Helpful Phrases in Argentinean Spanish, Part II

There is Spanish, and then there is Argentinian Spanish, or what the locals refer to as Castellano, which is a whole different beast. Even for those with a high level of Spanish, there are many common phrases that you’ll probably never have heard until you arrive to Argentina. Directly translating these Argentinian expressions will only add to the confusion as they may require much looser translations or old cultural references. Whether you’re studying up before your trip or you’ve already arrived and realized you need some help, here are some of the most common phrases in Argentinean Spanish, and how to use them.

More lunfardo (slang from Argentina) in case you are interested, plus more Argentinian Spanish phrases.

Así que…
1. So that…
2. Therefore

Tipo: You’ll hear this word used regularly, but pay attention to the context because this term can shift meanings according to how it’s used
1. a type or style
2. this guy, that guy
3. around this time, Ex: Vamos a encontrar tipo 20 or Let’s meet up at 8 p.m.-ish

Ya fue: If you date a porteña seriously you are bound to hear this one…
1. “forget about it” or “that’s over now”

Viste
1. Used as often as English speakers use, “Ya know?” in conversation, memorize this one and use it.

O sea
1. “O sea” is used in the same manner as the phrase, “I mean,” in English. You may either use it to clarify a statement previously made, or to stress a reaction to a story you are recounting.

Que sé yo
1. “What do I know”, used in the same fashion as in English.

Es un tipo de pan, que sé yo, de harina y manteca, que sé yo. Or “It’s a type of bread made of flour and butter, but what do I know”.

Muletillas, or the Crutches of Spanish

Replacing “like,” “um,” and “you know” in English, these are all words that act more as space fillers than contributing to actual significance of a statement.

Ehhh
1. Literally the sound “ehhh” replaces the English pause “ummm”. This is often the way good Spanish speakers unknowingly reveal their true foreigner identities.

Posta?: Mainly used as an active listener phrase
1. For real? / Really?
2. Also can be used to verify
Ex: Rompi el vaso. I broke the glass.
Posta? Really?
Si, posta. Yes, for real.

Este
1.Although “este” also means “this,” which confuses most beginners, “este” is also used as a space filler much in the same way English speakers often say, “ummmmm.”

Ojo! (Or Beware!) Just like in English, it sounds really bad if you overuse these. Just think California high school valley girl “Um, like, yea, so yesterday, like, I went to the mall, you know, and so um like, this uh, guy, was like, totally staring at me.” OMG!

If you want to learn something a touch more raw, Argentinian Swears Translated