While reviewing the book Quick Guide to Peruvian Spanish some cool Peru Spanish slang terms caught my attention. These terms are proper names that have taken on another meaning in the local Spanish. Knowing these phrases, when you travel to Peru you will avoid getting confused when you hear these names:
12 Proper Names That Are Spanish Slang Words in Peru
1. Natacha
Pejorative name for a maid, a woman who works in a house cleaning, washing, etc. for a living. Another Peruvian Spanish slang word is “servilleta” that literally means napkin in English and that isn’t a nice play on words with “servir.”
Example: Los domingos son los días libres de las natachas.
2. Nancy
This one means “nothing.” Another Peru Spanish slang expression for “nothing” is “ni michi.”
Example: ¿Tienes algo de dinero? -No, nancy.
3. Graciela
This is a play on words with gracias or thank you.
Example: ¡Feliz cumpleaños! –Graciela.
4. Raquel
This beautiful name means “thin” or “skinny.”
Example: ¿Qué le ha pasado a Isabel? La veo bien raquel. ¿No está comiendo bien?
5. Emilio
This one is a funny one. Emilio is used for “e- mail”
Example: Mañana te envío un emilio indicando donde será la reunión.
6. Helena
Use this one when you want your drinks cold. I suppose it comes from the Spanish word helada or frozen. Another Peruvian phrase you can use is al polo.
Example: Mozo, deme una Coca-cola bien helena.
7. Horacio
It is a synonym of “time” and comes from the similarity of the Spanish word hora.
Example: Son las 6, ya es horacio de que llegue.
8. Lorna
Means “fool” or “idiot.” Another Peru Spanish slang word is huamán.
Example: A Pepito siempre lo agarran de lorna en el colegio, se comen su lonchera y le quitan el asiento.
9. Federico or Federica
Use to make reference to an ugly person. This particular one is featured in the book ¿Quién me llama? by Daniel McKay. According to the Diccionario de Americanismos this word is also used in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Cuba and Chile.
Example: Elena es federica, es increíble que tiene un novio, él debería ser ciego.
10. Beto
Beto is the nickname (hypocorism) for Adalberto or Alberto in Spanish. It is said when you don´t know the answer.
Example: ¿Sabes quién ganó el partido? –Beto.
11. Paco
Paco is the nickname for those named Francisco in Spanish. In Peru it is a package containing drugs.
Example: Lo apresaron por llevar varios pacos en su maleta.
12. Ortiz
Ortiz is a common last name in Spanish, but in Peru also means “anus.”
Example: A los presos acusados por violación de niños, les dan por el ortiz.
Peruvian Phrases that Use Proper Names
1. Nancy que Bertha
This expression is use for negation and it comes from the phrase from “nada que ver.”
Example: ¿Verdad que te gusta Betsy? -No, nancy que bertha, somos sólo amigos.
2. Estar con Manuela
This phrase translates to “Being with Manuela,” but actually means to masturbate. Other Latin American countries will use the name Manuela for masturbation because it is similar to the word manual or manualmente (manually). Other Peruvian expressions for masturbate are correrse la paja or pajearse.
Example: ¿Tienes enamorada? -No, solo estoy con manuela.
3. Al fonso
Put this phrase together to form the name Alfonso. The expression “al fonso” means down the hall, all the way in back and it is similar to “al fondo.”
Example: ¿Me podría decir dónde está el baño? –Al fonso a la derecha.
Do you know any other proper names from Peru used like these also in phrases?
Read more about Peru Spanish slang
• Resources to learn Peru Spanish slang
• 7 Spanish Slang Words to Impress Your Peruvian Friends
• 10 Spanish Slang Words and Phrases From PERU Not Taught In School
• 10 Reverse Peru Spanish Slang Words
• Quick Guide to Peruvian Spanish
Check out these other Peru Spanish Slang Word articles.
