Panamanian Spanish

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Panamanian Spanish is the Spanish language as spoken in Panama. It is also spoken by people of Panamanian descent in other countries, including the United States. It has similarities with other Central American and Caribbean Spanish variants. Because of the close historical ties between the United States and Panama, including the American administration of the Panama Canal Zone for over 80 years, military installations in Panama until the 1990s, and the strong presence of Afro-Caribbean workers brought to Panama for the construction of the Canal, Panamanian Spanish has absorbed a significant portion of its vocabulary from the English language. Panamanian dialect also borrowed words from languages of other ethnic groups, like Italians, Greeks, East Indians (including Hindi and Gujarati), and Chinese.

[edit] Examples of Panamanian slangs

• Ratadog = It means "Rat-Dog". It is used as a friendly way to call someone.
• Tongo = Policeman
• Pato = Gay. The real meaning of the word is "duck".
• Bajito'e Sal = Gay. Literally means "low on salt".

• Rejeros=Refers to a group of men who only hang out with males. They usually go out in packs to try to pick up women, but often fail at doing so. During weekends they will typically hang out at a guy's house and drink between themselves. Also, they can be spotted at strip clubs too. A man who belongs to this group is know as a "rejero". The word became popular after a TV Show (La Cascara) ran a skit based on four fictional rejeros.
• rompe pecho=Refers to a large glass bottle of beer or soda, meant to be drunk by one person. Approximately 750 ml.
• gruvear= To fool around with someone, such as a one night stand. Also to bug someone or kid around with them. The word originated when Mireya Moscoso cheated on Arnulfo Arias with a man by the last name Gruber. People would say that Mireya was "grubeando". She eventually married Gruber and became Mireya Moscoso de Gruber. The word stuck around. It could also be said that it came from the English word "Groove" as in "We're grooving."
• wari-wari=language spoken by the people of the Bocas del Toro province years ago. It's a creole language originating from English, Spanish and French.
• Babylon=Slang used by potheads for the policemen
• gargola= Applied to a REALLY ugly woman (ie: Marta es mansa gargola = Marta is ugly as ####)
• racataca / rakataka / raka= a female ruffian, a miscreant, an aggressive woman probably wearing a "wife beater". Its the female "maleante".
• Borrador= Eraser. Diablo Rojo or Big Truck usually coming in your direction.
• Bulto= A person who you don't want around you since he/she will just give you inconvenience.
• Botella= Slang to refer to a useless employee hired into a position because of his connections (see palanca) rather than whether he is actually qualified or willing to do the job.
• Mili= From militarely. To do something with disregard for authority, odds, or common sense. Ex. "Dale mili"= go anyway.
• Awebason= Awebason or Ahuevason expression used for things that are foolish or just dumb.

tas ahueva'o!" could mean "You egghead!" or "you idiot!"

• Congo= Someone who is always taken advantage of, an idiot.
• Pichazo= A lot of. Ex. "Un pichazo de gente"= A lot of people.
• Pelonera= To slap repeatedly someone in the back of the head. Usually permormed by one or more individuals at school.
• Raspao= Cone of scraped ice, usually filled with very colorful and sweet syrups.
• Trifulca= Huge brawl. Made popular by Barrios de Trifulca, a newspaper column.
• A Balazo= "Like a gunshot.". To do something quickly. Ex. Hazlo a Balazo = Do it quickly.
• Chambón= A clumbsy person
• CATRIBOLIA= Woman with too much sexual activity.
• CICSA= Definition of fast drink. Also can be refer as lame product.
• CULITRIPI= Person skinny + ugly + weak.
• CUATRERA= Syn. prostitute.
• CHATA= Person that does not have too much ass.
• Chifiar= To ignore a person. Ex: Chifea ese awebao (see "awebao") que es un loser- Don't invite that guy because he is a loser.
• COCODRILA= from the reptile cocodrile, used as slang for ugly woman.
• TAS' AHORCANDO AL PADRE= You have a wedgie.
• ARROZ CON SOMBRERO= rice with a fried egg on top
• COMISTE EN PAILA=a chatter box. When a person is talking a lot, excessive "ex. fidel castro"
• CUARA= Cuara is derived directly from the English word "quarter". Also applicable to the word "dime" ($0.10 coin)
• CULO DE BOTELLA= "Ass (bottom) of the bottle (coke bottles). Referring to extra thick eyeglases.
• CASA BRUJA= Very poor house (shanty) made out of wood scraps and/or zinc built on invaded lands.
• CUCURUCHO= tiny ugly house or place
• QUE CHUCHA TE PASA?= to be used when very angry with someone. Direct translation: what the **** is wrong with you?
• Batea y corre pa tercera= slang referred to people who are gay or homosexual. It's rough translation means "Hits and runs to third", resembling someone who hits the ball and runs to third base in the game of baseball.
• Hijo de la Luna= "Moon man". Referring to an Albino Native Panamenian.
• CANCHALARGA= "Long field". Used to describe a person who can keep partying forever. Party animal.
• CHURRUSCO= Same as cus-cus. Extremely curly hair.
• QUENQUE or KENKE= Marihuana or pot, ganja, week, reefer, joint.
• CHACARA= "A countryman's bag". Commonly used as a nickname for balls (testicles).
• CHACARON(A) or CHACARUDO(A)= superlative for CHACARA means a very lazy man (or woman) or someone who relies in everybody else to solve his (her) problems.
• FIRI-FIRI= very skinny man or woman (Ana es una firi-firi). On its superlative form BIEN FIRI-FIRI (extremely skinny!).
• MORRINA= rotten dog food, also used for any rotten food.
• ÑINGA= cat excrement.
• MOTETE= Farmer's bag to carry/transport products from the farm (bolsa de campesino);
• PIFA o PIXBAE= A wild fruit; called "chontaduro" in other Latin American countries
• arranque = means to go out, party and get drunk
• awebao = taken from the root word ahuevado (egg-headed), it can be either derogatory in its use (idiot) or friendly, (dude) depending on the tone. Pronunciation varies depending on the speaker either awebado, awebao, or aoaooo. Is is one of the most common words among Panamanian youth.
• huevear = "To egg around". An expression used to describe the action of not doing anything productive. (hoy solo vamos a webiar= today we aren't going to do a thing) it is used by youth and comes from "awebao". also used as a synonym of hanging out. (see "parkear")
• beri beri = see faracho
• birria = 1. to play a friendly sport or game 2. to be hooked in some kind of activity. (eg. 1. Vamos a echar una birria de beisbol. 2. Juan tiene una birria de jugar nintendo que no se la quita nadie)
• ñangara = Despective name for a Communist
• culillo = Fear
• tralalai-la = gay
• PURO TILIN TILIN Y NADA DE PALETA = "All bells and no popsicles". A saying that describes a person who says is going to do o has something and doesn't have it "tilin" stands for the sound of a bell of the ice cream man as he passes through the neighborhood.
• tas pescando = a person who is going to go out and. pick up someone of the opposite sex/sexual partner.
• Pavo = "Turkey". A bus driver's (see diablo rojo) helper/co-worker, usually hangs by the door announcing the route the bus is on and instructs to "dale pa' tras" "go all the way back" meaning there is still room, even tho people are standing up.
• Culantron= big ass
• sapote= (toad) a big version of chucha (see Chucha)
• manzanillos = A rich/famous person's entourage and leech off of them. Buddies that follow and take advantage of someone for interest (ex. roberto duran)
• Sarao = tanky school dances done throughout the school year.
• meneito = cheese chips or also song by renato or butt movement "shaking your tail feather"
• TUTI-FRUTI = fruit ######## in a can usually use on jello and every birthday party.
• MARIAS = maid, popular because of casualty that many maids share this name.
• ñame = A starchy root often used in soups. Used to refer to someone who is crazy
• Alla onde uno: From the tv show 'Hecho en Panama', it means "from where one is", usually means the place where the 'campesinos' come from or grew up, their hometown. Ex: Tu eres de alla onde uno?
• breham= hungry (reverse of hambre) Eg. tengo breham, qué hay de comer?
• buco = from the French beaucoup (many); buco de rantan (a lot)
• cabrear= (ver.) it's one of the must common verbs in Panama, it is used when someone is getting tired of doing something or when someone is bothering a lot. (Eg. "Estoy cabreado"=I'm tired of this, "Me tienes cabreado"=I'm Fed Up with you.
• Cangreja= "Female crab". An unattractive woman.
• Casa del culo = A place that is very far away. Middle of nowhere.
• Chantin= Home, House. Example: "Vamos pa' mi chantin" (Let's go to my house). From English "Shanty".
• chicha= Watered-down fruit juice (jugo, zumo); also used in other countries.
• Chichón = A protrusion on the body (usually the head) caused by swelling after impact with a hard surface or object.
• chirrisco = Home made alcoholic beverage. Battery acid is sometimes added to accelerate the fermentation process, found in the country side of Panama.
• chiva = literally means female goat, but it also means "small bus". Not to be mistaken with a "diablo rojo". (eg. Me voy en chiva pa' Chitre)
• Cholometal = A mestizo-looking or indigenous person (brown skin), who dresses and acts like a rock and roller.
• chombo = derogatory term use to refer to black people
• chucha = vulgar way of referring to the female reproductive organ. This word can be used in dozens of connotations. It can denote anger, happiness, surprise, sadness, speechlessness. Examples: Chucha, que bien me fue! Chucha que mal me fue! Chucha no se como me fue!
• fula/o =blonde
• guilla'o = pot high, stoned, baked
• ñaño/ñorro/cueco = homosexual, gay. (e.g. El ñaño de Juan gusta de Pepe).
• Guial = Young woman. Derived from the English word "girl".
• hooooombeee... = same as ayyyyyyyy.
• pilla = from the verb "to look" or "Gotcha". Mirar, Observar, atrapar. "pilla esto" = "look at this", "te pillé" = "I Gotcha".
• cueco/a= Syn:of gay and lesbian. Despective form to say gay ( cueco-man) o lesbian(cueca-woman).
• cacha-cueco/revuelve-porotos/saca shit = Gay lover. ex: he's gay lover!, or tu eres un cacha-cueco! -you are a gay lover)
• cinta = "Story". term of cocoa and bochinche (hey te tengo una cinta! hey, i have a story!)
• quemar = to be unfaithful. betray. to cheat.
• mariflor = syn gay
• welemedia/soksniffa = "sock sniffer" syn gay
• rabi-blanco= term used to describe prominent members of society. Literally translated to "white-tailed".
• neto= cool, awesome
• cus cus= hard short wire-like hair on the scalp. nappy hair.
• is = reversed for si, afirmation or simply yes.
• Ir a tocar el arpa = To go to play the arph, i.e. to die.
• on = reversed for no, negation or simply no.
• que xopa = common expression meaning Whats up?, Whats new?. Sometimes shortened to just xopa, the equivalent of "Wassup". Reverse of "Que paso?".
• diablo rojo = large city bus, lit. "red devil". Also known as "liquid paper", "borrador" (eraser)in the sense that they often travel at high speeds and cause accidents or run over people.
• una pinta / una fría = a beer (una cerveza); una fría = "a cold one"; cerveza is also used.
• el chino = a corner store (bodega), lit. "the Chinaman". Originates from the fact

many Chinese migrated to Panama to help build the Panama Railroad, and many corner stores are owned and run by Chinese immigrants. Other countries have similar social patterns, for instance, the "Arab" corner store of France.

• un blanco = cigarette (cigarillo)
• solido= "Solid". Referring to something that is cool or awesome.
• micro onda= term used to describe girls that tease. From Microwave, because they heat up but do not eat ("calienta pero no come").
• sae= Shortened form of the Spanish verb "saber" (To know).
• chota = derogatory slang for a large police car, pickup truck or van used to haul a lrager number of detainees in public disturbances or curfews. As in "Corre, viene la chota!" (Run, here come the policemen)
• jumarse = used commonly instead of emborracharse (to get drunk)
• ta = short for "está" (is), as in "ta bueno" (it's good)
• pa = short for "para" (for), as in "esto es pa' ti" (this is for you)
• Xopá = a special greeting word derived from the reversal of "pasó", from "qué pasó?" meaning "what's up?", lit. "what happened"

It has become customary for Panamanians to reverse words as a form of slang.

• mopri = reversed for primo, meaning cousin and used as buddy in English.
• Vaina = used to fill out blank spaces in conversations, also used like "cosa" (thing). Example: "dame esa vaina" meaning "give me that thing".
• palo = one dollar (buck) used as in "me costó 5 palos" (it cost me 5 bucks) Used also for "tree" Example: voy a mear atras del palo. "I'm going to pee behind that tree"
• rabo= dick (te voy a cortar el rabo = im goin to cut your dick)
• laope = reversed form of "pelao". See pelao for meaning.
• pelao= slang meaning dude. (Eg. Yo conosco ese pelao. = I know that dude.)
• pela= slang meaning "any" woman or chick. (Eg. Vi a esa pela en la discoteca anoche.= I saw that woman in the disco last night.)
• piedrero = A homeless person that has a deep adiction to "crack cocaine". Crack in Panamanian Spanish is often called "piedra"("stone"/"ice"). Can also be used to tell a person that the way they are poorly dressed and not good looking.
• Pitufo= small pick up truck or small 2 door sedan, it literally means 'smurf' (from the tv show)
• Maleante= "Gang member, criminal, etc." Racataca's male mate (see "racataca"). Usually belongs to a gang in the ghettos.
• meña= see maleante.
• yeye = a wealthy person who likes to show off a lot. Preppy boy/girl.
• la botaste = meaning that you did something awesome, great or cool (comes from the English phrase: you hit it out of the park).
• laopecillo = From "pelaito". Diminutive expression for "little boy"
• gallo = meaning awful, distasteful, sucky, used commonly to express cheap objects. (Eg. Ese restaurante estaba bien gallo. = That restaurant was very sucky.)
• jo! = expression used to denote afirmation, surprise, exaggeration, admiration or anything that shocks depending on the used tone. (Eg. Jo! Esa negra esta hermosa. = That black woman is beautiful.) A shortened version of Carajo!
• vamos pal cuero = means to let's go at it or let's do it, meaning to perform any non particular action.
• guaro = referred to any type of alcoholic beverage, but truly means sugar cane liquor fermented from guarapo. Can be spelled "waro".
• guarapo = non alcoholic drink made of sugar cane.
• de alante = "From the front/top". Meaning that something is awesome, great or cool. *palante = union of the words "para adelante" (literally: go forward) but actually means leaving or abandoning a party or place. Example: "fui palante" (I left)
• en panga = un-cool, un-interesting, not hip. "Tas en panga" (You suck)
• Racataca = A very unsophisticated person - the stereotype usually involves listening to bad reggae dancehall music (or reggaeton), wearing gold teeth, wearing clothes that look like stuff gringo rappers threw in the garbage and were picked up by piedreros, naming their children with strange, multisyllabic composite names like SURISABEL or YAMIURKA (examples of which you'll find painted on the windows of most DIABLO ROJOs)
• faracho = ataque, heart attack (Eg. Le dio un faracho! = le dio un ataque/colapso). Syn. beri-beri, jaratac.
• Tranque = Traffic jam. Example: "Llegué tarde por el tranque" (i was late because of the traffic jam)
• Tortillera: Disrespective form to say lesbian.
• Zambito/a: In the region of Azuero ( The Provinces of Los Santos and Herrera) is a slang meaning dude, Child O Teenagers (Boys) Zambita fem. slang meaning due Child O Teenagers (Girls)
• Hasta la verga = Extremely drunk or ###### up. Also: Hasta la zapatilla, hasta la wacha, hasta la wacharneta, hasta la requete
• Llesca = Reversed of calle. Example: "Vamos pa la llesca" (Lets go to the street, lets go out)
• palanquear = to one's influence to help another person get a job or pick up a member of the opposite sex.
• Petatearse = To die.
• Pelar el bollo = To die.
• Plena = Panamanian version of reggaeton, which came first. Reggaeton came from Panamanian plena. Example: "Dj pon plena" (Dj play some plena)
• Ponchera = Something unusually cool, unexpected or scandalous. Example: "Hoy se formo tremenda ponchera en la discoteca"
• Policia muerto = "Dead policeman". Speed bump. Example: "Dale suave que viene un policia muerto" (Go slow, there is a speed bump coming)
• Pai pai y no estoy = Panamanian boxing technique made famous by former world champ Jaime Rios. It consists of hitting your opponent and then stepping back.
• Chuzo!!!! = Non vulgar way of saying "chucha" to mean Damm it, ####, ####, etc. Same concept as saying "fudge" instead of "####".
• Verguero = A very big problem. (Que verguero se le formo al presidente)
• pilinki= a cheap person (persona tacaña)
• tatai= good bye in baby talk. It originated from the Chinese language.
• micho = cat
• micha = see chucha
• culicagao = moron or coward person, see also: laopecillo, pelaito
• garra = friend . see "fren"
• dale valor = to give value to something. generally used when turning up the volume to a stereo. "fren, dale valor a esa plena"
• Chaineado= From the English "Shiny or shined up". To dress up
• Chichi= Baby
• Offi= Means O.K., comes from "oficial".
• Ñampiao= gone crazy
• Hasta la tuza= phrase generally used to express "up to..." when drunken
• chicha 'e piña= literally it means "pineapple juice", but in Panama means "easy" or unimportant. example:"eso ta chicha 'e piña" ; "that's easy".
• Pichi= cocaine
• Pebre= Food
• Enculado= Very in love, especially at the beginning of a relationship. Example: Rodolfo está enculado.
• La kenton= When someone promises you something and does not deliver. "Carlos me hizo la kenton, me dijo que iba traer dos botellas y solo trajo una". Syn. la pacheca.
• Tembol or triki= Playground way of calling a "time out"
• Machín candao= A phrase said in playgrounds that prevents others from kicking you in the butt if you have to bend over to pick something up, or for whatever reason.
• Chamai= Yellow cloth to wipe and dry a car. A chamois.
• Cranear= To think very hard.
• Brother surfer= Stereotypically, how surfers call each other.
• Ratita mopri awebao= Stereotypically, how rich kids call each other.
• Bochon= Reverse of chombo (black guy)
• osea = a way of expressing surprise, disgust; commonly used by yeyes (see "yeye")
• pilar= to study
• puesto quemao= playground way of preventing others from taking your seat
• ni chicha ni limonada= not one thing nor the other. (neither juice nor lemonade)
• me sabe a cake lit. "it tastes like cake to me" means i don't give a damn
• me lo paso por los huevos= see "me sabe a cake".
• reventar, detonar, romper to tease or mock another person
• Comearroz= Child or baby (Rice eater)
• Concolón= The rice that gets burnt into the pan when you make fried rice. The origin of this word is said to have come from the voyagers who travelled with Christopher Columbus, whose Spanish name is Cristobal Colon. If you ate 'concolon' you were said to eat with the captain, who ate last, or literally 'con Colon'.
• Seco con vaca= Popular liquor Seco mixed with milk. (Seco with cow)
• Nueve letras= Popular name for the highest selling brand of Seco in Panama, Herrerano, which has nine letters.
• Pipi sweet= Womanizer or a "Don Juan" (Sweet dick).
• Soplamoco= A punch or slap in the face.
• Matapuerco= "pork killer". A punch thrown without any technique.
• Piñatero= In baseball, when a batter swings at a very high pitch and misses he is called a Piñatero, as in trying to hit a Piñata.
• Cafá= A slap in the face or head.
• Tatequieto= A punch that leaves someone knocked out (without movement).
• Rochadera= Make out session.
• Sin suan= A playground swing. (Swing swang).
• Surra surra= A playground slide.
• echar un cinco= "Take 5". 1. To Sleep for a little while. 2. To fight.
• Salió el fulo= The sun just came out.
• Bajapanti= Popular and cheap "wine" called Night Train Express. Literally means, "panty remover".
• Bocarest= Bad breath.
• Zocarest= bad smell under armpit.
• Sopa= The pool of sweat that forms in the underarm of a shirt.
• Sopa= In basketball, a blocked shot. Also, sopón.
• A vergazo/a pingazo/a balazo= Fast
• Chuchita= Someone who is always being taken advantage of by another.
• Tavuel= Reversed form of vuelta. Vamos a dar una tavuel, would mean to go out (sometimes pronounced Tawer).
• Desguañangao= ###### up, badly dressed or beaten up.
• Pelonera= Young boys game where the loser gets hit in he head by the others until he reaches the "machin"
• Flus= Cash money. Ex. Que va, hoy voy a chupar en mi chantin porque no tengo flus.
• Como ñinga ño= yes.
• En Bosnia= "In Bosnia" Means you are no where to be found. Example: "Ese man esta en Bosnia".
• Revosh= Reverse in a car.
• Recula= See "revosh".
• Cuatro gatos= Very few people.
• Chupata= A party that involves a lot of alcohol, for example: 'let's invite some friends and have a 'chupata'
• Llamar a Hugo= To vomit. It comes from the sound drunks make while vomiting (Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugo).
• Hablar con los monstruos= Talk to the monsters. See "Llamar a Hugo".
• Demencia= Something really awesome. "Que demencia ese carro aoeao".
• Grajo= Body odor. A very nasty smell coming from the armpits. Example: hueles a grajo. (you are stinky)
• Meto= a word from the Province of Chiriqui that is said when someone has screwed up. see "chuzo" The word can also be used for many other purposes/states of the speaker e.g. surprise, ignorance, disbelieve etc. towards something that has been said or stated.
• cocobolo= totally bald
• refine= Means a meal or to eat (refinar).
• Trepa que sube= A very bad situation. Also known as "arroz con mango."
• Ayala ñex= Expression that denotes surprise or amusement. Very similar to Holy ####.
• Arrecho= sexually excited
• Bagre= Synonym to 'cangreja'. Means "catfish".
• Totuma: Dried fruit used by natives to carry water and taking a shower. Could also mean a type of haircut
• Sacar la Chucha: 1. To beat up 2. to be involved in a really bad accident. (Sacale la chucha a ese man - Beat that guy up; el carro se saco la chucha - the car got all ###### up)
• Pifia: Word used in the 80's to describe something cool.
• Culo= the butt
• Chapot= From the English "Shaped up". Used to refer to someone that is very well dressed. As in "Estas bien chapot".
• Tripear= Derived from the English "Trippin'". To enjoy.
• tostao / a= used when someone has just smoked weed (Julio esta tostao de tanto fuma)
• chiswiz=Name given to any snack, such as Doritos, Tostitos...Originates from the English "Cheese Wiz"
• Borriguero= A low ranking employee. Lizard Ameiva ameiva
• Frulo = Have fear of something.
• Cholopop = Person from the countryside, trying to impress by wearing rocker outfits.
• Mascabola = a cock sucker. also "Masca Verga"
• Quemao = same as Tostao.
• Chacaleria = people of the ghetto. Beware, they can kill you.
• Vamos pal war = lets go to the war, but in spanish it means lets have sex.
• Por fuera = it means out, im gone.
• El de las pelotas = English Translation of = "Of the balls" see juega vivo
• Maricon = butterfly, gay
• osea = abbreviation for lo que sea (what ever)
• BatiBuay=Gay
• BadBuay=in english (BAD BOY)
• De kñoon/ de ley : something that is happening no matter what.
• Que Bestia/Ayala bestia: some type of expression non vulgar
• Ta cruel: when something is REALLY bad..
• Focop/focoot: FUCK UP
• sakakaka: A popular game, when they heat you in your ass
• Tella: a way to call the bottle of alcohol.
• Engomado: when you wake up after a night when you have drink a lot.
• Lyrica: watch cinta ex. tiraa tu lyrica freen!
• La ultima coca cola del desierto: when someone he or she is the best of the best. ex hay ese man se cree la ultima coca cola del desierto aw!
• Eso ni es: when something is not right. ex man eso NI ES
• Doble cara: when you are an hipocrate! eres manso doble caraa
• Sizaña: when someone is trying to make de other one angry and they fight. ex Eres un sizañosoo!

Chuleta!!= Oh men!