I did a search for "slang" and found a previous post suggesting a thread about interesting expressions, unusual turns of phrase, etc.

I have always been fascinated by those (even in English--have you ever told a 3-year-old that it's "raining cats and dogs"?) and would love to hear from some of you about your favorites! I don't want to encourage all of us to start talking like 15-year-old Spanish kids (no offense to 15-year-olds in Spain or anywhere else, but they aren't always known for the most proper language use and some of their words/phrases aren't terribly long-lasting!), but it would be fun to share some of the expressions that might have us scratching our heads during a trip to Spain!

I'll offer up "vale," which seems to be my most often-used Spanish word...for all forms of "okay/fine/alright with me."

Others?
Tara

Ahh, don't get me started! One of my favorites is the expression my friend from Granada uses to express irritation, frustration, or whatever might require a "darn" type word. (To do this right you MUST have all your fingers touching, you must flick your wrist, and naturally, you must use the "theta" pronunciation!) Narices! (nostrils!)

Another favorite is the one for out in the boonies (as in "The place was so crowded I had to park way out in the boonies") El quinto carajo!

Instead of sweating like a pig, my friend sweats like a chicken ("estoy sudando como una gallina") because when a chicken is being roasted on a spit, it drips sweat!

I can see I'll be up all night thinking about these

taravb, I'm not as "versed" in Spanish outside of Madrid, but I'm pretty sure the term "vale" is mostly used in/around Madrid/Central Spain. Is this correct?

When my ladyfriend and I were touring Perú last Christmas/New Years there was a couple on one of our tours, seeing the Incan ruins, etcetera, whom my ladyfriend noticed. She listened and listened and told me (in English as we'd have a better chance of going unheard/understood) "The guy up there is from Madrid... or more likely from Móstoles." I thought, "WHAT?! Different Madrid neighborhoods/suburbs have their own phrases/sayings??!! WOW!"

Saludos, MadridMan

he he he... i guess this colloqiualism could be considered a rather naught one... 'llevar a la huerta.' anyone know what that means? i'll buy a mahou for whomever can diplomatically define that one!

oh yeah, i just remembered one that is typical of la mancha... 'pasante.' this is someone who gossips excessively. makes sense...

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 03-16-2001).]

Llevar a la huerta literally translates to: 'to take to the garden.' The person who tells you: "lleveselo a la huerta" is saying what you offer is something that would serve better as fertilizer. English equivalent - loosely translated: 'bulls**t!'

Sorry, I don't know any more diplomatic way of explaining that. Do I still qualify for a caña of Mahou?

[This message has been edited by Eddie (edited 03-16-2001).]

Vale is also use in Sevilla - my friends there use it all the time.

Some great ones I've come across:

"Vete a freír espárragos" (Get lost)
"cuento chino" (tall tale: 'Chinese story')
"el quinto pino" (the boonies)
"vete a la porra" (get lost again) > a porra is also a billy club..."go to the billy club"?
"comerse el coco" (brainwash) > literally "eat your head (coco)"
and every HS student's favorite: "tirarse un pedo" ('throw' a fart...you figure out the logistics on that one).

In addition, I notice the phrase "me cago" followed by a wide variety of items that seem to be the destination and final resting place of the speaker's feces. Here are some gems:

...en la leche
...en la mar
...en la p**a
...en diez (What the heck is that???)
...en (insert name of deity here)
...en la virgen que me apareció esta mañana (that one brought to you courtesy of a little old lady named Argentina from Avilés (Asturias))...A+ for creativity there...

I'll rack my brain for more fun...this is a great idea for a thread!

me cachis en diez is like saying 'heck' and 'darn'. It is, in fact, a euphimism for the deity. "Me cago en Dios." EXTREMELY VULGAR!! You can also take a dump on the holy host, on the 50th kilometre of your father's horns (aka cuernos), etc.

you can also cagar en todos los antepasados de cualquier persona!

Gotta love ¡Ostia! o ¡Ostias! or if you don't want to offend the god fearin' folk, you can say, "ostras"

more later-



[This message has been edited by Jen (edited 03-16-2001).]

I believe llevar a alguien al huerto has a sexual meaning - To carry someone off to private place for, well, private things!

[This message has been edited by Antonio (edited 03-16-2001).]