2023-05-04 15:38:25
Spain’s Gypsy population, who now number around 730,000, have faced plenty of discrimination since they first arrived in the country in the 1500s.
And yet in many ways this long-established Romani ethnic group has left its mark on Spanish culture and language more than in any other country they migrated to from India.
In the southern region Andalusia in particular, music, dance and traditional attire all have Gypsy roots.
In fact, the stereotypical Spanish image of flamenco guitar playing, sevillanas dancing and colourful dotted dresses has stronger Gypsy cultural links than Iberian ones.
The Gypsy language, Spanish Caló, uses Spanish syntax but Romani vocabulary, a hybrid which can nonetheless hardly be understood by Spanish speakers.
But just like Arabic words were soaked up by Castilian Spanish during centuries of Moorish rule, Spanish Romani has sprinkled a wide array of words into castellanoespecially colloquialisms, which are used all the time in Spain nowadays.
Here are 18 of the best Spanish words that are derived from Caló, including synonyms and examples of how to use them.
Camel: To sweet-talk, to be taken in by, to seduce.
Formally synonymous: Seduce
Example: Don’t try to sweet-talk my sister.
Don’t try to seduce my sister.
Work: To work, to make an effort. There’s also the noun ‘curro’ meaning a job.
Formally synonymous: Work
Example: I have to work all night.
I have to work all night.
Molar: To like, to be cool.
Formally synonymous: to like, to be pleasant
Example: I’m very cool, why don’t you think it’s cool?
I really like it, why don’t you think it’s cool?
To eat: To steal, to nick.
Formally synonymous: Steal
Example: A thief has stolen our TV.
A burglar has nicked our TV.
quit: To go away, to clear off.
Formally synonymous: Leave
Example: Get out of here, come on!
Come on, clear off!
Sober: To sleep, to snooze, to kip.
Formally synonymous: Sleep
Example: Don’t touch yourself, it’s too early.
Don’t fall asleep, it’s too early.
bottle: leather jacket.
Formally synonymous: Leather jacket
Example: What a beautiful suck!
What a cool jacket!
Straw: Wank, masturbation. There’s also the verb jerk off or wankwhich means to have a wank.
Formally synonymous: Masturbation
Example: Stop jacking off like a teenager.
Stop wanking off like a teenager.
Pine trees: Teeth, chompers, gnashers
Formally synonymous: Teeth
Example: I have given myself a host in all the pines.
I’ve knocked myself right in the chompers.
Those: Home, crib, pad
Formally synonymous: Casa
Example: Come on uncle, let’s go to your queli.
Come on dude, let’s go to your house.
Paripe: Show, farce, sham. There’s also make a paripéto make a scene.
Formally synonymous: Simulationalthough wall isn’t considered that colloquial.
Example: Wall mounted menu!
What a scene they’ve made!
Crazy and Crazy: Two ways of saying mad.
Formally synonymous: Loco
Example: He’s a nut, a real nut.
He’s a madman, an absolute nutter.
Chungo: Dodgy. Read more about it here.
Formally synonymous: bad-looking, difficult
Example: The thing is dodgy.
Things are looking dodgy.
Gauze: Cool, nice. Read more about why gauze may have British links here.
Formally synonymous: good, great
Example: Let’s go to the concert? Chachi!
We’re going to the concert? Cool!
Pureta: Old man, slightly derogatory
Formally synonymous: old man, old person
Example: You are made a pureta.
You’re an old man now.
Joint: Bar with a bad reputation, gambling den
Formally synonymous: Not-so-famous bar
Example: We were in a drinking joint until so many.
We were in a bar having drinks until early in the morning.
You will be able to: Luck, usually good luck.
Formally synonymous: good luck
Example: What a filly you have! She has won the lottery.
You’re so jammy! You’ve won the lottery.
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