Spanish Dictionary

This isn’t exactly a blog post so much as a guide to some common Spanish words that will appear throughout my different entries.  Some are fun slang words, and others more serious. (This idea was stolen from a current YD Volunteer).

Primaria: noun, place- Basically the Peruvian version of an elementary school.  Primaria includes grades 1-6.

Secundaria: noun, place- Peruvian version of middle school and high school.  Grades 7-10ish, depending.

Sol: noun, thing- Peruvian currency.  Soles come in the form of coins and paper bills.  Coincidentally enough, coins are more popular here.  In the States it is common to hate change, but here people hoard it because it is the easiest thing to pay with.  Right now, $1.00 is worth about 2.70 soles, also written like this: S/. 2.70.

Combi: noun, thing- It can either be a large bus, a 15-passenger van, or a smaller van.  The more people they can fit in one combi, the better.  Seats for 15? Great! Let’s jam in 25 people!  Combi rides costs anywhere from S/. 0.50 and up.

Colectivo: noun, thing- Another form of public transportation.  A colectivo is essentially a taxi, but it waits until it is completely full to go anywhere, or it picks up other people on the way to a given destination.  Not everyone in a colectivo have to be going to the same place, but they must all be in the same general direction.  And when I say “full” I don’t mean the car has 5 people in it.  I mean the car has at least 7 or 8 people in it to be considered full.

Charla: noun, thing- Basically an hour long class or discussion over a given topic.

Cuy: noun, thing- Spanish word for guinea pig.  Peruvians raise and eat guinea pigs.  The flavor isn’t too bad, but there is hardly any meat on the bone.  Most times it is served with the head, legs, and feet still attached.  This type of food is more common in the Sierra region of Peru.

Sierra: noun, place- The mountainous region of Peru.  Many Volunteer sites are in the Sierra.

Costa: noun, place- The coastal region of Peru.  Many Volunteer sites are in the Costa.

Selva: noun, place- The rainforest region of Peru.  There are no Volunteer sites in the Selva.

Socio: noun, person- A person or persons in your host community that the Peace Corps has identified for you to work with, also known as a Community Partner.  Many times Volunteers develop new and different Socios over the course of their two years.  Socios will help you organize different projects and help you integrate into your new community.

Quechua: noun, language- An indigenous language of Peru.  There are many places in Peru that still speak Quechua, but it is becoming less prevalent.  However, much Peruvian slang stems from its Quechua roots.

Pollo Abrasado: noun, thing- Basically rotisserie chicken served with french fries.  Always delicious and fairly cheap.

Pachamanca: noun, thing- The Peruvian version of bbq.  Most pachamanca is made in a hole in the ground using hot rocks to cook the meat and vegetables.  I have yet to try this, but I’ve heard it’s delicious.

Ceviche: noun, thing- Raw fish served with vegetables and tossed with lime juice and other delicious things.  If you’re ever in Peru near the coast, you must try it.

Campo: noun, place- Someplace very rural, usually referring to an area in the Sierras.  Most campo sites lack basic amenities like electricity, running water, and bathrooms.  Many Volunteers live in campo sites.

Arroz: noun, thing- Rice.  The staple of every Peruvian’s diet.

Papas: noun, thing- Potatoes.  The other staple of every Peruvian’s diet.  There are over 100 different types of potatoes in Peru.

Gringo/Gringa: noun, person- Any white person, not just Americans.  I will forever be the Gringa, no matter how long I live in Peru.  The term can either be endearing or demeaning, depending on the usage.

Jerga: noun, thing- The Peruvian word for slang.  Peruvians have a slang word for almost everything.

Bicicleta: noun, jerga- Remember how I said Peruvians have a slang word for everything? Bicicleta literally translates to bicycle, but in Peru it is also slang for diarrhea.  It makes talking about diarrhea much more amusing.

Dinamicas: noun, thing-  A short game or activity.  It can be just for fun or educational.  I have learned about 500 new dinamicas and will probably use them all more than once.  They’re a great thing to have in your back pocket.