One of our recommendations in the article 4 Strategies to Learn Spanish Slang Abroad when you want to know the language of a specific country is to read the local newspapers. The sports section is an excellent source of colloquial vocabulary you can find. A journalist that write sports news has more flexibility in the vocabulary he or she selects. You are allowed to use more colloquial terms compare to hard news, because at the end, sports are for entertainment too.
On Wednesday, August 15, 2012 the soccer world champion team La Roja (also know as La Furia Roja) from Spain visited Puerto Rico to play an exhibition game (also know as partido amistoso or friendly game) with the local team. The fact that Puerto Rico is practically new in soccer –ranked number 138- was enough to become a target of ridicule in the Spanish press.
From the language point of view of a Puerto Rican, I have selected a couple of terms used by ABC and El País Internet news portals to review this event. Read the definitions and you will realize why the readers from Spain are so embarrassed about what they wrote about Puerto Rico.
ABC España Headline: España solventa un bodrio ante Puerto Rico
“España solventa un bodrio ante Puerto Rico”
1. solventa: Fill your pockets with money so you can pay debts.
2. bodrio: Something done the wrong way, messy or tacky.
“El partido, ya lo saben, tenía pinta de ser una pachanga infame.”
3. pachanga: An informal football or basketball game that is played using one goal or basket.
“El encuentro en sí fue un cachondeo ante una selección que cuenta en todo su territorio con 77 equipos.”
4. cachondeo: A vulgarism that means a mess or gibberish.
“Puerto Rico, con un equipo sospechosamente fondón, se metió atrás y no es que saliera al contragolpe, es que apenas salía de su área.”
5. fondón: Said to a person that has lost the courage and agility due to gained weight.
“España vio el percal y dijo que daba lo justo, ni una gota de sudor más, que el asunto no valía la pena.”
6. percal: A situation or circumstance.
“A los tres minutos Cesc empaló un centro de Navas y el partido que estaba a borde de irse al abismo amenazó conirse al garete.”
7. empalar: To skewer or impale.8. irse al garete: Drifting without direction or purpose. To fail.
“Sucedían cosas, nimias, cuando la cogía Cazorla o Silva, pero poco más.”
9. nimias: In reference to something non-material that is insignificant or without importance.
“Una charlotada de partido”
10. charlotada: Public performance, grotesque or ridiculous.
El País Headline: España juega una farsa
“España juega una farsa”
11. farsa: A comic play, usually brief, with the only purpose of make people laugh. Also a derogatory term that means a dramatic play disheveled, tawdry and grotesque.
“España cruzó el charco para enfrentarse a Puerto Rico.”
12. cruzar el charco: To travel across the sea. This phrase is also used in Puerto Rico mostly in reference to the people that moved to the United States.
“El resultado, una farsa que, encima, dejó la lesión de Juanfran, lateral del Atlético, que se perderá por un esguince de rodilla el comienzo de la Liga y tal vez la Supercopa de Europa ante el Chelsea el próximo día 31 en Mónaco.”
13. esguince: A violent and painful twist of a joint, a less severe dislocation.
“En un bolo de verano a todos los efectos, el partido comenzó con 15 minutos de retraso después de que las autoridades locales se demoraran saludando a los futbolistas españoles en presencia de Ángel María Villar…”
14. bolo: A presentation offered by a theater company to perform in one or more areas in order to take advantage of economically favorable circumstances.
“A cuenta de ese dinero, Villar endosó a los campeones de Europa 16 horas de vuelo (ocho de ida y ocho de vuelta) para medirse a un rival en las catacumbas del fútbol.”
15. catacumbas: catacombs
“Pese a la escasez del aforo, 12.500 espectadores, ni siquiera estaba lleno el estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel, de Bayamón, cerca de San Juan.”
16. aforo: A maximum number of people –given by authorities- that can fit in a place where an event or show will take place.
“…pero España entró en una fase tan anodina que Citrón ganó la espalda a Ramos y batió de tiro raso a Reina.”
17. anodina: Insignificant, ineffective, pointless
For Puerto Rico it was an honor to play with La Furia Roja and the local team’s expectations was to score the only gol they did. It was so sad to see such expressions about the team, the event organization and even the weather! Locals from the island will say nos dieron como pandereta about the press reviews from Spain. To José Manuel Cuéllar and Cayetano Ros, who wrote these pieces, and the editors who allowed them to be published: this style of reporting is completely uncalled for and leaves much to be desired.
Check out these other Spain Spanish Slang Expressions articles.
Featured photo credit: anieto2k via photo pin cc
