Colombian Dictionary

Welcome to our Colombian Dictionary, a complete guide to understanding typical Colombian words, phrases, and expressions. Here you will find clear definitions and examples of usage for each term, making this Colombian dictionary useful for visitors and anyone looking to learn more about Colombian Spanish. Want to go further? Check out our guide to Colombian street and vulgar language, the one they never teach in books.

Words and Expressions You’ll Only Hear in Colombia

What you are about to read in this Colombian dictionary with amusing anecdotes may surprise you, as the definitions come from a Spanish husband and his Colombian wife from Cali, both living in Spain.

Paila — meaning in Colombia

The first word we are going to define is Paila, which has two meanings. In the kitchen, paila means frying pan. But it has another use: it is also said when you don’t like someone’s opinion — similar to saying “¡De malas!” in Spain.

Examples of use:

¡Pásame la paila para hacer los huevos! (Pass me the frying pan to make the eggs!)

No me gustó tu comida. ¡Pailas! (I didn’t like your food. Too bad!)

Anecdote: When my wife first asked me to pass her the “paila,” I went crazy searching through the cupboard until she clarified that she meant a frying pan.

Trapeador — Colombian term

The second word is trapeador. In Colombia, it means mop (the cleaning tool).

Example of use: “Voy a pasar el trapeador por toda la casa” (I’m going to mop the whole house).

Anecdote: Although I already knew that “trapeador” meant mop from the soap operas my mother used to watch, I was very surprised when my beautiful wife told me for the first time that she was going to “pasar el trapeador.”

Límpido — usage in Colombia

The third word is límpido. In Spain, we would define it as “bleach” or some chemical disinfectant.

Example of use: “¡Pasa el límpido a los baños!” (Apply the bleach to the bathrooms!)

Anecdote: I don’t have any anecdotes with “límpido,” but my Colombian wife told me she didn’t know what “bleach” was when she was first told to use it.

Balde — term in Colombia

I’m including this fourth word at my wife’s insistence — she says it’s widely used in Colombia (although it’s also used in Spain). Balde means “bucket” in Spain.

Example of use: “Tráeme el balde para trapear” (Bring me the bucket to mop).

Anecdote: When my wife arrived in Spain and was asked to bring a “barreño” (basin), she brought a broom instead.

Venga — Colombian expression

Venga (from the verb venir) has several meanings in Spanish and is used both in Spain and Colombia. However, my Colombian wife was surprised by one of the uses we give it in Spain: as a farewell expression.

Examples of use:

“Venga usted al circo que lo pasaremos muy bien” (Come to the circus — we’ll have a great time — invitation).

“Venga, pues quedamos en eso” (Okay then, we agree on that — used as a farewell in Spain).

Anecdote: When my wife arrived in Spain and was told for the first time “Venga, hasta ahora,” she just stood there — when in fact they were telling her to leave.

Todo derecho — meaning in Colombia

Next is todo derecho, which in Spain we usually say as “todo recto.” It means to continue straight ahead on the road you’re on.

Example of use: “A partir de la iglesia, todo derecho” (From the church onward, straight ahead).

Anecdote: My wife got into a taxi and gave the driver the address, saying “todo derecho.” The driver turned right at the first street. She asked what he was doing, and the driver, annoyed, replied: “What you meant to say was ‘todo recto,’ ma’am.”

Fritar — verb in Colombian Spanish

After a brief discussion with my wife about whether they have more words, we continue with the verb fritar. Fritar means “to fry” in Spain; they are synonyms.

Example of use: “Mañana para el almuerzo, voy a fritar unos huevos” (Tomorrow for lunch, I’m going to fry some eggs).

Anecdote: When the woman my wife worked for told her to “fry some eggs,” my wife looked for a deep fryer. The woman clarified that they were cooked in a frying pan.

Other words in this Colombian dictionary

It seems my chubby girl has gotten tired of giving me definitions. For now, we’re putting the Colombian dictionary on hold. But if you want to keep exploring curious Colombian expressions, we recommend reading about “Suck the thing” (Chupar el coso), one of the most peculiar and fun phrases you’ll hear in Colombia.

*Quick dictionary from Colombian Spanish to standard Spanish

And for those who want something more formal, we recommend visiting DiccionarioColombia.com, a site with more serious and complete definitions of the Spanish spoken in the country.