✽ The little porteño dictionary ✽

Buenos Aires words

A little Buenos Aires, word by word.

32 of 32 wordsReal audio: porteño Spanish and American English

colectivo

bus

“Me tomo el colectivo.”

Usually shortened to bondi in casual speech.

subte

subway

“Voy en subte al centro.”

bondi

bus (slang)

“Ahí viene el bondi.”

auto

car

“Dejé el auto en la esquina.”

nafta

gasoline / petrol

“Tengo que cargar nafta.”

vereda

sidewalk / pavement

“Te espero en la vereda.”

frutilla

strawberry

“Quiero un helado de frutilla.”

palta

avocado

“Le pongo palta a la tostada.”

durazno

peach

“Este durazno está buenísimo.”

choclo

corn

“Hice una tarta de choclo.”

manteca

butter

“¿Me pasás la manteca?”

In Argentina, manteca means butter, not lard.

birra

beer (slang)

“¿Nos tomamos una birra?”

medialuna

Argentine crescent pastry

“Un café con dos medialunas.”

Similar to a croissant, often smaller and sweeter.

mate

yerba mate infusion

“¿Querés un mate?”

A traditional drink served in a gourd with a metal straw.

heladera

fridge

“La leche está en la heladera.”

celular

cell phone / mobile phone

“Me olvidé el celular.”

departamento

apartment / flat

“Alquilé un departamento.”

pileta

swimming pool / sink

“Vamos a la pileta.”

Context matters: it can also mean a kitchen or laundry sink.

remera

T shirt

“Me compré una remera.”

campera

jacket

“Llevá una campera, hace frío.”

zapatillas

sneakers / trainers

“Me puse las zapatillas.”

pollera

skirt

“Me gusta esa pollera.”

birome

ballpoint pen

“¿Tenés una birome?”

frazada

blanket

“Necesito otra frazada.”

kiosco

small convenience shop

“Voy al kiosco de la esquina.”

che

hey

“Che, ¿todo bien?”

Used to get someone's attention or address them informally.

laburo

work / job

“Salgo del laburo a las seis.”

guita

money

“No tengo guita.”

quilombo

mess / chaos

“¡Qué quilombo el tránsito!”

Very informal and potentially vulgar, avoid in formal situations.

posta

really / for real

“¿Posta me decís?”

re

very / really

“Está re bueno.”

An informal intensifier before an adjective or adverb.

bajón

bummer / feeling down

“Qué bajón que no puedas venir.”