Bolivia just isn’t the primary vacation spot individuals are likely to fantasize about visiting in Latin America.

However those that do go to Bolivia—often afterward of their South American adventures—rave about it, with its cute cities, enjoyable cities and the hospitality and openness of its individuals.

When you’re going to be staying in Bolivia, you’ll must know no less than some Bolivian Spanish (and Quechua). 

Learn on for 50 sometimes Bolivian expressions in each Spanish and Quechua so you may get on a enjoyable footing quick with the locals!

Contents

• Spanish in Bolivia
• Bolivian Spanish and Quechua Phrases You’ve Gotta Know
• • 1. Camote
    — (m./f.) Loopy in love
  • 2. Cuate
    — (m.) Pal 
  • 3. T’anta
    — (m./f.) On the fritz
  • 4. Imilla
    — (f.) Younger girl
  • 5. Llocalla
    / Yocalla
     — (m.) Younger man
  • 6. Chupar
     — To drink, particularly alcohol
  • 7. Chaqui
    — (m.) Hangover
  • 8. Tombo
     — (m.) Police
  • 9. Estar quencha
     — To have dangerous luck
  • 10. Opa
     — (m./f.) Fool, idiot
  • 11. Cojudo
    , Cojuda
    — (m./f.) Fool
  • 12. Gil
     — (m.) Fool
  • 13. Corotón
     — (m.) Fool
  • 14. Padre
     — (m.) Fool
  • 15. Paparupa
     — (m./f.) Fool, nonsense
  • 16. Charlar
    — To smooth-talk
  • 17. Chuto
    , Chuta
     — (m./f.) Bare
  • 18. Lagartear
     — To laze round
  • 19. Pachanga
     — (f.) Recreation
  • 20. Jailón
    , Jailona
    — (m./f.) Snobbish, stuck-up
  • 21. Huaso
    , Huasa
     — (m./f.) Shameless, impolite
  • 22. Singani
    — (m.) A grape brandy typical of Bolivia
  • 23. Pirañear
    — To flirt
  • 24. Ñeque
    — (m.) Braveness
  • 25. Chacharse
     — To play hooky (from faculty)
  • 26. ¡Anda a moler agua!
    — Screw you! 
  • 27. ¡Qué chala!
     — Superior!
  • 28. Elay, puej
     — Nicely, sure
  • 29. Pintudo
    ,  Pintuda
    — (m./f.) Elegant
  • 30. ¡Jallalla!
     — Sure, we agree, hooray
  • 31. Gua
    — Expression of shock
  • 32. Laca
     — (m./f.) Flavorless
  • 33. Guagua
    — (m./f.) Child
  • 34. Churro
    , Churra
    — (m./f.) Lovely
  • 35. Yesca
     — (m./f.) Broke

• Faking Your Manner By Quechua on the Highway in Bolivia
• Persevering with Your Studying of Bolivian Languages

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There are a number of variations of Spanish spoken in Bolivia, however we’ll be specializing in Andean Spanish. That is the Spanish spoken within the highlands, the place an enormous chunk of individuals in Bolivia stay. The highlands cowl main cities like La Paz and Potosí, and most of Bolivia’s indigenous teams additionally stay there, together with the Quechua and Aymara.     

Zapato
(shoe) → sah-PAH-toh (not tha-PAH-toh)

• Ll and y are pronounced by youthful individuals because the y in “sure,” however in additional rural areas and with older generations, you’ll be able to nonetheless hear these pronounced as zh. For instance:

Llave (key) → zha-VE

• Due to influences of indigenous languages like Quechua, the intonation can sound extra staccato, with flatter sounds and fewer stress. 

Within the highlands, you’ll discover that Spanish can be spoken a bit extra slowly, and vowels are crisp and clear.  

• That is one other Latin American Spanish trait: Bolivian Spanish makes use of vos as an alternative of tu for the second particular person singular casual. For instance:

Vos hablas (not tu hablas)

• Grammar buildings from indigenous languages can get carried over to Bolivian Spanish, comparable to generally explicitly saying topic pronouns as an alternative of dropping them. For instance:

Yo voy al mercado (I’m going to the market) as an alternative of Voy al mercado

• The order of Spanish pronouns may change. For instance:

Lo se di a ella (I gave it to her) as an alternative of Se lo di a ella

You’ll really discover extra variations in Bolivian Spanish vocabulary somewhat than grammar, which is why we’ll undergo a vocabulary record later!    

There’s a lot greater than Spanish in Bolivia! A few of Bolivia’s 37 official languages are successfully lifeless, however some are very a lot alive. A census survey places the primary languages utilized by the inhabitants at 69% for Spanish, 17% for Quechua (additionally generally spelled Quichua) and 11% for Aymara. Different languages embody Araone, Moré and Pacahuara.

Regardless of these, it’s nonetheless useful to know Spanish as a result of many Bolivians who primarily communicate the opposite languages are additionally bilingual in Spanish.  

The Spanish that’s utilized in Bolivia has numerous distinctive expressions that you simply gained’t discover wherever else. One cause is there’s a little bit of Quechua—amongst different indigenous languages—blended into it.

If a number of the phrases within the vocabulary record beneath don’t sound Spanish, that’s as a result of they’re taken from Quechua. For instance, kh’encha, ch’aqui and kh’oroton are all Quechuan phrases that you simply would possibly hear in on a regular basis Bolivian Spanish.

There are additionally some common Spanish vocabulary that may have a special that means in Bolivia (like padre!). Take a look at the record beneath: 

1. Camote
— (m./f.) Loopy in love

¿Has visto cómo la mira? Definitivamente, está camote. (Have you ever seen the best way he seems to be at her? He’s undoubtedly loopy in love.)

2. Cuate
— (m.) Pal 

Cuate means buddy. 

Aunque se mudó recientemente, ella ya logró tener cuates en la ciudad. (Though she moved just lately, she already made buddies within the metropolis.)

3. T’anta
— (m./f.) On the fritz

This can be translated as “previous and crummy.” 

Si tu radio está t’anta; es mejor comprar una nueva. (In case your radio is on the fritz, it’s higher to purchase a brand new one.)

4. Imilla
— (f.) Younger girl

It’s derived from the Quechua phrase for lady. Watch out with utilizing it, although, as a result of it could possibly generally have a disrespectful connotation!

Conocí a una imilla en la fiesta. (I met a younger girl on the get together.)

5. Llocalla
/ Yocalla
 — (m.) Younger man

Just like imilla, these are based mostly on the Quechua phrase for boy and may sound disrespectful relying on the context.

Ese llocalla/yocalla  de rojo me parece conocido. (That younger man in crimson seems to be acquainted.)

6. Chupar
 — To drink, particularly alcohol

This actually means to lick or suck. 

Esta noche vamos a chupar hasta tarde. (This night we’re going to drink till late.)

7. Chaqui
— (m.) Hangover

It’s based mostly on the Quechua phrase for “foot.”

Nada peor que trabajar con chaqui. (Nothing’s worse than working with a hangover.)

8. Tombo
 — (m.) Police

El tombo me pidió mi identificación. (The police requested for my ID.)

9. Estar quencha
 — To have dangerous luck

Quencha is but another Quechua-derived phrase that means “dangerous luck.”

No puedo creer que se me ponchó la llanta, ¡estoy quencha hoy! (I can’t imagine my tire went flat; I’ve dangerous luck immediately!)

10. Opa
 — (m./f.) Fool, idiot

This one comes from upa, which is Quechua for “dumb” or “deaf.”

¿Por qué hiciste eso? ¡Eres un opa! (Why did you do this? You’re an fool!)

11. Cojudo
, Cojuda
— (m./f.) Fool

¡No me hagas pasar por cojudo! (Don’t make me appear like an fool!)

12. Gil
 — (m.) Fool

Solo un gil dejaría pasar esa oportunidad. (Solely an fool would miss that chance.)

13. Corotón
 — (m.) Fool

Ese corotón no sabe nada. (That fool doesn’t know something.)

14. Padre
 — (m.) Fool

As in customary Spanish, this additionally means father.

No me hables como si fuera un padre. (Don’t discuss to me like I’m an fool.)

15. Paparupa
 — (m./f.) Fool, nonsense

Esa historia es una paparupa, no tiene sentido. (That story is nonsense; it doesn’t make sense.)

16. Charlar
— To smooth-talk

In customary Spanish, this simply means chatting or giving a speech. 

Creo que Javier solo me está charlando. (I believe Javier is simply smooth-talking me.)

17. Chuto
, Chuta
 — (m./f.) Bare

The phrase in customary Spanish for that is desnudo. 

No quiero que nadie entre; estoy chuto. (I don’t need anybody to come back in; I’m bare.)

18. Lagartear
 — To laze round

Después de trabajar tanto, solo quiero lagartear. (After working so exhausting, I simply wish to laze round.)

19. Pachanga
 — (f.) Recreation

Whereas this phrase can imply “get together” in lots of Spanish-speaking nations (together with Bolivia), it can be used for casual sports activities video games—like a road soccer match with your pals, for instance.

Este fin de semana hay una pachanga en el parque del barrio. (There’s a recreation on the neighborhood’s park this weekend.)

20. Jailón
, Jailona
— (m./f.) Snobbish, stuck-up

No me gusta salir con Valeria; es muy jailona. (I don’t like hanging out with Valeria; she’s so stuck-up.)

21. Huaso
, Huasa
 — (m./f.) Shameless, impolite

¿No te parece huasa su actitud? (Don’t you discover his perspective shameless?)

22. Singani
— (m.) A grape brandy typical of Bolivia

Para celebrar, decidimos brindar con singani. (To have fun, we determined to toast with singani.)

23. Pirañear
— To flirt

Mi amigo está tratando de pirañear con una imilla. (My buddy is making an attempt to flirt with a lady.)

24. Ñeque
— (m.) Braveness

No cualquiera haría eso; tienes mucho ñeque. (Not everybody would do this; you bought numerous braveness.)

25. Chacharse
 — To play hooky (from faculty)

Creo que varios estudiantes se chacharon para ir al concierto. (I believe a number of college students skipped class to go to the live performance.)

26. ¡Anda a moler agua!
— Screw you! 

Its literal that means is “go grind water.”

No me importa tu opinión, ¡anda a moler agua! (I don’t care about your opinion, screw you!)

27. ¡Qué chala!
 — Superior!

¡Qué chala! Me encanta tu nuevo peinado. (Superior! I really like your new coiffure.)

28. Elay, puej
 — Nicely, sure

That is utilized in Western Bolivia. 

Elay puej, ese pastel estaba delicioso. (Nicely, sure, that cake was scrumptious.)

29. Pintudo
,  Pintuda
— (m./f.) Elegant

Mariana viene muy pintuda hoy. (Mariana seems to be so elegant immediately.)

30. ¡Jallalla!
 — Sure, we agree, hooray

This expression is each Quechua and Aymara. It’s a flexible strategy to specific settlement, pleasure, and even shock—relying on the context. It doesn’t have an actual English equal. 

¡Jallalla, lo logramos! (Hooray, we did it!)

31. Gua
— Expression of shock

Abrí el regalo y, gua, ¡period justo lo que quería! (I opened the reward and wow, it was simply what I wished!)

32. Laca
 — (m./f.) Flavorless

No quiero ser grosero, pero la comida está laca. (I don’t wish to be impolite, however the meals is flavorless.)

33. Guagua
— (m./f.) Child

This phrase can be utilized for each child girls and boys.

Mi hermana tiene un guagua de solo tres meses. (My sister has a child who’s solely three months previous.)

34. Churro
, Churra
— (m./f.) Lovely

¡Esa chica es una churra! (That lady is gorgeous!)

35. Yesca
 — (m./f.) Broke

This one comes from Quechua, too. You need to use yesca to explain each broke women and men.

Alejandro no puede salir este fin de semana; está yesca. (Alejandro can’t exit this weekend; he’s broke.)

You possibly can watch the tinku dance right here. 

• Lonely Planet has a sensible journey information for Bolivia, so that you’ll get to be taught concerning the nation, its languages and its cultures.
• italki is a superb place to follow conversations with Bolivians on-line. In truth, I discovered a few of these expressions by conversations and language exchanges—you don’t even must be within the nation! iTalki additionally lets you discover a tutor based mostly in Bolivia—a real blue native speaker from the nation who is aware of the ins and outs of the native language.
• FluentU’s Spanish program teaches you the language by genuine movies from totally different nations, like music movies, TV present clips and road interviews. Every video comes with interactive subtitles, quizzes and flashcards. Since there’s a heavy deal with Spanish as really utilized by native audio system, it’s an effective way to be taught Spanish slang in context. 
• CouchSurfing helps you discover audio system of your goal language right here—by definition they’re considering exchanges with foreigners. One other concept price making an attempt is contacting Bolivians who’re studying English in Fb teams and language colleges, notably if you happen to’re seeking to obtain the language or accent of a selected geographical space.

For studying Quechua particularly, get began with these helpful supplies: 

Armed with these assets and phrases, you’ll hopefully have the ability to take pleasure in your time in Bolivia much more and have some enjoyable practising each Spanish and Quechua. 

Better of luck, cuate! Tinkunakama!

Obtain:
This weblog submit is accessible as a handy and moveable PDF that you simply
can take wherever.
Click on right here to get a replica. (Obtain)