from Italian 'lavorare' (to work). Verb: laburar.

bondi/BOHN-dee/city bus

wordcasual [bon-di]

3 examples

  • Tomo el bondi a las siete para ir al colegio.I take the bus at seven to go to school.
  • El bondi a La Boca viene lleno.The bus to La Boca is packed.
  • Estoy en el bondi, llego en diez.I'm on the bus, I'll be there in ten.

Also used in Uruguay. The everyday standard word is 'colectivo'. From Brazilian Portuguese 'bonde' (tram), per the RAE's historical dictionary.

fiaca/FYAH-kah/laziness; not feeling like doing anything

wordcasual [fia-ca]

3 examples

  • Hoy tengo fiaca, no quiero ir al gimnasio.I feel lazy today, I don't want to go to the gym.
  • Me da fiaca cocinar, pidamos pizza.I can't be bothered to cook, let's order pizza.
  • Los lunes los alumnos tienen mucha fiaca.On Mondays the students feel really lazy.

Lunfardo, from Italian 'fiacca'. Usually 'tener fiaca' or 'me da fiaca'.

re-/REH/very, really (intensifier before adjectives, adverbs or verbs)

wordcasual [re]

3 examples

  • Esta pizza está re buena.This pizza is really good.
  • La profe es re simpática.The teacher is super nice.
  • Estoy re cansado después del partido.I'm really tired after the game.

Rioplatense intensifier, shared with Uruguay. Stronger version: 'recontra'. Standard spelling attaches it (rebueno), but in casual texts it is often written as a separate word.

¡qué copado!/KEH koh-PAH-doh/how cool!; that's awesome

phrasecasual [qué co-pa-do]

3 examples

  • ¿Vas a Bariloche en vacaciones? ¡Qué copado!You're going to Bariloche on vacation? How cool!
  • ¡Qué copado tu buzo nuevo!Your new sweatshirt is so cool!
  • Ganamos el torneo del colegio. ¡Qué copado!We won the school tournament. Awesome!

Copado/copada also describes people: 'tu hermana es re copada' (your sister is really cool).

posta/POHS-tah/really; for real; (la posta) the truth, the real deal

wordcasual [pos-ta]

3 examples

  • ¿Posta que te mudás a Mendoza?Are you really moving to Mendoza?
  • Te lo digo posta: el examen es fácil.I'm telling you for real: the exam is easy.
  • Esa heladería es la posta, probala.That ice cream shop is the real deal, try it.

'¿Posta?' alone means 'Really?'. Its origin is debated; an Italian source is often proposed.

trucho, trucha/TROO-choh, TROO-chah/fake, counterfeit; shoddy, not legit

wordcasual [tru-cho, tru-cha]

3 examples

  • Ese reloj es trucho, no es original.That watch is fake, it's not the real thing.
  • Compré un cargador trucho y no anda.I bought a knockoff charger and it doesn't work.
  • Cuidado, venden entradas truchas para el recital.Careful, they're selling fake tickets for the concert.

The RAE dictionary records 'trucho' as colloquial in Argentina and Uruguay (also heard in Bolivia). 'Andar' = to work, run: 'no anda' = it doesn't work.

chabón, chabona/chah-BOHN, chah-BOH-nah/guy, dude; girl, woman

wordcasual [cha-bón, cha-bo-na]

3 examples

  • Un chabón del colegio me prestó el cargador.A guy from school lent me his charger.
  • El chabón de la verdulería es muy amable.The guy at the produce shop is really nice.
  • Esa chabona canta increíble.That girl sings amazingly.

Like 'tipo' or 'flaco'. Lunfardo, origin uncertain. Can sound a bit careless about a stranger, so use it among friends.

mango/MAHN-goh/a peso; money (often 'no tengo un mango' = I'm broke)

wordcasual [man-go]

Literally: mango (the fruit)

3 examples

  • No tengo un mango hasta el viernes.I'm broke until Friday.
  • Esa campera cuesta un montón de mangos.That jacket costs a ton of money.
  • Ahorré unos mangos para el viaje a Salta.I saved some money for the trip to Salta.

Lunfardo for the peso, not the fruit! Synonym: 'guita'. Also heard in Uruguay.

morfar/mohr-FAHR/to eat

wordcasual [mor-far]

3 examples

  • ¿Vamos a morfar algo después de clase?Shall we grab something to eat after class?
  • En el asado morfamos un montón.We ate a ton at the barbecue.
  • Mi perro morfa todo lo que encuentra.My dog eats everything he finds.

Lunfardo, from French slang 'morfer' (to eat). Related noun: 'el morfi' (food).

pibe, piba/PEE-beh, PEE-bah/kid; young guy, young woman

wordcasual, affectionate [pi-be, pi-ba]

3 examples

  • Los pibes juegan al fútbol en la plaza.The kids are playing soccer in the square.
  • Esa piba es la mejor de la clase.That girl is the best in the class.
  • Cuando era pibe, vivía en Mar del Plata.When I was a kid, I lived in Mar del Plata.

Lunfardo, probably from Italian (Genoese 'pivetto', 'pivello'). In Uruguay 'gurí/gurisa' is also very common.

bancar/bahn-KAHR/to support, have someone's back; to put up with

wordcasual [ban-car]

3 examples

  • Mis amigos siempre me bancan.My friends always have my back.
  • No banco el calor de enero.I can't stand the January heat.
  • Mi tía me bancó cuando empecé la facultad.My aunt supported me when I started college.

'Te banco' = I've got your back. 'No lo banco' = I can't stand it.

¡joya!/HOH-shah/great!; perfect

wordcasual [jo-ya]

Literally: jewel

3 examples

  • ¿Mañana a las ocho en la plaza? ¡Joya!Tomorrow at eight in the square? Perfect!
  • Me fue joya en el examen.My exam went great.
  • El departamento está joya, cerca del subte.The apartment is perfect, close to the subway.

Typical reply to plans or good news. Sheísmo: the 'y' sounds like 'sh'.

chamuyar/chah-moo-SHAHR/to smooth-talk; to spin a story to convince someone

wordcasual, playful [cha-mu-yar]

3 examples

  • El vendedor me chamuyó y compré dos remeras.The salesman smooth-talked me and I bought two T-shirts.
  • No me chamuyes, ¿hiciste la tarea o no?Don't give me a story, did you do the homework or not?
  • Mi primo chamuyó al guía y entramos gratis.My cousin sweet-talked the guide and we got in free.

Lunfardo. Noun: 'el chamuyo' (smooth talk). Can imply someone is exaggerating.

al toque/ahl TOH-keh/right away; immediately

phrasecasual [al to-que]

Literally: at the touch

3 examples

  • Te contesto al toque, estoy manejando.I'll answer you right away, I'm driving.
  • El pedido de empanadas llegó al toque.The empanada order arrived in no time.
  • Terminé la tarea al toque.I finished the homework super fast.

Also common in Uruguay.

estar al horno/ehs-TAHR ahl OHR-noh/to be in big trouble; in a tough spot

phrasecasual, humorous [es-tar al hor-no]

Literally: to be in the oven

3 examples

  • Mañana es el examen y no estudié: estoy al horno.The exam is tomorrow and I didn't study: I'm in trouble.
  • Perdí el último tren, estoy al horno.I missed the last train, I'm in a jam.
  • Si mamá ve el auto rayado, estamos al horno.If Mom sees the scratched car, we're toast.

Even worse: 'estar al horno con papas' (in the oven with potatoes!). Variant: 'estar en el horno'.

¡qué macana!/KEH mah-KAH-nah/what a shame!; what a bummer

phrasecasual [qué ma-ca-na]

3 examples

  • Se suspendió el partido por la lluvia. ¡Qué macana!The game was called off for rain. What a bummer!
  • ¿Cerró la heladería? ¡Qué macana!The ice cream shop closed? What a shame!
  • ¡Qué macana! Me olvidé el celular en casa.What a pain! I left my phone at home.

Macana = a hassle or unpleasant situation; 'hacer macanas' = to mess up. Also used in Uruguay.

mandar fruta/mahn-DAHR FROO-tah/to talk nonsense; to make stuff up

phrasecasual, playful [man-dar fru-ta]

Literally: to send fruit

3 examples

  • No sabía la respuesta y mandé fruta.I didn't know the answer, so I just made something up.
  • Mi tío manda fruta sobre fútbol todo el tiempo.My uncle talks nonsense about soccer all the time.
  • No mandes fruta, ¿quién te dijo eso?Don't make things up, who told you that?

Playful; often used about answering without really knowing.

¡sos un groso!, ¡sos una grosa!/SOHS oon GROH-soh, SOHS OO-nah GROH-sah/you're awesome; you're a legend

phrasecasual, affectionate [sos un gro-so, sos u-na gro-sa]

Literally: you're a big one

3 examples

  • Arreglaste la compu en cinco minutos, ¡sos un groso!You fixed the computer in five minutes, you're a legend!
  • ¡Sos una grosa, mamá! La torta está riquísima.You're amazing, Mom! The cake is delicious.
  • Messi es un groso.Messi is a legend.

Groso/grosa (also spelled 'grosso') = top-notch, very good at something. 'Sos' is voseo for 'eres'.

Paso 2

Tarjetas · Flashcards

Say the meaning out loud, then tap the card to check.

Paso 3

Quiz · ¿Lo sabes?

10 quick questions: match each word with its meaning. You get instant feedback.

Paso 4

Diálogos · Dialogues

Three conversations, from beginner to advanced. Together they use all 20. Read and listen first, then press Practicar to fill in the blanks.

En la parada del bondi (Principiante · Beginner)

Two friends, Sofía and Mateo, meet at a bus stop in Buenos Aires.

  1. Mateo:¡Che, Sofi! ¿Esperás el bondi?Hey, Sofi! Are you waiting for the bus?
  2. Sofía:Sí, el 152. Voy a Palermo con unas pibas de la facu.Yes, the 152. I'm going to Palermo with some girls from college.
  3. Mateo:¿Y qué van a hacer?And what are you going to do?
  4. Sofía:Vamos a morfar empanadas en una feria. Es re linda.We're going to eat empanadas at a street fair. It's really nice.
  5. Mateo:¡Qué copado! ¿Puedo ir?How cool! Can I come?
  6. Sofía:¡Joya! Vení con nosotras.Great! Come with us.
  7. Mateo:¡Mirá, ya viene el colectivo!Look, the bus is coming!

Un lunes en Córdoba (Intermedio · Intermediate)

Coworkers Lucas and Camila chat at a café in Córdoba on Monday morning.

  1. Lucas:¿Qué tal el finde, Cami?How was the weekend, Cami?
  2. Camila:Tranquilo. El domingo tuve una fiaca terrible y no salí.Quiet. On Sunday I felt super lazy and didn't go out.
  3. Lucas:Yo no paré: el sábado busqué un laburo nuevo.I didn't stop: on Saturday I looked for a new job.
  4. Camila:¿Posta? ¿Por qué?Really? Why?
  5. Lucas:Porque estoy sin un mango. Este mes gasté todo en el alquiler.Because I'm broke. This month I spent everything on rent.
  6. Camila:Uy, estás al horno.Oh no, you're in a tough spot.
  7. Lucas:Un poco, pero ayer me escribieron de una librería y respondí al toque.A bit, but yesterday a bookstore wrote to me and I answered right away.
  8. Camila:¡Qué bien! Si necesitás ayuda con el currículum, yo te banco.Great! If you need help with your résumé, I've got your back.
  9. Lucas:Gracias, Cami. Mañana tengo la entrevista a las nueve.Thanks, Cami. Tomorrow I have the interview at nine.
  10. Camila:Te va a ir bárbaro. Después me contás.It'll go great. Tell me about it afterward.

El recital que no fue (Avanzado · Advanced)

Siblings Valentina and Tomás talk at a family barbecue in Rosario about their friend's band show.

  1. Valentina:¿Te enteraste de lo que pasó en el recital de Nico?Did you hear what happened at Nico's concert?
  2. Tomás:Sí, fue un desastre: se cortó la luz en la mitad del show.Yes, it was a disaster: the power went out halfway through the show.
  3. Valentina:¡Qué macana! Con todo lo que ensayaron…What a shame! After all that rehearsing…
  4. Tomás:Y el chabón del sonido decía que no era su culpa.And the sound guy kept saying it wasn't his fault.
  5. Valentina:Para mí estaba mandando fruta; los cables eran truchos y nadie los revisó.I think he was making things up; the cables were cheap knockoffs and nobody checked them.
  6. Tomás:Puede ser, aunque dudo que lo haya hecho a propósito.Maybe, although I doubt he did it on purpose.
  7. Valentina:Igual, ojalá que el dueño del bar les devuelva la plata.Anyway, I hope the venue owner gives them their money back.
  8. Tomás:Nico va a intentar chamuyarlo para que les dé otra fecha.Nico is going to try to sweet-talk him into giving them another date.
  9. Valentina:Si alguien puede convencerlo, es él. Es un groso hablando.If anyone can convince him, it's Nico. He's amazing at talking.
  10. Tomás:Totalmente. Si consiguieran otra fecha, yo iría con todos mis amigos.Totally. If they got another date, I'd go with all my friends.
  11. Valentina:Y yo llevaría una bandera. ¡Ojalá que esta vez no se corte nada!And I'd bring a banner. Let's hope nothing cuts out this time!

Paso 5 · Apply it

Habla y escribe: Un mensaje para un amigo

Record a voice note or write a text to a friend from Argentina. Tell them about your weekend and make a plan to meet. Use at least 5 words or phrases from the list.

  1. Open with a greeting from the list (or a friendly ¡Hola!).
  2. Tell 2–3 things you did, using slang to describe them.
  3. Suggest a plan: where, when and what you’ll eat or do.
  4. Close the way a friend from Argentina would.
  5. Now say it out loud, twice: once slowly, once at natural speed.

    Slang detection is a helper and may miss some forms.

    Self-check

    Need ideas? Re-read the advanced dialogue above. Want feedback on your Spanish? Book a free consultation.

    Sources and a note

    Slang changes fast and varies by region, age and social group. These are words and phrases widely used in Argentina today, checked against the sources below. Heard something different? Tell me.