“No, sizas just means ‘yes’ in Colombian Spanish.”Īnother expression that fascinates many foreign people is to hear a Colombian say, “Me saca la piedra” (It takes the rock out of me). Are you talking about bank accounts?” you ask Jhon. And, to make sure that the line hasn’t been disconnected you ask, “Are you still there Jhon?” This means that whatever he was going to say he forgot or isn’t sure of the correct way to express his idea.Īnother widespread turn of phrase to be heard in Colombia happens when you are having trouble hearing the other person you are talking on the phone. He politely makes eye contact with you and says, “The dove has left me” ( Se me fue la paloma). “No, te la montan, is referring to when the other girls pick on my daughter at school.”Ī common occurrence when you are talking to Colombians in English is that they will start off telling you a story, for example “I was at the quick stop and a large man with a gold chain, a leather jacket and many tattoos asked if I help him give his car a jump”….long pause….You then see, by the look of terror and shame, on your Colombian friend’s face that the needle has slipped off of his record. I thought she was going to private school.” I am a little confused about your daughter being ridden around like livestock while at school. “Ok, I understand the mommy part now, that’s clear. “When I say Mommy, I am referring to my daughter, not my actual mother.”Īnother strange occasion involving my girlfriend’s daughter arose when she showed me a text message she sent to her daughter, “Mommy, don’t let the other girls ride you in school.” ( Mommy, no dejes que te la montan en la escuela). #1) I didn’t realize your 53-year old mother was still in school and #2) Isn’t it a little strange to lecture your own 53-year old mother on how she should be spending her money? I would then ask my girlfriend two questions, He then looks at me like I am the one who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.Īt home, I always hear my girlfriend Kary say strange expressions over the phone like, “Mommy, make sure to put all you books in your backpack for school tomorrow,” or “Mommy, make sure not to spend all your money on candy, save it for your lunch.” When I inform him that I really already have enough business partners in place and he should use the capital he was going to invest in my company to maybe buy some more food for his dogs. You actually just came in to buy $1,500 pesos ($.75USD) worth of that good Bocatto ice cream and are not worthy of being called “Your mercy.” To this the clerk will promptly respond, “ Para servirle” (another cute way to say ‘at your service’).Įven the older gentleman with the fleet of dogs by the bus station is always asking “ Me colabora?” (Would you like to collaborate with me?) Like we should get together and work on a project, just him and me.
You thank the clerk for such a warm welcome and try to explain to her that really you aren’t anyone important. This example is illustrated when you enter the small corner grocery store and the sales clerk says to, “ A sus ordenes su merced” (At your service your mercy). Good luck if you are in a hospital in Colombia and the doctor tells you, “ Hay un inconievente.” This no doubt means that what they thought was just a little routine acid reflux really means that your kidneys have exploded and you have 3 minutes to live.Īlso in Colombia, the customer is made to feel almost like royalty. The waiter would tell you, “Sorry sir, there is an inconvenience, the pork sandwich you ordered is going to take an extra 10 minutes before it will be ready.” In English this phrase would be used if maybe the meal you ordered at a restaurant is going to take 5 or 10 minutes longer than expected to arrive to your table. Here in Colombia, you can call someone a maestro just because you like the quality of chips he is selling out of a shopping cart near the mini stop.Īn everyday phrase here in Colombia is, “ Hay un inconievente” (There is an inconvenience). In English, maestro is reserved for an artist who has their work displayed in many different museums around the globe or for someone who has been paid to conduct a symphony. Instead you can just refer to any man you have met on the street as maestro. Probably the best thing about speaking Spanish in Colombia is that you can don’t have to really learn the names of any Colombian men.
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