Caray, Caray!

These are collected from all our telenovelas over the past couple of months, but most of them are from Juan Querendón, a veritable gold mine of vocabulary. If anybody notices anything that is incorrect please let me know and I'll fix it. Many thanks to all you recappers who point out these gems for us. Enjoy!

¡Abusado! = Look out! Be careful!

¡Agárrate! = listen to this!

¡Chévere! = Fantastic!

¡Chido! = Cool!

¡Chula de bonita! = gorgeous! (chula and bonita mean beautiful, so doubly beautiful)

¡Nana! = No way!

¡Padrísimo! = way cool, extremely cool, great!

¡Pian! = take it easy! (from the musical term ‘piano’ which means calmly)

¡Protesto! = I protest/complain, used here as I attest, affirm or swear I will

¡Que vivo! = How clever!

¡Sopas! = Crash! Wallop!
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agarra la onda = understand the vibes

amarrárte los calzones = hitch up your trousers, get tough

anda cacheteando las banquetas = wild about someone (lit. slapping the sidewalks – from Schoolmarm’s Barron’s dictionary of Spanish slang)

andarse muy pipa = to go around really happy

borron y cuenta nueva = wipe the slate clean

como uña y mugre = thick as thieves (Lit. like fingernail and dirt)

consultar con la almohada = sleep on it (Lit. consult with the pillow)

cortado por la misma tijera = cut from the same cloth (Lit. cut with the same scissors)

dar la cara = face the consequences (Lit. to give the face)

en balde = for nothing (lit. in the pail, bucket)

escurrir el bulto = to pass the buck (to dodge the issue)

eso es el colmo = that's the last straw (lit. that's the height)

eso cuenta no se lo come nadie = no one is buying this story (no one is eating this story)

esperar la cosa ponerse fea = wait for the s**t to hit the fan (lit. wait for things to become ugly)

estar en las nubes = to have one's head in the clouds

estar hasta la coronilla (de) = to be utterly fed up (with), which actually looks like I’m up to the crown of my head

estoy hasta el gorro = I am fed up

irse de espalda = It is an exaggeration and is used to denote surprise “Cuando
le dijeron el precio del carro casi se va de espaldas” When he was told the price of the card he almost fell backwards.

¿le muevo la aguja? = do I move the switch? (lit. do I trip your trigger, do you care about me?)

los papeles se han cambiado = the parts/roles have been reversed, or the tables are turned

manzana de discordia = bone of contention (lit. apple of discord)

Más se perdió en la guerra = it's not the end of the world (Lit. More is lost in war)

matar dos pájaros de un tiro = kill two birds with one stone

me falto valor = I lack the courage

me agarré con las manos en la masa = I was caught with my hands in the cookie jar (lit. I was caught with my hands in the masa)

me cae gordo = I can’t stand him (Lit. he fell fat for me)

me chiqueaba = to play hard to get

meterla en cintura = to sort someone out

no canta un gallo = it’s clear (a rooster couldn’t sing clearer)

ni nostalgia ni nada = no looking back, no regrets

no dio su brazo a torcer = didn’t let him twist her arm, didn’t give her arm to be twisted

no te sulfures = don't get mad

pasar por alto = get lost in the shuffle

“Pica, pica y califica” (something like saying: “check mate”)

rebanadas del aire = slices of air (starving)

sacar a alguien de quicio = to drive someone up the wall

sacarle la vuelta a alguien = avoid someone

sacar tajada = get a piece of the pie, to get in on the act (lit. take a piece)

si no le importa que meta mi cuchara – if you don’t mind me meddling (if it’s not important to you that I’m mixing my spoon in it)

sin saber a qué hora = never see it coming

Sin ton ni son = without rhyme or reason

no taladres el alma = don’t put a hole in the soul (don’t drill/bore through the soul)

Todo cabe dentro las posibilidades = anything fits inside the possibilities, anything’s possible

todo se vale = anything goes, it’s all worth it (my loose interpretation)

tomar decisions al vuelo = make decisions on the wing/on the fly, think on your feet

torcer la flecha = twist the knife (lit. twist the arrow)

yo pico de cera = I mind my own business (Lit. ??)

Labels: Juan, Vocabulary