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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English Words That Colombians Love
Speaking natural-sounding Spanish is all about learning how to use the exact same words that locals do, in the exact same contexts. Your teacher or textbook might tell you the correct way to speak, but on the streets of Bogota or Cali, many of these phrases just won’t cut it. Rather than obsessing over how to say things in a technically perfect way, my advice would be to embrace the local variations and imitate them as far as possible.
Colombian Slang Basics: The Meaning of "Parcero" / "Parce"
One of the most famous Colombian slang words, especially in Medellin and nearby areas, is “parce”, or “parcero/a”; a word whose meaning is roughly like “dude”, “bro” or “mate” in English. It is a word which you’ll hear in near enough every informal conversation between young(ish) Colombians, and is especially popular among guys. Less commonly, you might come across “parcerito”; the diminutive version, which sounds a little too cutsie for most people’s taste.