Being bilingual is a blessing – and confusing. What happens when you can’t exactly translate a word? You make up your own. Here are a few we’ve spanglishized and use all the time…
1. Chequear – to check something, like a reference.
Credit: Fantasia / Disney / totalfilm / Tumblr
If you chequé the dictionary you will not find chequear.
2. Taggear – to tag someone on social media.
Credit: @cantstayput / Instagram
Seriously? Taggear is becoming a word? What’s next, “posteando” statuses?
3. Yarda – a yard or lawn.
Credit: SNL / NBC / hulu / Tumblr
“Mami, Luis and his friends won’t let me play en la yarda.”
READ: You Never Say These Things to Latinas You’re Trying to Date
4. Flirtear – to flirt.
Credit: Orange is the New Black / Netflix / tell-me-that-you-need-me / Tumblr
It’s been so long since some flirted with me, but I’m pretty sure that isn’t the right word.
5. Estoquieando – stalking, you know, like most of us do.
Credit: perks-of-being-an-emily / Tumblr
We also use this to talk about estoqueando on Instagram.
6. Marqueta – the market.
Credit: muggledogumluseherbaz / Tumblr
This is lazy. Mercado is shorter and it’s the proper word.
7. Parquear – to park, usually like a boss.
Credit: tugbaheaven / Tumblr
I’m almost there. Estoy parqueando.
READ: Nothing Scared You More As a Kid Than Hearing Your Parents Say These Things to You
8. Chance (chan sey) – chance
Credit: Misery Business / Fueled by Ramen / pistolitasyrositas / Tumblr
If you can’t make up a word just give the English word a Latino pronunciation. That usually does the trick.
9. Bloque – a neighborhood block.
Credit: Mr. Rogers Neighborhood / PBS / permanentgoodbye / Tumblr
If only we all lived en el mismo bloque as Mr. Roger, we’d all have proper vocabulary. I’m just saying…
10. Bildin – a building.
Credit: beatendrum / Tumblr
Or edificio. It isn’t that hard people.
11. Lonche – lunch.
Credit: awkwardlifeisawesome / Tumblr
Abueltia: ¿Qué comiste para la lonche hoy, mija?
Me: Nada. And when did you learn lonche?
12. Mopear – to mop.
Credit: anjelania / Tumblr
I don’t even care that this word exists, tbh. Nothing can make this chore anymore fun. Call it what you want…like torture.
READ: Someone Bullied A Latina about Her Accent and She Shut Them Down Real Quick
13. Lockear – to lock.
Credit: dark-recesses-of-the-soul / Tumblr
Because atrancar is so 2014.
14. Carpeta – a carpet.
Credit: Aladdin / Disney / casey-jr / Tumblr
Wait? Haven’t we been making fun of people for making words Spanish by adding an ‘o’ to the end? When did we become just like them?
15. Vaquear – to vacuum.
Credit: dr-fluffys-symposium / Tumblr
This is like mopear. I don’t care unless the word gets rid of the damn task all together.
