Anyone who speaks Spanish knows what I mean. Chupar is the verb “to suck”, used a sexual way (this is a family website so I’ll say no more). While in Central America people use the term “ birra” (from English) as a replacement for “ cerveza” (beer), in El Salvador, they add an extra syllable for stylistic effect. For example, “ El examen fue muy yuca” (“The exam was very difficult”). Literally “ yucca” (the vegetable), in El Salvador, this word is used to mean “difficult” or hard/tough. This term doesn’t have a specific meaning but is used to refer to a guy or gal, like when talking about a friend. “ Salud” also means “cheers” in Spanish, as it a toast with drinks. Derived from “ salud” (health), this term is used as a farewell in El Salvador. As such, you’ll often see #sivar hashtagged in social media by tourism authorities and so on. It’s a term used positively when describing the attributes of the country. Down the line this word came to mean “brother” or “brotherhood” and ended up as Guanaco. Others say it goes back much further to pre-Columbian times when indigenous people held meetings called “ huanacaxtle” which sounds like “guanacaste”. Some say it’s from the William Walker wars of the 19th century when Salvadoran troops used to meet under guanacaste trees. Why do Salvadorans call themselves Guanacos? Good question. Similar to “ Chapin” or “ Catracho“, “ Guanaco” is the nickname Salvadorans give themselves. Central Americans love nicknames and El Salvador is no exception. Pronounced “che-kay”, you know you’re speaking to a Honduran when you hear this, much like you know you’re speaking to a Costa Rican when you hear “ mae“. A Honduran term for money, also used in El Salvador and Guatemala. It comes from an old 19th-century Honduran general called Florencio Xatruch. Similar to “ chapin” in Guatemala, catracho/catracha is what Hondurans call themselves or other Hondurans, or anything Honduran. Guatemalan Spanish: A Spanish Learner’s Guide To The Culture, Accent And Slang Of Guatemala /Lh8yAShbny However, in Guatemala, it’s also a term of affection meaning “buddy”, “pal”, or “mate”. This word is Spanish slang for turd or poo. For example, “ Oye Chapin, a qué hora viene la burra?” (Hey buddy, what time does the bus arrive?”) This comes from “ burro” (mule) and is the word Guatemalans use for bus. If they don’t end a sentence with one of these phrases, they’ll end it with the other. Used at the end of a sentence, similar to “ a huevos“. Guatemalans also use “ a huevos” at the end of sentences to mean “for sure” or “I agree”. Huevos means “eggs”, which can also mean “balls” in Spanish slang. You’ll hear and see this word all over Guatemala.
This is what Guatemalans call themselves, derived from the name of an old shoe they used to wear. However, they all have their own little idiosyncrasies and characteristics that shape their Spanish.Ī word here, a phrase there: You’ll know you’re listening to Central American Spanish when you hear some of the following: Guatemala Together, they account for some 8% of the Spanish-speaking world. Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama are small countries. This includes the six Spanish-speaking countries in Central America. Over 20 countries have Spanish as their official language, and they have all made the language their own in their own ways. When we speak of languages evolving and reinventing themselves, Spanish is no different from English. In fact, more people today speak Spanish than English. Like English, Spanish is a global language And speaking of Spanish, I also appreciate the same thing within that language. I love how my native language sounds around the world. In fact, English can sound as foreign to me as Spanish does. Occasionally, I find Australian words confusing. As an Englishman myself, I often struggle to understand the Scottish accent or even certain accents from different regions of England. I know Americans who add subtitles when watching British shows on Netflix. Even in the present, with English being a global language, understanding each other is not always effortless. The English spoken in medieval times would be incomprehensible to us today. Languages are fascinating, aren’t they? They resemble living, breathing organisms that continuously grow and evolve, giving rise to different variations. This article contains affiliate links, where we will make a small commission if you purchase anything after clicking, at no extra cost to you. Each country in Central America has its own unique words and phrases to tell you exactly where you are or who you’re talking to. Central American Spanish has its own distinct dialects.
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