10 Santiago words you must know

In all places the language is deformed, or rather transformed. If you are a visitor and you hear a dialogue between Santi Agueños, they may not understand everything they say. That’s why I put together this Decalogue with the most used expressions and words in Santiago to let you know their meaning:

1. Ané: It is an expression of affirmation. A “yes.” For example, when you ask if you will visit Santiago del Estero, you must answer: “Ané”.
2. Capu: It is used to order something, but not to use please. The word almost forces the other person to give in whatever or part of them. If someone opens a alfajor and hears “capu,” they’re asking them to invite.
3. Cholo: Very common when you question the originality of something. The word indicates that a product or object is not original, that it is a copy. “That DVD is cholo.”
4. Ñaka: It’s an adaptation of what Tucumans use “ni aca”. It serves to refer to nothing itself.
5. Chala: We explained that cholo was trout. Chala means new or renewed. For example, we painted the front of the house and said, “The house was chala.”
6. Bandiao: It is not only used in Santiago del Estero, butalso in other provinces of the region. This is called people who have inappropriate attitudes or actions, or who take advantage of them. Someone takes something without paying, “has bandiao”.
7. Pichita: Word used to indicate ease: “The exam was phichita.”
8. Opa: Another word that is not exclusive to Santiago, but very used. It’s used as an insult against someone to call him a fool or an idiot. It is also popular in Salta and Tucumán.
9. Michi: This is what people who enter into issues that they do not participate in. It’s basically for tagging “tucked”.
10. Lala: Very used already in the region and you hear a lot among children when you show your things to others. It means, “I got it.” In a change of figurines, for example, if a child says “Iala” indicates that he is not interested in that one because he already has one.

These are just a few of the many expressions and words that you can hear when visiting the province. It is ideal to know them for not to be left out or disconnected from any talk.

Adrián Farina

Licenciado en Comunicación Social y periodista. Soy instructor de tenis y gané un Interclubes, también soy jugador y crítico de videojuegos. Siento que tengo un superpoder, pero aún no logro descubrir cuál es ni su alcance, imagino que es escribir. Siempre con la guardia alta.