The carnivals of Barranquilla, more than a local festival, over time, have become one of the biggest attractions of this Caribbean city and what could be the reason?
Some highlight their originality; they are unique, they have no similarity with any other, they are characterized for being full of a relaxed vibe, a mixture of joy, satire, criticism, dance and music.
Many of the people I talked to, who have had the opportunity to be in the wonderful and spectacular carnivals of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or the glamorous ones of Venice, Italy, say that the ones in Barranquilla outdo them, that is to say, that they surpass them.
Today we want to dedicate this column to all visitors from different cities in Colombia and the world so that they are in tune with this ‘Costeñol Carnavalero’ and can live this party happily, but healthy and do not remain ‘gringos’ (without understanding):
Note: We Costeños are known for deleting or adding letters or putting words backwards, that is, we create our own grammatical rules.
· Arrebata’o: Adjective to describe a man or woman with overflowing joy.
· Alborota’o: It’s a potentialized arrebata’o or arrebata’ or just someone who wants to have sex.
· Añuñío: Tight.
· Aculillado: Scared.
· Bartolo: Drugged.
· Bacano: Something that is accepted with pleasure and enthusiasm.
· Bacanería: A relaxed lifestyle.
· Barro: Expression used to question or accuse someone for having done something that is not right. You can also say “barrilete”.
· Bololó: When people get rowdy messy out of nowhere.
· Bembé: Boisterous party.
· Bollo or Bollito: It has two meanings, it can refer to a bun, popular in Latin America, made from corn, yuca, or potato or to a pretty woman or attractive man.
· Calilla: A naughty child.
· Carita: Affectionate greeting accompanied by verga, mondá and/or jopo. Example: “Hi, carita e’ verga”, “what’s up, carita e’ jopo?
· Carpeto: Erect.
· Cigarrón: Heterosexual who feels attracted to homosexuals.
· Cipote: Expression that denotes something big, voluminous.
· Concha or panocha: Vagina.
· Coge: Expression used to detonate a pleasant surprise.
· Cotopla: Penis.
· Culo: Buttocks. This word can change from noun to adverb of quantity to indicate excess of something, for example, “culo de casa” = a big house, “culo de calor” = it’s very hot, “culo de trancón” = when there is a lot of traffic, “culo de filo” = very hungry.
· Damon: Variation of the word ‘mondá’ used, normally, to make a compliment. Example: “eres la damon” = you are the damon, that is, you are the best.
· Esnaqui: restructuring of the word ‘esquina’ [trl.: corner.]
· Esquirla: A small portion of something.
· Entrompar: To French kiss.
· Espantajopo: Person who thinks they are part of the Country Club but can barely afford to buy something in a convenience store.
· Farto(a): A term used to refer to the ‘espantajopo’, but with money.
· Filo: Uncontainable hunger.
· Hueva or chácara: It can mean testicle or idiot.
· Jopo: Buttocks. This word can change from noun to adjective, for example, “una casa jopo” = an insignificant house, poorly presented.
· Líchigo: Stingy in excess.
· Mierdero: A bigger ‘bololó’.
· Mondao: Honest person who recognizes that they have no money.
· Mopri: Primo [trl.: cousin] backwards. It can be, effectively, a cousin or a very close friend.
· Ñapa or repechaje: The additional amount requested as a courtesy when you buy a product.
· Pava: Laziness. Usually used as “cul’e pava”.
· Polilla: Member of the LGBTIQ+ community.
· Trompetear: Oral sex from a woman to a man.
· Verga: Dick. This word changes its meaning when accompanied by a pronoun or verb, for example, “yo soy la verga”, i.e., “I am the best”. “Vale verga”, when your value as a person is reduced by an action committed.
· Yuca: It can refer to the tuber similar to yam or to the popular folkloric rhythm known as vallenato.
· Zampar: To eat fast.
To enrich the costeñol, we will highlight some phrases such as:
“Ah vaina” [trl.: Would you look at that?]: Expression of admiration or surprise for something someone else does.
“Ajo”: Expression of admiration for something very good or something very bad. It’s very important to lengthen the “o” when saying it: “Ajooooo”.
“Te están clavando”, “te dan huevo”, “te dan tubo” [trl.: They’re jumping your bones]: Expressions used to refer to having sex.
“Píntala que yo la coloreo” [trl.: I’m down for anything]: Means that you are ready for any plan.
“Botar el chupo” [trl.: To have a short fuse]: When you get angry or annoyed.
“La cagaste” [trl.: You fucked up]: When you are reckless.
“Bajar al pozo” [trl.: To go down to the well]: Oral sex from a man to a woman.
“Tú mandas huevo” [trl.: You can’t be serious]: Expression denoting skepticism towards another’s action.
“Hablador de mierda” [trl.: Shit talker]: Subject who exaggerates their stories. Chronic mythomaniac.
“Mamadera de gallo” [trl.: Messing around]: Said to annoy someone or question a non-compliance.
“Sigue creyendo” [trl.: Take it with a pinch of salt]: When someone warns you not to be so innocent.
“Está monocuco” [trl.: Cute as a button]: Means that something is pretty or cute.
“Hazme un dos”: When you ask for help or a favor.
“You’re 3/15″ [trl.: You’re buzzed]: When you’re starting to feel the effects of alcohol in your system.
“Está bajito de sal” [trl.: They’re in the closet]: Homosexual who has not come out of the closet.
“Le falta un 16“: When something you’re doing is missing something, e.g., “te falta un 16 de azúcar para el café” [trl.: you’re missing a 16 of sugar in your coffee.] Or “dame un 16” [trl.: give me a 16”], a ñapita.
“Cógela con su avena y su pitillo” [trl.: Keep your cool]: When you have to react calmly to a situation.
Expressions like ajá, eche, nojoda, carajo and vaina are still in use in our costeñol, but a costeño will NEVER say them in the same sentence. This is the most famous example of that mistake: “ajá, eche, nojoda!”
Ajá, tú mandas huevo si te vas a perder cipote carnaval bacano. No te preocupes si estás mondao, píntala que yo la coloreo. Cuidao vas a botar el chupo, porque aquí lo que hay es bollitos en cada esnaqui y si estás de buenas, puedes entrompártela y pasarla arrebata’o.
Trl.: Aha, you can’t be serious if you’re going to miss this mind-blowing and joyful carnival. Don’t worry if you’re broke, I’m down for anything. Don’t you dare to have a short fuse, because what you have here are bollitos in every esnaqui and if you get lucky, you can French kiss her and have a blast.
The costeñol is so rich that, if we wanted to cover it all, the topic would give us columns for December, but since “quien lo vive es quien lo goza” [tr: the one who lives it is the one who enjoys it], at the moment, we decided to bring you only those #sinrecato terms that can get you out of any trouble or emergency during your stay in La Arenosa, our beloved Barranquilla.
Traducción del español: Catalina Oviedo Brugés
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