Colombian Slang Basics #4: Parche
Today’s slang word is “parche”; a term the dictionary would have you believe just means “patch”. In Colombia, it has an altogether more useful meaning too.
While no exact English translation exists for Colombians slang use of “parche”, it roughly means: “a group of friends getting together to do something”.
So, talking about a fun night you had the previous day, you could comment to a buddy:
¡Qué buen parche el de anoche!
Later, another Colombian friend asks you about the plans for the weekend by saying:
Entonces, ¿vamos para la playa este finde o qué?
You could then hit them back with the nicely Colombian response:
Hágale, a mí me encanta ese tipo de parche
Meaning: “let’s do it. I love that kind of thing”.
And the verb “Parchar”
By turning “parche” into “parchar” it becomes the verb “to hang out [with friends]”.
For example:
Nosotros siempre parchamos en el parque
Meaning: “We always hang out in the park”.
Dañaparche – a buzzkiller
A “dañaparche” is the name for someone who ruins (“daña”) the “parche”. It is the Colombian slang version of “aguafiestas”, or “spoilsport”, heard in international Spanish.
In conversation, the term might be used as follows:
Si ustedes van a esa discoteca, yo no voy a ir. Siempre hay mucha fila y me da pereza esperar
Ey, no seas dañaparche. ¡Venga pues!
That is: 1. “If you guys are gonna go to that club then I won’t come. There’s always a long queue and I can’t be bothered to wait” 2. “Hey, stop being such a buzz killer and just come along!”.
“Estar desparchado” – to have no social plans
At the other end of the spectrum, “estar desparchado” is the way to describe someone who hasn’t got much going on in their social life, and who is probably a bit down as a result.
Take this joke complaint, for example:
Lo típico: cuando estoy desparchado, hace sol; después me sale un buen plan y llueve
This would translate as: “Typical. When I’ve got nothing going on, it’s sunny outside. Later, something good comes up and it rains”.
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Colombian expressions explained: ‘Pelar el cobre’
Inspired by a recent reader query, I thought I’d add some new posts explaining more advanced local expressions, which you may come across after talking with Colombians for a longer period. One is “pelar el cobre” or “mostrar el cobre“, which is broadly similar in meaning to the English “to show one’s true colours”.
19 Funny Sayings from Colombia
Colombians do enjoy a good bit of exaggeration. Not seen a friend for a week or two? “I’ve not seen you in like a thousand years!” (“hace como mil años que no te veo”), a local will most probably decry. Pick up a bargain in the sales, meanwhile, and our Colombian friends are just as likely to describe their purchase as “given away” (“regalado”) as they are to say that it was merely cheap.