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QUIZ: What Do These Argentine Spanish Slang Phrases Mean?
Take a couple of minutes to think about the meaning of the following slang expressions.
The examples are there to give you context and help you figure out the meaning of the words and phrases.
Write down your answers before you continue reading. Good luck!
- Ponerle garra
What does this mean?
Example: María le puso toda la garra y ganó el concurso de canto.
- Hacer quilombo
What does this mean?
Example: ¡El cachorro hace quilombo! Muerde las almohadas y rompe las cortinas.
- Estar al horno con fritas
What does this phrase mean?
Example: Laura se enteró de mi infidelidad. Estoy al horno con fritas.
- Tirarse a la pileta
What does it mean?
Example: Martín no se preparó para la entrevista pero igual se tiró a la pileta y, al final, lo contrataron.
- Irse al pasto
What does this mean?
Example: Juan le dijo “estúpida” a la profesora. ¡Se fue al pasto!
About These Common Argentinian Slang Expressions
Before revealing the meaning of these colloquial expressions, remember to think like a local, like your Argentine friends.
Take into account that:
- Most of these common Argentine slang phrases don’t make sense if you translate them word by word.
- Phrases like these are mostly used in an informal way in the streets of Buenos Aires.
- Words like “quilombo” are part of Lunfardo, the local slang or, more specifically, the porteño slang.
QUIZ Results: What Do These Argentine Spanish Phrases Mean?
Ponerle garra
This is one of my favorite Argentine sayings, and it is a very common phrase in Argentina.
In Spanish when you add “garra” to something, it means you are doing this with all your energy, enthusiasm, and effort.
Another way of saying this is “ponerse las pilas”. In English, this is to add a little elbow grease.
See more examples below:
- Necesito ponerle garra al gimnasio antes del verano.
- Vos sí que le ponés garra a la vida. ¡Sos un luchador!
- María le puso toda la garra y ganó el concurso de canto.
- No vamos a ganar si no le ponemos garra.
- El equipo ganó porque los jugadores le pusieron toda la garra.
Hacer quilombo
What this Argentinian phrase means is “to make a mess” or “to protest”.
Quilombo, often one of my students’ favorite Argentinian slang words, is something messy, disorganized, or complicated.
You’ll definitely hear this word several times among friends and in any trip to Argentina.
See more examples below:
- Si no me dan el cheque, hago quilombo.
- ¡Mirá el quilombo que hiciste en tu habitación! ¡Ponete a ordenar!
- El cachorro hace quilombo: muerde las almohadas y rompe las cortinas.
- Chicos, bajen la música y no hagan quilombo.
- Los estudiantes siempre hacen quilombo el último día de clases.
Estar al horno con fritas
Did you think this Argentinian Spanish saying was related to food?
Well, you must know we don’t use it talk about food. What this Argentine phrase literally means is “to be in the oven with fries”.
You’ll hear this expression when someone in serious trouble. It’s similar to the idiom “to be fried” in English.
See examples below:
- ¡No estudié nada para el examen! ¡Estoy al horno con fritas!
- ¿Rompiste el jarrón de mamá? ¡Estás al horno con fritas!
- Laura se enteró de mi infidelidad: estoy al horno con fritas.
- Estamos al horno con fritas porque nos olvidamos los pasaportes.
- La profesora los vio copiarse. Están al horno con fritas.
Tirarse a la pileta
The literal translation of this phrase is “to jump into the pool”.
There is a huge risk of getting hurt if you jump into a pool without looking. There are two possible outcomes: you can end up breaking your bones or enjoy a nice swim.
In Argentina, this expression is used to describe someone who is unprepared for something, but still giving it a try. It’s common to meet Argentinians with this kind of behaviour.
See more examples below:
- No me preparé para el examen, pero igual me tiro a la pileta.
- ¡Ya fue! Tirate a la pileta. Capaz tenés suerte y aprobás.
- Martín no se preparó para la entrevista pero igual se tiró a la pileta y, al final, lo contrataron.
- No sabíamos qué hacer, pero nos tiramos a la pileta igual.
- ¿No estudiaron? Bueno, tírense a la pileta igual. ¡Ya fue!
Irse al pasto
Literally translates to “go to the grass”. What this phrase actually means is to take things too far or to cross the line.
In the Spanish language, you can say this expression when you find something so far-fetched that it is hard to believe.
See more examples below:
- Me comí una docena de empanadas, che. ¡Me fui al pasto!
- Boludo, ¿te tatuaste el nombre de tu novia? ¡Te vas al pasto!
- Juan le dijo “estúpida” a la profesora. ¡Se fue al pasto!
- Le hicimos una broma a Ciro, pero se enojó. Nos fuimos al pasto.
- Los chicos bailaron tango por 3 horas sin parar. ¡Se van al pasto!
Conclusion
Were you familiar with these expressions?
When you learn Spanish, don’t just focus on verbs and grammar, dive into idiomatic expressions like this. Argentines truly appreciate when foreigners understand their favorite sayings.
And one more thing…
Never Forget an Argentine Slang Word or Phrase
Don’t want to forget these Argentine Spanish phrases?
Put them into practice by writing down your own examples. If the examples are related to your personal life, you will remember them better.
As for me, the example “Me comí una docena de empanadas. ¡Me fui al pasto!” is actually true. I just LOVE empanadas, especially if they are homemade. Write examples like this one and I guarantee you’ll never forget these words.
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