When you dive into Bolivian Spanish, you’ll discover hilarious expressions that showcase the country’s unique sense of humor.
Money Matters
- Estar choco: You’re flat broke, not cross-eyed as you might think!
- No tengo ni un peso partido por la mitad: “I don’t even have half a peso split in two”
- Estar más pelado que rodilla de canillita: “To be more broke than a paperboy’s knee”
- Como gato de mercado: “Like a market cat” – Always searching for scraps/money
Dodging Responsibilities
- Hacer la chancha: “To do the female pig” – Playing hooky from work or school
- Estar en el plan pijcho: “To be in the coca leaf plan” – Just hanging around doing nothing
- Hacerse la vaca: “To make oneself the cow” – Skipping out on obligations
- Estar en Babia: “To be in Babia” – Being completely disconnected
Describing People
- Más aburrido que una ostra: “More bored than an oyster”
- Cara de pato mareado: “Face of a dizzy duck” – Looking confused
- Ser un choco: “To be a corn kernel” – Being short
- Estar como agua y aceite: “To be like water and oil” – Two people who don’t get along
- Ser un anticucho: “To be an anticucho” – Being nosy
- Tener mala pata: “To have bad paw” – Being unlucky
Food-Related Fun
- Estar como agua para chocolate: “To be like water for chocolate” – Furious
- Más fresco que una lechuga: “Fresher than a lettuce” – Too relaxed
- Estar como pan para sopa: “To be like bread for soup” – Being useful
- Estar del tomate: “To be of the tomato” – Being crazy
Life Situations
- Meter la pata: “To put in the paw” – Making a big mistake
- Estar en el horno: “To be in the oven” – In big trouble
- Al toque: “At the touch” – Immediately
- A paso de tortuga: “At turtle’s pace” – Moving very slowly
- Como Pedro por su casa: “Like Pedro in his house” – Making yourself too comfortable
- Caído del catre: “Fallen from the bed” – Looking disheveled
Weather and Nature
- Hace un frío que pela: “It’s a cold that peels” – Freezing outside
- Llueve más que cuando enterraron al gigante: “It’s raining more than when they buried the giant”
- Más frío que corazón de suegra: “Colder than a mother-in-law’s heart”
- Como perro en canoa: “Like a dog in a canoe” – Being very uncomfortable
Modern Life
- Estar como chicle: “To be like gum” – Someone who won’t leave you alone
- Dar lata: “To give tin” – Being annoying
- Estar en la papa: “To be in the potato” – Being in a great situation
- Como uña y mugre: “Like nail and dirt” – Inseparable friends
- A full: Borrowed from English – At maximum capacity/effort
These Funny Bolivian Phrases reflect the country’s rich linguistic creativity. While common in daily conversation, remember that context matters! So if someone says you’re “más perdido que turco en la neblina” (more lost than a Turk in the fog), they’re just calling you confused.