If you’re planning to move to Argentina or already living in Buenos Aires, you might find some strange words on your everyday conversations. That’s because Argentina has its own vibrant slang dialect called Lunfardo,originated in the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century. The coded language of immigrants, workers, and street communities, Lunfardo has evolved into a colorful, expressive element of Argentine Spanish, still actively used in 2025 (Bendini, 2020).
Knowing Lunfardo is not about sounding local, it’s about understanding humor, emotion, and the nuances of everyday culture.
What Is Lunfardo?
Lunfardo began as a unique linguistic blend, incorporating elements from Spanish, Italian, French, African, and indigenous languages within the working-class areas of Buenos Aires. Initially, it served as a secret code among prisoners and marginalized street communities, allowing them to communicate discreetly and avoid detection by police and authority figures. By the early 20th century, its rich vocabulary began to spread, notably permeating the lyrics of tango songs and becoming integrated into daily Argentine speech (Del Greco, 2002).
Lunfardo transformed from a subcultural code into a distinct linguistic signature of Argentinian identity. There’s Tango legends like Carlos Gardel who played a significant role in popularizing Lunfardo not only within Argentina but across Latin America. Its influence continues to be evident in contemporary Argentine television, film, internet memes, and informal street language (Luppi, 2017).
Why Lunfardo Is Still Used in 2025
Argentines do not “switch” intentionally to Lunfardo; actually, they grow up with it as an intrinsic part of their linguistic environment. It is blended into casual conversation, humor, flirtation, and even everyday small talk. While some expressions might be more prevalent among older generations, many Lunfardo words and phrases remain in common daily use across all age groups. From contemporary youth slang to political jokes, Lunfardo continuously adapts and evolves, dynamically reflecting Argentina’s social and emotional rhythm (Academia Porteña del Lunfardo, 2023).
Key Lunfardo Words and Their Origins
Do you wonder what words are mostly used and how they came from? Here’s a compilation of word that you will find in your daily life, you have probably heard of some!
- Che The most famous Argentine interjection, “che” is widely used to get someone’s attention, similar to “hey” or “yo” in English. Beyond a simple call, it expresses familiarity and camaraderie. Its exact origin remains uncertain, though some theories suggest it may derive from the indigenous Guaraní language (González, 2021).
- Boludo (or “boluda” for feminine) Literally meaning “big balls”, its usage has significantly evolved. Among close friends, it functions as an informal term of endearment, similar to “dude” or “bro.” However, when used aggressively or with a harsh tone, it can be a severe insult. Understanding its context and tone is crucial (Solari, 2015).
- Laburo This is the common Lunfardo word for “work” or “job.” Its etymology directly traces back to the Italian word lavoro, reflecting the profound influence of the large Italian immigrant population in Argentina during the 20th century (Bendini, 2020).
- Guita Is a term for money. Its roots are thought to lie in Caló, the Spanish Romani language. It is frequently used in place of “dinero”, which can sound overly formal in casual conversation in Buenos Aires (Del Greco, 2002).
- Quilombo Originally, “quilombo” referred to Afro-Brazilian settlements of escaped slaves. In Argentine slang, however, it has evolved to mean a mess, chaos, or a problematic situation. Saying “Esto es un quilombo” (This is a mess) is a dramatic, yet perfectly normal, way to complain about anything from traffic congestion to worst scenarios (Luppi, 2017).
- Mina and Flaco “Mina” and “flaco” are common, casual terms for “girl” and “guy,” respectively. “Mina” likely originates from the Italian word femmina. “Flaco” literally means “skinny,” but is used broadly and informally to refer to a male person, regardless of their physique (González, 2021).
- Pibe or Piba These terms refer to a kid or young person. The words gained widespread popularity in the 20th century and are still actively used in schools, homes, and general conversation today (Academia Porteña del Lunfardo, 2023).
- “Re” as a Superlative A defining feature of modern Argentine speech is the informal use of “re” as a superlative, replacing the more formal “muy” (very). For example, instead of saying “muy bueno” (very good), Argentines commonly say “re bueno” (really good/super good). It intensifies adjectives and has become an unmistakable characteristic of local speech (Solari, 2015).
Copado “Copado” is a widely used, casual way to express that something is cool or awesome. It carries a positive, upbeat connotation and is commonly heard in both major cities and smaller towns across Argentina (Bendini, 2020).
Vesre: Playing With Syllables
A particularly playful and distinctive part of Lunfardo is vesre, a type of slang that involves reversing the syllables in words. For example:
- Café becomes feca
- Tango becomes gotán
- Amigo becomes gomía
This ingenious rearrangement adds rhythm, street-style wit, and a touch of cleverness to conversations. While it is predominantly associated with Buenos Aires, vesre remains a popular feature in local media and daily informal speech (Del Greco, 2002).
