Useful Phrases & Ordering Meat
Everyday Phrases — Argentinian!
| German | Argentinian Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello! | ¡Hola! / ¿Qué hacés? | Oh-la / Ke a-SES |
| How are you? | ¿Cómo andás? | KO-mo an-DAS (not "¿Cómo estás?") |
| Good, and you? | Bien, ¿y vos? | Bien, i WOS (not "¿y tú?") |
| Great! / Fantastic! | ¡Genial! / ¡Bárbaro! / ¡Copado! | |
| No problem | No pasa nada / Tranqui | No PA-sa NA-da / TRAN-ki |
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto sale? | KWAN-to SA-le (not "¿Cuánto cuesta?") |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor | La KWEN-ta por fa-WOR |
| Where is...? | ¿Dónde queda...? | DON-de KE-da |
| Can you help me? | ¿Me podés ayudar? | Me po-DES a-schu-DAR |
| I'm from Germany | Soy de Alemania / Soy alemán(a) | |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Hablás inglés? | a-BLAS in-GLES |
| I don't speak Spanish | No hablo español | |
| Sorry | Disculpá / Perdón | Dis-kul-PA (Voseo!) |
| Cheers! | ¡Salud! | sa-LUD |
| It's very delicious! | ¡Está riquísimo! | es-TA ri-KI-si-mo |
| I love Argentina! | ¡Me encanta Argentina! | Me en-KAN-ta ar-chen-TI-na |
★★★ Ordering Meat Like a Pro
| Doneness | Argentinian | For whom? |
|---|---|---|
| Raw/Bleu | Vuelta y vuelta | Only for hardcore steak fans |
| Rare / English | Jugoso | Juicy and pink — the choice of connoisseurs |
| Medium | A punto | The safe choice — perfectly cooked, pink inside |
| Well done | Bien cocido | A sacrilege for Argentines. Pitying looks guaranteed |
Ordering in a Restaurant
- "Un bife de chorizo a punto, por favor" = A roast beef steak, medium please
- "Una provoleta para empezar" = A provoleta as a starter
- "Una botella de Malbec, por favor" = A bottle of Malbec please
- "¿Qué me recomendás?" = What do you recommend? (Voseo!)
- "¡Está riquísimo!" = It's delicious! (Compliment to the chef)
- "La cuenta, por favor" = The bill, please
Mate Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mate | The cup (made of gourd, wood, or ceramic) |
| Yerba | The dried mate herb |
| Bombilla | The metal straw with a filter at the end |
| Cebador | The person who prepares and serves the mate |
| Cebar | To pour and pass the mate |
| Amargo | Bitter (without sugar) — the "adult" version |
| Dulce | Sweet (with sugar) — the "beginner" version |
| Gracias | CAUTION: Means "I don't want any more mate" — NOT just thank you! |
Football Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| La cancha | The stadium / the field |
| Hinchada | The fans (literally: the inflated ones) |
| Gol | Goal |
| Penal | Penalty |
| Director Técnico (DT) | Coach |
| Gambeta | Dribbling (Maradona's specialty!) |
| Aguante [Team]! | Hold on, [Team]! / Go! |
💡 Tipp
Learn these three words and you'll be instantly likable: "Che" (Hey, buddy!), "Dale" (Okay, let's do it!), and "Bárbaro" (Great!). Incorporate them into conversations and Argentines will love you. And: Never order your steak "bien cocido" (well done) — you'll get pitying looks. "A punto" (medium) is the safe choice. If you want to impress the waiter: Order "jugoso" (rare) and say "Me encanta la carne argentina" (I love Argentine meat).