By: Nicole Vanesa

Peña Herrera

Colombian cultural
ambassador
Colombian idiomatic expressions
 “Está miando fuera del tiesto”

Example:
■ Juan: Tomorrow I'm going clubbing, it's Saturday!!!!
■ Cristopher: “Está miando fuera del tiesto” tomorrow is Friday !!!!!!

Meaning:

Far from its literal meaning…this is a way of

saying "you are very wrong my friend". It is
used to indicate to someone that what they
are saying is not true or that they are
speaking inconsistencies.
Example:
■ Carina: Ahhhh! oh no, I dropped half of my cupcake on the floor.
■ Lindsay: "Mugre que no mata, engorda" Never mind, pick it up and eat it.

Meaning:
This expression refers to when food has
fallen on the floor and is quickly picked up,
so as to continue eating it and not feel
guilty.

“Mugre que no mata, engorda”

Example:
 Charlie: We're running out of food. What do we
do?
 Catherine: "Let's make a cow" to buy more. I
have $30.
 Albert: Yeah, I'll put in $50.
 Charlie: All right, and I'll put in $28.
“Hagamos vaca”

Meaning:
(refers to the cow for the amount of stomachs to
eat).Usual in groups of people, in a party,
birthday, bar, etc...The whole group collects
money for a common good, for example: "let's
make a cow for the liquor", that is, let's collect
money to buy aguardiente, rum or beer.
 Example:
■ Vanessa: And then she told me that...And then the jump
and .... later we both....
■ Valentin: I say...
■ Vanessa: At night the three of us... Then everything
happened... The next day ....
■ Valentin: Calm down vanessa!!!! “Hablas hasta por los codos”

Meaning:
Perfectly describes people who talk too much
or talk too much and do not shut up, then it is
said that they talk so much that they "talk up
their elbows".
.

“Habla hasta por los codos”

“Puya al burro”
Meaning:
This common phrase
from the Colombian
Atlantic coast is used
to ask someone to
move, to do quickly
what he/she is doing
because he/she is
very delayed.

Example:
Mother: Son… "puye el burro" eat
quickly because we are going to be late
for school.
Son: Yes mom.
 Example:
“Le cuento el milagro ■ Liss: Bff, I have a gossip
pero no el santo” to tell you, it's about one
of our partners.
■ Amelia: Well, tell me...
Where did you get that
information or who told it
to you?
■ Liss:" I tell you the
miracle but not the saint"

Meaning:
It is a typical phrase in moments of gossip or tell
something, because the one who has the story
that everyone wants to know makes it clear that
he will reveal the secret but not the source.
Example:
■ Waiter: This is the value of the bill, sir ($35 dollars).
■ Customer: Oh, thank you very much. Take the money
($35 dollars); and also "Take for the soda" ($3 dollars).
■ Waiter: Thank you.

“Tome pa’ la gaseosa”

Meaning:
In many countries it is normal to tip, in Colombia
it is not the same, or it is only common in high
cost restaurants. Waiters depend much more on
the will of the consumer, who with a friendly tone
and gratitude can leave a few coins saying
"tome pa' la gaseosa, mi'jo".
Meaning:
This Colombian phrase is typical of mothers who
send a warning to their children when they open
their eyes in disapproval. “No me abra los
ojos que no le
Example: voy a echar
 Mom: And do me a please
and fix up the room when I
gotas”
have a visitor coming.
 Son: Yes ma'am ( opens his
eyes; in a reproachful way )
 Mom: "No me abra los ojos
que no le voy a echar gotas".