Monday, February 17, 2014

Talk like a Chapín

Here are some Guatemalan phrases/words that I have learned and sometimes use...

Chapin/Chapina: slang term Guatemalans use to refer to themselves/all things Guatemalan.

Patojo/Patoja: "kid" or "child"

Seño: Kind of like how in English we use "Ms." if we don't know if a woman is married or single. Although "seño" is applicable for both men and women. Most commonly heard over the phone or from people in shops and markets. (Ex: "¿Qué busca, seño?" (Translation: What are you looking for, ma'am/sir?").

"A la gran púchica" (or just "a la gran" or just "púchica"): Originally, a Salvadorian derivative of "puta," which means "bitch/slut/fuck." But here in Guatemala, it does not have such a negative connotation. Even small children often say "A la gran," and it roughly translates to "oh my gosh!"

So, there you go. Now you too can sound like a Guatemalan. (Or not.)

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