Venezuelan Spanish
Encyclopedia
Venezuelan Spanish is a dialect
of the Spanish language
spoken in Venezuela
.
Spanish was introduced in Venezuela by the conquistador
s. Most of them were from Andalusia
, Galicia, Basque Country
, and the Canary Islands
. Perhaps the latter has been the most fundamental influence on modern Venezuelan Spanish, to the point that Canarian and Venezuelan accents may seem indistinguishable to other Spanish speakers.
Italian
and Portuguese
immigrant
s came later in the late 19th and early 20th century, their linguistic contributions, Italian
for the most part, defined this dialect.
The Spaniards additionally brought Africa
n slave
s. This is the origin of expressions such as chévere ("excellent"), which comes from Yoruba
ché egberi. Other non-Romance words came from Native languages, such as guayoyo (a type of coffee
) and caraota (common bean
).
The Venezuelan (sometime) upper-class and middle class "snob" (or "sifrino" in colloquial Venezuelan Spanish) accent is often thought of as the "pretty-boy" or "boy band" accent of Spanish. This is hardly the case for the majority of spoken Venezuelan Spanish, widely ranging from its occasional formal form, to the more common—highly slang spiced—every day form, to the heavily "thug" or "thuggish" ("malandro" in Venezuelan Spanish) inflected manner, often found in the slums or "barrios" of the country.
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
spoken in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Spanish was introduced in Venezuela by the conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s. Most of them were from Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Galicia, Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
, and the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. Perhaps the latter has been the most fundamental influence on modern Venezuelan Spanish, to the point that Canarian and Venezuelan accents may seem indistinguishable to other Spanish speakers.
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
immigrant
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
s came later in the late 19th and early 20th century, their linguistic contributions, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for the most part, defined this dialect.
The Spaniards additionally brought Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s. This is the origin of expressions such as chévere ("excellent"), which comes from Yoruba
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
ché egberi. Other non-Romance words came from Native languages, such as guayoyo (a type of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
) and caraota (common bean
Common bean
Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable, and the straw is used for fodder...
).
The Venezuelan (sometime) upper-class and middle class "snob" (or "sifrino" in colloquial Venezuelan Spanish) accent is often thought of as the "pretty-boy" or "boy band" accent of Spanish. This is hardly the case for the majority of spoken Venezuelan Spanish, widely ranging from its occasional formal form, to the more common—highly slang spiced—every day form, to the heavily "thug" or "thuggish" ("malandro" in Venezuelan Spanish) inflected manner, often found in the slums or "barrios" of the country.
Dialectal features
- Venezuelan Spanish often shortens words, for example, changing para ("for") into pa. In addition, /d/ between vowels is often dropped (elisionElisionElision is the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase, producing a result that is easier for the speaker to pronounce...
): helado ("ice cream") becomes /elaˈo/. Originally from southern Spain and the Canary Islands, these traits are common to many other Spanish variations. - Another common feature is the aspiration of syllable-final -s, whereby adiós ("goodbye") becomes [aˈðjɔh]. Common to most coastal areas in America, the Canary Islands, and the southern half of Spain.
- As in most American dialects, also, Venezuelan Spanish has yeísmoYeísmoYeísmo is a distinctive feature of many dialects of the Spanish language, which consists of the loss of the traditional palatal lateral approximant phoneme and its merger into the phoneme , usually realized as a palatal fricative or affricate. In other words, ‹ll› and ‹y› represent the same sound...
(a merger of ʎ and ʝ), and seseo (traditional /θ/ merges with /s/). That is, calló ("s/he became silent") and cayó ("s/he fell") are homophones, and casa ("house") is homophonous with caza ("hunt"). Seseo is common to all of America, the Canary Islands, and southern Spain, and yeísmo is prevalent in most Spanish variations. - A characteristic common to the Venezuelan, Dominican, Cuban and Costa RicanCosta Rican SpanishCosta Rican Spanish is the form of Spanish language spoken in Costa Rica.-Phonetics:The unique or distinguishing characteristics of Costa Rican phonetics include the following:...
dialects is the use of the diminutiveDiminutiveIn language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
-ico and -ica instead of the standard -ito and -ita, restricted to words with -t in the last syllable; for example, rata ("rat") becomes ratica ("little rat"). - The second-person singular informal pronoun is usually tú, as in most of Latin America and also in Spain. This practice is referred to as tuteo. However, in Zulia and some parts of Falcón and TrujilloTrujillo (state)Trujillo State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Its capital is Trujillo. The state is divided into 20 municipalities and 93 parishes. Trujillo State covers a total surface area of 7,400 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 711,400....
, it is common to find voseoVoseoVoseo is the use of the second person singular pronoun vos in many dialects of Spanish. In dialects that have it, it is used either instead of tú, or alongside it....
, that is, the use of vos instead of tú. This phenomenon is present in many other Latin American dialects (notably RioplatenseRioplatense SpanishRioplatense Spanish or River Plate Spanish is a dialectal variant of the Spanish language spoken mainly in the areas in and around the Río de la Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay, and also in Rio Grande do Sul, although features of the dialect are shared with the varieties of Spanish spoken...
), but Zulian voseo is diptongado, that is, the conjugation preserves the diphthongDiphthongA diphthong , also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: That is, the tongue moves during the pronunciation of the vowel...
s of the historical vos conjugation that have been monophthongMonophthongA monophthong is a pure vowel sound, one whose articulation at both beginning and end is relatively fixed, and which does not glide up or down towards a new position of articulation....
ized in Rioplatense (which means the Zulian forms are the same as those used in Spanish from Spain for the second person plural vosotros): instead of tú eres, tú estás, Zulian says vos sois, vos estáis (compare with plural forms in Spanish from Spain vosotros sois, vosotros estáis; and with Rioplatense forms vos sos, vos estás). Another exception to the tuteo of Venezuelan Spanish is the use of the second-person singular formal pronoun Usted interchangeably with tú, a practice that is unique to the states of MéridaMérida (state)Mérida State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Mérida.Mérida State covers a total surface area of 11,300 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 843,800.- Climate and Vegetation :...
and TachiraTáchira (state)Táchira State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Cristóbal.Táchira State covers a total surface area of 11,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,177,300....
. - The word vaina is used with a variety of meanings (such as "shame", "thing or topic", "pity", and many others) and often as an interjection or a nonsensical filler.
- Venezuelan Spanish has a lot of Italianisms and AnglicismAnglicismAn Anglicism, as most often defined, is a word borrowed from English into another language. "Anglicism" also describes English syntax, grammar, meaning, and structure used in another language with varying degrees of corruption.-Anglicisms in Chinese:...
s.
Regional variations
There are several sub-dialects within Venezuelan Spanish.- The CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
dialect, spoken in the capital: is perceived and projected by the media to be the standard Spanish of Venezuela, with its variants generally related to the social classes found therein. It is mostly used in the capital, Caracas, and in other areas of the country such as Valencia. - The ZuliaZuliaZulia State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Maracaibo. In June 30, 2010, it had an estimated population of 3,821,068, giving it the largest population among Venezuela's states. It is located in the northwestern part of the country...
n dialect in the north-west of the country, also called maracucho or marabino, which uses voseo. - The LaraLaraLara may refer to:Places:* Lara , Venezuela* Lara, Victoria, township in Australia* Electoral district of Lara, an electoral district in Victoria, Australia* Lara, Antalya, urban district in Turkey* Lara de los Infantes in Spain...
dialect, where voseo is also used, but where the Old Spanish verbal declensions -ades, -edes, -odes gave -ais, -eis, and -ois ("vos cantáis", "vos coméis", "vos sois"). - The AndeanAndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
dialect, in particular the state of Táchira near the Colombian border. It is characterized by a non-aspirated pronunciation of 's' and use of Usted instead of tú, even within informal contexts. Another variant, in the states of Mérida and Trujillo, still uses Usted instead of tú, but lacks the non-aspirated pronunciation of the s. - The Margaritan dialect, spoken in Isla MargaritaIsla MargaritaMargarita Island is the largest island of the state of Nueva Esparta in Venezuela, situated in the Caribbean Sea, off the northeastern coast of the country. The state also contains two other smaller islands: Coche and Cubagua. The capital city of Nueva Esparta is La Asunción, located in a river...
and in the north-east of mainland Venezuela. The Margaritan dialect presents sometimes an interdental when pronouncing pre-vowel 's' and use of a strong 'r' instead of 'l' in most of the words.
Some examples of Spanish words common in Venezuela, including some native Venezuelanisms (slang)
- Achanta'o/Achantá = adj. A person of slow thought or slow reasoning. Someone passive, or lacking seduction skills.
- Amapuche = n. A passionate demonstration of affection. A warm hug.
- Amuñuñar = v. To tightly yet disorderly put things together.
- Agarrado(a) = adj. Selfish. See Pichirre.
- Alborotado = adj. To be excited or in a frenzy.
- Arepa = n. Armpit sweat marks. In Baseball it can also mean a score of zero. Lit. Venezuelan corn bread bun.
- Arrapado = adj. Excited (profane).
- Arrecharse = v. To get angry (profane).
- Arrecho = adj. Superlative attribute for an object or situation, namely extremely good, bad or difficult (profane).
- Arrecochinar = v. To gather people disorderly in a small space.
- Arrocear = v. To turn up at a party without being invited.
- Arrocero = n. Party crasher.
- Bachaco = n. A blond or redhead mulatto. Lit. Leafcutter antLeafcutter antLeafcutter ants, a non-generic name, are any of 47 species of leaf-chewing ants belonging to the two genera Atta and Acromyrmex.These species of tropical, fungus-growing ants are all endemic to South, Central America, Mexico and parts of the southern United States.The Acromyrmex and Atta ants have...
. - Bajarse de la mula = exp. To pay for something. To be demanded for money. To be robbed. Lit. "To get off the mule".
- Bajáte de esa mata e' coco = exp. To get your heads out of the clouds. Lit. "To get off that coconut tree."
- Bala fría = n. Junk food. A quick snack. Lit. "Cold bullet".
- Balurdo = adj. or n. (from French Balourd) An awkward or ridiculous person. A low-class person or behavior. See Chimbo
- Barrio = n. Poor neighborhood. Often built upwards on hillsides, they are a distinct and noticeable feature of the landscape in large cities in Venezuela.
- Becerro = n. A goofy person. Lit. To calf. Example: "Si eres Becerro" = You're such a goofy.
- Bicha = adj. of bitchy behavior, foxy lady, vixen.
- Birra = n. Beer.
- Bochinche = n. A gathering or noisy party. Disorder, chaos.
- Bolo = n. A single unit of Venezuelan currencyVenezuelan bolívarThe bolívar fuerte is the currency of Venezuela since 1 January 2008. It is subdivided into 100 céntimos and replaced the bolívar at the rate of Bs.F. 1 = Bs...
. Similar to calling the U.S. Dollar a "buck." - Bolsa = n. (or Bolsiclón) a moron.
- Bucear = v. To ogle discreetly. To peep furtively. Lit. To skin dive.
- Bululú = n. A fuss. See Bochinche
- Burda = adv. or adj. (superlative) Very much. Example: "Caminamos burda" = We walked a lot. "Ella es burda de linda" = she's very pretty.
- Buzo = n. Peeper.
- Cachapera = n. A lesbian (pejorative). Lit. woman who makes Cachapas.
- Cacharro = n. Old, worn out vehicle. A piece of junk.
- Cachicamo = n. Armadillo.
- Cachúo = adj. Someone who has been cheated on by his partner. Lit. with horns (See cuckoldCuckoldCuckold is a historically derogatory term for a man who has an unfaithful wife. The word, which has been in recorded use since the 13th century, derives from the cuckoo bird, some varieties of which lay their eggs in other birds' nests...
.) - Caerse a palos = exp. To engage in heavy drinking. To get drunk. Lit. "To fall with sticks". See "Palos".
- Calarse = v. To tolerate something bad.
- Cambur = n. A well remunarated job in government. Lit. BananaBananaBanana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
. - Caña = n. Booze, an alcoholic drink.
- Carajo(a) = n. A dudeDudeA dude is an individual, typically male. The female equivalent, which is used less often, is "dudette" or "dudess". However, "dude" has evolved to become more unisex to encompass all genders, and this was true even in the 1950s....
(profane). Lit. Crow's nestCrow's nestA crow's nest is a structure in the upper part of the mainmast of a ship or structure, that is used as a lookout point.This position ensured the best view of the approaching hazards, other ships or land. It was the best device for this purpose until the invention of radar.In early ships it was...
. - Carajazo = n. See Coñazo (profane).
- Carajito(a) = n. A kid (sometimes pejorative). Diminutive of "Carajo".
- Caraotas = n. Beans. In Venezuela, Caraotas are black by default. Should beans be of a different color, the name of the color must be used. Example: "Caraotas blancas" = white beans, "Caraotas rojas" = red beans.
- Catire(a) = adj. or n. Generic for a beer. Also a nickname for the sunSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. Derived from the literal meaning of catire as blond person. - Chamo(a) = n. Boy/girl. With suffix -ito: a kid; also means son or daughter. Venezuelans are well known among Spanish speakers for their love and constant use of this word, which is used repeatedly in the same fashion as the American slang dudeDudeA dude is an individual, typically male. The female equivalent, which is used less often, is "dudette" or "dudess". However, "dude" has evolved to become more unisex to encompass all genders, and this was true even in the 1950s....
. - Chao = exp. (from the Italian "ciao") To bid farewell, similar to "bye".
- Chaparro = n. Slang for penis. See "Güevo". Lit. Short person, shorty.
- Chévere = adj. Fine, cool.
- Chimbo(a) = adj. Lousy. Of low quality. Bootleg. Ill made. Fake. Uncool.
- Chino(a) = n. Andean expression for a boy or girl, particularly in the Trujillo State. Lit. ChineseChinese peopleThe term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
person. - Chivo = n. The Boss, someone at a high position in an organization. Lit. Goat. Example: "El Chivo que más mea" (The goat who pisses the most) = the most important person.
- Chulo = n. Person who lives from/takes advantage from others, often financially. Lit. pimpPimpA pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
. - Churupo(s) = n. Money.
- Chola = n./adj. Flip-flops/Slippers. Accelerator pedal. Also means "speedy", for example: "Dale chola!" (Hurry up!!) or "Yo iba demasiado chola" (I was going too fast). A popular radio personality in Venezuela has the nickname "Full Chola" (Speedy)
- Choro = n. Thief, robber (pejorative).
- Coger cola pa'l (para el) cielo = exp. Masculine masturbation (profane). Lit. Hitchhike to heaven.
- Coñazo = n. A violent hit or strike (profane).
- ¡Coño! = exp. Damn! (somewhat profane, widely used).
- Coño de madre = n. A rotten bastard. (profane). Lit. "His mother's cunt".
- ¡Coño de la madre! = exp. "Oh, my fucking God!", used to denote high frustration and anger (very profane). Lit. "Mother's cunt!"
- Compinche = n. Partner, friend, or buddy.
- Contorno = n. A side dish. From Italian.
- Corotos = n. Stuff, belongings. Word derives from Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot's last name.
- Costilla = n. An affectionate way of a man to name his female partner. The term is a reference to the origin of EveEveEve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
. Lit. Rib. - Criollo = n. A local. A native of Venezuela. Something typically native. Lit. Creole.
- Cuaima = n. A very jealous/possessive and untrusting wife/girlfriend. Lit. Bushmaster (a kind of poisonous snake).
- Culo = n. A young woman (profane). Lit. Ass.
- Culillo = n. Lots of fear (profane). Lit. Small Ass.
- Curdo = adj. Drunk.
- De pinga = exp. Cool, superb, excellent (profane). See "Pepiado".
- Epa/Épale = exp. Hi or Hello (informal greeting; "What's up"). Close to the Lit. Hey.
- Fajado = n. Someone who works pretty hard/much on something. No matter if it's weekend or holiday, this person will work anyways. See Fajarse.
- Fajarse = v. To work the hardest on something until getting it done. Example: "¡Tienes que fajarte con eso!" = You have to work very hard on that!
- Filo = n. Hunger. Lit. Edge. Example: "Llevo el filo parejo" = I am very hungry.
- Franela = n. T-shirt.
- Fregar = v. To suffer the consequences of a wrong decision. To annoy. To kill. To scrub.
- Fumado = adj. or n. Stoned. Crazy, disheveled, difficult to understand. Lit. smoked a joint.
- Gafo = adj. or n. Dumb or stupid, comes for the Italian word "cafone" or "gavone" which means dumb peasant.
- Gargajo = n. Spit, a loogie.
- Gocho = adj. or n. A native of the Andean parts of Venezuela, particularly the states of MéridaMérida (state)Mérida State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Mérida.Mérida State covers a total surface area of 11,300 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 843,800.- Climate and Vegetation :...
, TáchiraTáchira (state)Táchira State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Cristóbal.Táchira State covers a total surface area of 11,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,177,300....
or TrujilloTrujillo (state)Trujillo State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Its capital is Trujillo. The state is divided into 20 municipalities and 93 parishes. Trujillo State covers a total surface area of 7,400 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 711,400....
. - Gringo = n. American.
- Guachicón = n. (Northeastern Venezuelan usage) An athletic shoe, sneaker.
- Guachimán = n. A vigilant o guard, derived from "watch man".
- Guáramo = n. Iron will. Courage.
- Guasa = n. To make fun of something or someone.
- Guasacaca = n. A sauce made from avocadoAvocadoThe avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
s and spices. Resembles Mexican GuacamoleGuacamoleGuacamole , is an avocado-based dip that originated in Mexico. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete with sea salt. Some recipes call for limited tomato, spicy Asian spices such as white onion, lime juice, and/or additional seasonings.-History:Guacamole was made by...
. - Guaro = n. A native of Lara stateLara (state)Lara State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital is Barquisimeto.Lara State covers a total surface area of and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,795,100.- Municipalities and municipal seats :...
. - Guayabo = n. To be romantically disillusioned. To have the Blues. Lit. Tree of the guavaGuavaGuavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
fruit. - Guayoyo = n. Slightly watered down black coffee. Commonly served after meals.
- Güevo = n. Dick, penis. Nuisance (profane). Derives from Huevo (Egg).
- Huevón (or Güebón) = n. Sucker, asshole, stupid (profane).
- Huele Verga = n. See Huevón.
- Hablame el mío/Hablame la mía = exp. Similar to "What's up?" or "What's going on?". Lit. Talk to me dude/Talk to me girl.
- Igualado(a) = adj. A demeaning term to describe someone who pretends to be of a superior financial/intellectual level than the person really is.
- Jalar Bola = v. To abuse flattering. Sweet talking, intended to get benefit from someone with selfish purposes. Similar to the expression "scratch your back". Lit. To Pull Ball.
- Jamón = n. A French kiss. Something very easy to do. A nice girl. Lit. HamHamHam is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
- Jeva = n. Woman.
- Latas = v. To make out. Darse las Latas. Lit. "to give each other the cans"
- Lambucio = n. A gluttonGluttonGlutton may refer to:* One who over-indulges in and over-consumes food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. See Gluttony* Another name for the wolverine*Glutton , upcoming film...
. To request food or goods in a rude way. - Ladilla = adj. or n. Something annoying or boring. A boring or annoying person. Lit. Crab louse.
- Macundales = n. Gear, stuff. Derivated from the brand "Mac and Dale" (a belt to carry tools used by the oil industry workers in Venezuela). See Corotos.
- Malandro = n. Gangster, thug, thief, burglar, robber.
- Mamar = v. (In the continuous tense) To be penniless. Example: "Estar Mamando". (In the past participle tense) To be tired. Example: "Estar Mamado". Lit. To Suck.
- Mamahuevo = n. (or Mamagüevo) Cocksucker. A hustler (profane).
- Mamarracho = n. Someone who makes things of a very bad quality. adj. Badly done.
- Manganzón = n. A lazy person.
- Maracucho = n. (or Marabino) A native of MaracaiboMaracaiboMaracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
or its neighborhoods.* Marico = n. Commonly used as 'dude' between friends. 'Marica' may also be used between girl friends (profane/pejorative). Lit. A gay man. - Mariquera = n. (or Maricada) A little thing. A non-transcendental fact. A synonym for Vaina.
- Matar un tigre = exp. To moonlight. To have a temporary job. Lit. "To kill a tiger".
- Matraquear = v. To blackmail, to demand compensation in exchange of something, especially by corrupt cops.
- Mojón = n. A piece of defecation. A lie.
- Mojonero = n. Liar. Person who propagates "mojones". See above.
- Musiú = n. (from French Monsieur) A foreigner. A white person from a non-Hispanic country. Used to describe someone not familiar with local Venezuelan customs, awkward. "Hacerse el musiú" ("pass as a foreigner") is an expression used when someone pretends that he/she does not understand a situation to avoid involvement.
- ¡Na' Guará! = exp. An expression to denote surprise, bewilderment. Most commonly used in Lara state.
- Negrear = v. To treat someone badly, to forget somebody, as an allusion to when black people were victims of racism. Despite its origin, nowadays the term has no racist undertone. Any person can say the word to another one regardless of the color of their skin. Example: "Me negrearon" = they treated me badly, they forgot me.
- Nevera = n. Derivated from the first brand of refrigerators "New-Era".
- Niche = adj. See "Chimbo(a)". Of low class.
- No joda = exp. (or Nojoda). Venezuelan equivalent of the English curse word "Goddammit" (profane).
- Nota = n. Something nice, neat, or pleasant. A drug trip, to be "high". Lit. Note. Verbal form: Ennotarse.
- O sea = exp. A form to say whatever. Lit. Or Like. Example: "¿O sea, cómo lo hicíste?" (Like, how'd you do it!?).
- Paja = n. Bullshit. "Hablar Paja" = to bullshit someone. "Hacerse la paja" = to masturbate (profane). Lit. Hay.
- Pajizo(za) = adj. (from Paja) Someone who masturbates a lot (profane). Lit. Wanker.
- Pajúo = n. A loose synonym for Pendejo or Güevón.
- Paisano = n. From the Italian "Paesano", meaning a Venezuelan or Italian (or southern European). Abbreviated as Paisa usually refers to a native of ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. - Paliza = n. See Rumba de Coñazos. See also Rumba de Palos.
- Palo = n. Alcoholic beverage. Lit. Stick. Example: "¡Tómate un palito, pues!" = Have a little drink (then)!
- Palo de agua = n. Torrential rain. Lit. Stick of water.
- Pato = n. Gay man (pejorative). Lit. Duck.
- Pana = n. Friend, buddy, dude. Interchangeable with Chamo.
- Pantallero: n. A show-off, "Pantallear". v. To lavishly flash oneself or anything of value. Derived from Pantalla (Screen).
- Papeado = adj. Of muscular or build. Buff. Derives from Papa (Potato).
- Papear = v. To eat.
- Parcha/Parchita= n. Gay man. Lit. Passion fruit.
- Pargo = n. Gay man. Lit. Red SnapperRed SnapperRed Snapper may refer to:Fish:* Several species from the genus Lutjanus, for example the red snapper .* Several species from the genus Sebastes, for example the vermilion rockfish and yelloweye rockfish Red Snapper may refer to:Fish:* Several species from the genus Lutjanus, for example the red...
. - Pasapalos = n. Appetizer. Snacks. Hors d'oeuvres.
- Pava = n. Bad luck, ill omen.
- Pavo, pava = adj. or n. Trendy or well dressed adolescent, kid, youngster. Lit. TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. - Peaje = n. Illegal fee. Lit. Toll. See also Bajarse de la mula.
- Pelona = n. An impersonation of death. The Grim Reaper. Example: La pelona.
- Pelúo = adj. Hard, very difficult. Lit. Hairy.
- Perico = n. Venezuelan-style scrambled eggs. Also used to describe cocaine. Lit. ParakeetParakeetParakeet is a term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized species of parrot, that generally have long tail feathers...
. - Pendejo = n. A pushover. See Huevón.
- Peorro = adj. Mediocre, inferior (profane).
- Pepiado adj. (or Pepeado) Cool, superb, excellent.
- Perol = n. A coroto, a kettle.
- Picado/Picada = adj. Ticked off, feeling upset (most likely after being insulted or proven wrong) while at the same time hiding or denying the feeling. Lit. Stung.
- Picar = verb. To say or do something that would lead a person to become "Picado" o "Picada". Also, eat a snack. Lit. Sting, or Slice.
- Pichirre = adj. Selfish, stingy, miser, cheap.
- Pipi Frío = exp. Someone that has been single for a long time. Someone lacking social skills or uninteresting. Lit. "Cold Penis".
- Plaga = n. A swarm of mosquitoes. A mischievous person, a pest. (See Rata).
- Pollo/Polla = n. A childish, naive or immature person. Lit. Chicken.
- Polvo = n. Coitus. Copulation. Lit. Dust.
- Puta = n. Used in many cases to mean slut. Lit. whore, prostitute.
- Queso = n. Sexual drive, Lust. Mostly applied to men. Lit. Cheese. Example: "Tengo queso" = I'm horny.
- Quesúo = adj. To be horny, lustful.
- Rabipelado = n. Opossum.
- Rata = n. An evil or treacherous person. Lit. Rat.
- Ratón = n. Hung overHangoverA hangover describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dysphoria, diarrhea and thirst, typically after the...
Lit. Mouse. Example: "Tengo ratón" = I've got a hangover. - Real or Rial = n. Money.
- Rico(a) = adj. or n. An attractive person. Delicious, pleasurable. Lit. Rich.
- Rumba = n. A party.
- Rumba de Coñazos = exp. To violently and exaggeratedly hit or strike for a while (profane). Example: "¡Te voy a dar una rumba de coñazos!" = I'm gonna kick your ass/I'm gonna kill you.
- Rumba de Palos = exp. To be beaten up. In a sports context, whenever a team wins over another with a large score.
- Rumbero(a) = n. A partygoer.
- Rancho = n. A precarious makeshift home found in barrios made out of whatever the builder may find, including cardboard, wood, metal rods, zinc sheets. These have a tendency to evolve into brick houses and often 3-story buildings as the owner acquires more materials. Lit. Ranch.
- Santamaría = n. Rollup metal fence that covers the front part of a store when closed.
- Sifrino = n. A wealthy, snobby, arrogant person. adj. Posh, applied to people and things, such as an accent or clothes.
- Tequeño = n. A deep-fried flour roll filled with cheese, similar to cheese sticks. Lit. A native from the city of Los TequesLos TequesLos Teques is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Miranda. Its population is 140,617 .-History:The city was founded in 1777 and was named after the Aractoeques Carabs, an indigenous tribe that once inhabited the area...
. - Teta = n. A source of guaranteed income. Lit. Female breast.
- Tigre = n. Second job or night job. See Matar tigre
- Tripeo = n. Something very enjoyable. Example: "Que tripeo esta vaina" = This is really fun. Also used as a verb; "tripear."
- Ubicate = exp. To get real. Lit. Locate yourself.
- Vacilar = v. To enjoy something/have a good time. Example: "Estoy vacilando" = I am having fun. Also used as a noun: "Vacile," as in "qué malvacile" = What a bad time. Lit. Vacillate
- Vaina = adj. or n. Thing, annoyance, problem, predicament, situation, endeavor, liaison. Vaina is one of the most versatile Venezuelan words, not necessarily having a negative connotation (mildly profane). Lit. Pod, sheath.
- Verga = n. Male sexual organ. An exclamation to convey a feeling shock, disgust or alert. In the Western part of the country, especially in Zulia state, it is a nonsensical filler as an alternative to vaina.
- Vergación = adj. superlative form of Verga.
- Vergatario(a) = adj. For something excellent, or someone who has done something very well.
- Yesquero = n. A lighterLighterA lighter is a portable device used to generate a flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable fluid or pressurized liquid gas, a means of ignition, and some provision for extinguishing the flame.- History :...
. - Zanahoria = n. Someone who zealously takes care of his/her own health. A vegetarian. A person that behaves well, nerd. Straight, clean. adj. A boring, dull person. Lit. Carrot.
- Zancudo = n. MosquitoMosquitoMosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
. Lit. "The one that walks on stilts" as a metaphor for the insect's long legs. - Zapatero = exp. To loose in a game with zero points. Lit. Shoemaker.
- Zapato de goma = n. Sneakers. Lit. Rubber soled shoe.
- Zapato de patente = n. Patent-leather shoe.
- Zumba'o = adj. Forward, crazy, nutty, careless person.