By Sanra Ritten

Food and sex are two of the basic necessities of life. It is no wonder then that the languages of the two often overlap and intertwine. In English we have plenty of words that apply equally to food and sex: ‘hunger’, ‘crave’, ‘devour’, ‘suck’, ‘to eat out’. But here in Argentina, they seem to have many more food/sex expressions than we do (and we are talking about much more than just the obvious naming of private parts after phallic looking fruits and vegetables).

Maybe it’s the influence of the large agriculture industry, a legacy of ranch culture, or maybe they are just more creative than English speakers.

Below is a dictionary of terms that you may find useful should there be something cooking between you and a porteño.

How to describe someone’s physical appearance

“Es un churro”
Literal translation: “He is a churro” (churro is a fried oblong pastry originally from Spain)
Figurative translation: “He is good looking” “He is handsome”
Context: This expression is only used to describe males

“Es un bombon”
Literal translation: “He or she is a bonbon”
Figurative translation: “He or she is extremely cute”
Context: When someone, male or female, is so cute you want to ‘eat them up’

Photo By: Sanra Ritten

“Es un bofe”
Literal translation: “Is the lung of a farm animal”
Figurative translation: “Is disgusting,” “Is very ugly”
Context: When you are completely repulsed by someone you use this phrase, which equates them to the part of meat that is only fed to cats and dogs

“Lomo” or “Lomazo”
Literal translation: The meat from the back of a cow
Figurative translation: “Great body”
Context: To describe a male or female who is super fit, the suffix “-azo” intensifies the compliment

“Que buen pan dulce”
Literal translation: “What nice sweet bread”
Figurative translation: “Nice ass”
Context: Normally used to describe a woman’s rear end

How to be suggestive (or direct)

Photo By: Sanra Ritten

“Yerba no hay”
Literal translation: “There is no yerba” (yerba is the tea leaf for the typical Argentine mate)
Figurative translation: Since there are no tealeaves for mate what else is there for two people attracted to each other to do?
Context: This full phrase which doesn’t need to be said among Argentines because it is just understood is, “Que hacemos? Tomamos mate o cogemos? Yerba no hay.”
Literally and figuratively that expression means, “What do we do, drink a mate or have sex. There is no yerba.”

“Vamos a los bifes”
Literal translation: “Let’s go to the beef”
Figurative translation: “Let’s get straight to the point”
Context: When you are in a rush and don’t have time to mess around with the unimportant stuff

How to tell your friends about it

“Calentar la pava”
Literal translation: “heat up the kettle”
Figurative translation: “to arouse someone”
Context: The person who heats up the kettle but doesn’t drink the mate is called a “calienta pava” or tease

“Darle masa”
Literal translation: “to give someone dough”
Figurative translation: “to have sex”
Context: Generally used from the male perspective, evokes images of kneading the dough.

“Entregar la rosqueta”
Literal translation: “to turn in the rosqueta” (rosqueta is an Easter dessert bread)
Figurative translation: “to put out”
Context: Since only females have ‘rosquetas’ they are the ones who turn it in or hand it over to someone

Photo By: Sanra Ritten

“Hacer la chanchada o cochinada”
Literal translation: “to do the pig filth”
Figurative translation: “to have sex”
Context: A funny expression that evokes images of pigs in a muddy pen

“Enterrar la batata”
Literal translation: “to bury the sweet potato”
Figurative translation: “to screw someone”
Context: Since only men have ‘batatas’ they are the ones who bury it

“Mojar la chaucha”
Literal translation: “to wet the green bean”
Figurative translation: “to have sex”
Context: Since only men have ‘chauchas’ they are the ones who wet it

“Mojar la vainilla”
Literal translation: “to wet the vainilla” (vainilla is a long shaped cookie)
Figurative translation: “to have sex”
Context: Since only men have ‘vainillas’ they are the ones who wet it

For those tender moments afterwards

Photo By: Sanra Ritten

“Hacer cucharita”
Literal translation: “To make the spoon”
Figurative translation: “To spoon”
Context: When you are spooning

“Media Naranja”
Literal translation: “orange half”
Figurative translation: “better half,” “other half”
Context: Generally used as a term of endearment between really old or really dorky people.

If things take a wrong turn

“Dar un bife”
Literal translation: “give a beef”
Figurative translation: “to slap someone”
Context: when either you slap or get slapped

In case you get left alone

“Acogotar la gallina”
Literal translation: “to strangle the chicken”
Figurative translation: “to masturbate”
Context: this one doesn’t need much explanation